River fishing has been slow so far here because the river has been moving fast. The ice did not even melt until May and it has been raining almost non stop. I tried going in April and ended up catching more icebergs and freezing myself to death than anything else. Going in May did not improve the results. The river is moving. Impossible to catch catfish right now.

Did I mention that is what I am after? I joined this contest with a certain someone to catch the biggest catfish. It is called King of the Cats and it is a catch and release contest. Seeing as how I have never caught a catfish I though it would be fun to try. Which brings me to my point. Last year I went fishing for the first time in 20 years. I went to catch catfish and caught a giant carp. My first fish in 20 years.

We went on the river nearby. It was still. The way it should be when trying to river fish. You can cast out to where you want your line to go. You let your rod rest on a stick that god designed for catfishing and wait for it to bounce. Then you grab it and start the fight.

    I, however, caught a carp. I had no idea what to do which made it even better. I saw my rod wobble and I grabbed it and started reeling in. What was on the other end started swimming away. Me, being completely new to this, kept reeling in and tired myself out instead of letting it swim a bit and then reeling in. It’s kind of like a dance. Let it swim, reel in, let it swim, reel in, and so forth. Whatever you do, don’t let it swim towards the rocks or trees in the river because that is when you lose. I was running up and down the bank like a crazy woman so that this wouldn’t happen. I was begging for help saying that I was tired and couldn’t do it. Of course, a certain someone would not help me, but rather told me what to do. By the end of it I was tired, but still managed to perk up for my first fishing photo before I let the carp go back into the murky river.

I will always remember that day of river fishing with my new rod and no experience. My love for fishing has only grown and I have discovered that I am quite the natural fisherwoman. I think it has to do with growing up in Minnesota and having a good guide.