Monday
Feb112013
2012 Slab of the Year Winners
Monday, February 11, 2013 at 2:00AM The Chum Nation has spoken. We tallied. And here's how it shook out:
First Place Winner:
John "Montana" Bartlett's carping dedication reaches the highest honor.
Second Place Winner:
Derek Olthuis' Bull Trout impresses many a kypeoisseur.
Third Place Winner:
Dave Hamel's Lahontan is a prime example of what this revered contest is all about.
Another banner year - with hundreds of entries evaluated, three chummists stood. 2012 was Cheeky powered, and includes goodness from other friends and sponsors.
FIRST PLACE
Cheeky Reel of Choice
Patagonia Rock Grip Wading Boots - Aluminum Bar
SECOND PLACE
Patagonia Rock Grip Wading Boots - Aluminum Bar
THIRD PLACE
Reader Comments (72)
I don't get the carp bashing. If you only want to catch dinky 10 inch trout that will barely put a bend in your 4 wt, and takes approximately 15 seconds to strip in, more power to you, but a fish that bends my 8 into the cork and gets into the backing at least once, usually several times, is equally "sporty", if not more so. They may not be exactly beautiful, but they have a certain handsomeness to them.
justin T... Having your own opinion is fine, misstating facts as though they are true simply displays your lack of knowledge. The "photshopped scarf" is neither added with photoshop, nor is it a scarf. It's called a Buff. It's used by most fishermen these days to keep cool on flats, keep bugs away and prevent sunburn. Every saltwater fly angler and freshwater flats fisherman out there uses them. As you can see the man holding the massive bull red is wearing one too and I would bet the dude with the permit is too.
Now, you suggest there are no destination fisheries where people travel to catch carp. I suggest you look into Beaver Island MI (Field and Stream called it the best flats fishing in North America... with apologies to the Keys, Louisiana and the striper flats in the NE). The Blackfoot reservoir has guides there that guide people from around the country. The Columbia River in the PNW has many guides doing the same. I mean, this assertion is just plain wrong.
Here is what I don't get... All of your heros in the sport love to fish carp. John Geirarch writes about passing on trout on the Bighorn to fish carp above the dam and about his love for carp flyfishing in "Another Lousy Day in Paradise"... Kirk Deeter I quoted earlier... Tom Rosenbauer actually said he prefers carp fishing to trout but unfortunately lives closer to trout than carp. Every guide you know probably fishes them instead of trout on off days. So why would you let a preconceived notion hinder your fun if they haven't?
As for you calling them trash fish, I assume you catch and release. Not sure what difference the species makes in that case. If they are more challenging, fight harder, get bigger, and are at LEAST as fun as trout, then why would you let a label someone planted in your brain when you were a child decide if you go after them or not?
I repost : "I think Kirk Deeter said it best when addressing the question, "Why do all the best anglers out there have an obsession with flyfishing for Carp?". His response, "It all boils down to two reasons. Good anglers understand these reasons, and the rest are seemingly relegated to excuses and rationalizations that usually involve the words, "trash fish"."
Your tears are delicious Justin.
Ah, when will moldychum be called "the shit talker?" This is entertaining dialogue! I wish there were always long threads of opinions on every post here! Anyways, I lived in western trout country for more than a decade, but when the summer weather was hot and sunny, I'd drive two hours to fish for "trophy" carp in a disgusting manmade reservoir, with epic algae blooms that made the water pea soup. Carp are an awesome species for fly fisherman. I've fished and caught suckers too, but they don't have the fight or wariness as a carp. Whatever, to each his own. Although, I'm voting for the kid with the cutthroat in March. We need more young anglers.
So according to Carpmaster only residents of the US are allowed to vote in the poll? You dont think the other contestants are not trying to get their friends and local forum members to vote for their fish? Dont be dense. This poll is open to anyone and everyone on the planet. If they are not getting the votes it is their own problem their friends are not supporting them.
The carp angler is getting a lot of votes because he is well known and a good angler. It was the anti carp sentiment in these comments that brought the comments to this state. You only have yourself to blame.
You dont like the results, vote for the other guys and keep your repressed sexual urges to yourself please
Great to hear so many of you love carp. Please go fish for carp, and tell all your friends to go fish carp. Hell, start a revolution! Maybe this is the solution to overcrowding waters. EVERYONE, Cancel all other planned fishing trips and go fish the large brown ugly disgusting carp. Long live trash fish!
10 inch trout? go ask your mom about my 10 incher....she's hooked!
Want to know why I fish for Carp? Because I can. Because I want to.
I don't have to drive 8 hours or fly 1000 miles to fish.
I don't have to spend $3000 for gear, hotel room, guide, fuel...
I don't have to put up with people who just don't get it.
Carp are within a 10 minute drive.
You get out of it what you put into it, if you don't like something it's your choice not to do it.
I don't like seeing fish handled improperly, but I see it all the time. I just keep my pie hole shut and move on.
To the fellow Carpers - keep plenty of backing and enjoy tight freaking lines.
To the attitudinal among us - have a nice day.
Im a hopeless steelheader, possibly one of the most block headed sub species of fishermen in the world.. ive chosen a path where not catching is way of life, while im no carper..carpist..carpy?? I voted for the carp, why? becouse I know the fisherman behind that gay buff.. one of the most dedicated artists in his craft.. and giving, always has a word and a hand up for another fisher.. only fires back when fired upon.. and usally with some sharp wit. But foremost someone whos love for the art and the fish is part of the gear he wears daily, and quite apparent... now I can say one thing as a fact, a fisherman can walk past a bluegill, perch pike trout or any other fish commenting to his buddy, hey look at that, a 10' bass just laying there... and then just continue on, but nobody with any fishermans heart can walk past a 10 lb carp and not cast to it.. it is impossible- John, please don't tell anyone I said that-
You said it yourself .... Nobody likes a chummer.... Chump
i can't stop laughing at all the carp snobs coming out of the closet......stop bashing carp, guys, you're hurting their feelings!
clearly the ones with the worst attitudes are the carp "anglers" and their holier than thou bullshit. nobody is going to bow down to you because you chase carp. do you really believe you are too good for trout, steelhead, etc? hilarious! get over yourself.
it will suffice to say that without CENTURIES of trout fly anglers and their advancements you wouldn't have shit but a can of corn and a pack of snells.
on the other hand.....
purists, stop acting like a fly flicker chasing carp is the end of the world....it's not. most of them are pretty cool, it's just a particular strain of douchebag on the internet that is ruining the image for the 99% of them that are respectable. that's all.
LOVE YOU!
Who would walk past a 10' bass???? Nobody.
funny, I have to agree... nobody would walk past a 10' bass... funny the difference the lack of a keystroke makes..
Congratulations John! Great fish glad you won! And congrats to all the entries ! A bunch of real beautiful fish out there and all of you are winners getting fish of that caliber!
Congratulations Carp Man! And to all the entries! Great fish!
I m all for carp fishing,
But the Atlantic should have won,hands down.
Here's the order it should have been. First the Atlantic
Second the taimen third the dolly.On second thought,
That carp was a pig.
Well done, John, from everyone at CarpPro!
Congrats to John. He is a very talented angler who catches some of the most spooky, finicky carp in the U.S. Well deserved.
I could give half a crap what other people think about carp. There is a reason why some of the most talented fly fishermen in the country target them. You don't like carp? That's great. More room for me on the flats. Trout, carp - it's all good.
I love Moldy Chum, but I still can't figure out why so many Chum followers feel the need to spew negativity like vomit.
Glad to see the winner :)
Carp are solid game fish and an awesome sight fishing opportunity in the states. That being said, this guy turned this whole thing into a popularity contest. He advertised on his blog to vote for him, that is a joke. The guy is a DONKEY and I wouldn't fish with him.
Another precedent is set in welcoming the invasive carp into our angling circle...not to mention our ecological community. Fat and stupid is no way to win SOY, son. For many non-slab fish (i.e., non game natives), common carp has held the smoking gun in their demise. For MC to allow such a villain to have a place of safe harbor, or even celebration, is disappointing. Hucho taimen should have taken the honor...the bull char was pretty sweet though too.
Get your head in the game MC!
ZShattuck
Congrats on the win John Montana. That fish capture is the result of drive, endurance, study and skill. Among other things.
I really like both trout and carp. To call any species of fish "trash," let alone one as interesting and challenging as carp... translates to ignorance. Nothing more to say on that one.
Hilarious the amount of snobbery shown by Justin and finally carpmaster. I challenge you to get involved in a carp fly tournament if it is so easy....Think you'll find it isn't as easy as you claim
Some butthurt going on there dude(s)
Go Team Carp
"I would rather a 10 inch trout grace my fly with its beauty and charm in a spectacular mountainous location than catch a world record carp on the fly. I would assume many others would agree"
Hell no.
Don't get me wrong, trout are awesome. Pretty much any type of fishing is a great time. But a WR carp on the fly? I'd do terrible things for that.
I LOL'd at ZShattuck's comment, because of how far off base it really was? You don't like non-natives huh? So maybe we should bar Brown Trout and Rainbows (from east of the Rockies), as they were all stocked and have decimated local Brookie, minnow, and dace populations? Steelhead and salmonids from the Great Lakes should also be barred too.
Please, do some research before you think about typing again. There is not one single shred of evidence in this digital world about common carp causing the demise of "native fauna". Carp have been here since the 1800s....longer than your beloved Browns and stocked Rainbows have been.
Go bury your head in the sand somewhere else.