Finally, #koiquest2017 success!

by Jeff D
(KC)

As you know, I've been after the koi in my local city park lake for some time. Well, I finally caught one.

I was fishing up close to the shore using a method feeder and a strawberry boilie on a hair rig. I hadn't had much luck other than a couple of overachieving bluegills. I was kind of spacing off when I noticed that there were two koi RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, about 3 feet out from the bank. I very slowly got up and walked away, so I could bring in the method feeder without spooking the fish.

I removed the method feeder and made a 4 ft 12-lb fluoro lengthener and reattached the hair rig. I was using a strawberry boilie, and I made a big glob of groundbait over the boilie and hook and very carefully lowered it into the water near the koi, then walked down the bank far enough to have a tight line. Immediately 2 more koi came in and began feeding in the area. After about 10 minutes without a bite, I slowly lifted the boilie out of the water, added more groundbait and carefully lowered it in the area of the koi, then retreated back down along the bank until I had a tight line.

What commenced was a feeding frenzy where I couldn't tell if a fish had taken the boilie or they were simply hitting my leader. I slightly lifted the rod tip and felt a weight, so I set the hook. The koi immediately made a beeline for the middle of the lake, but the Kiyogi 21 had no problem turning it. I recruited one of the many kids fishing the lake to man the net, and played the koi in. The fish ran and the line sang, but at no point did I feel like I didn't have control of the fish. The kid's father had a scale and we weighed the fish at 5.7 kg, which is about 12.5 lbs. Based on how easily I landed this fish, I'd guess the Kiyogi 21 is more than a match for anything but a truly gigantic carp.

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” - Benjamin Franklin

"Be sure in casting, that your fly fall first into the water, for if the line fall first, it scares or frightens the fish..." -
Col. Robert Venables 1662

As age slows my pace, I will become more like the heron.