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)
Justin T,
I do target largescale suckers in preference to trout when cold water fishing, stronger, much larger, I once caught 9 in a few hours and they totaled probably 25-30 lb. Mostly carp now, most tough in all ways, and the carp crowd are a dedicated, kind, loyal bunch, ever willing to help one another. In fact, in my part of Idaho, the tailwater snobs helped propel me toward carp.
Go whitefish as well!
Gregg
For ZShattuck, those browns and rainbows you are chasing might be just as invasive as the carp.
I guide on some beautiful high mountains streams and lakes for some gorgeous trout but the carp guiding I do is by far the most challenging. Let's be honest, anyone can catch a trout but that can't be said for carp. Before I even consider taking an angler on a carp day they have to be able to cast and I mean delicately dropping a fly in a precise spot with minimal back casts.
I don't understand all the anger towards carp fishing. It's fun, they are big, and they are very challenging.
In Australia it's illegal to catch carp and let them go alive. Got to slit the throat and throw them up on the bank.
What's next for slab of the year, Tench ?
Even if Lee Wulf himself was holding that thing it would still be a joke, I'm never voting again.
Oh and I'd prefer a good dose of skin cancer than to be caught dead wearing a buff. Got to be the most stupid piece of clothing I've ever come across. And why is it only fly fisherman that wear them ? Must be a certain kind of sunlight that only shines on guys with fly rods ....
September was a farce !!! And that gay bull trout got second ?.. I'm out.
Jesus? So much shit talking and I know it all too well. Most of you guys tore me apart for my SOTM entries and especially when my Mackinaw won. This isn't about what species is better in my opinion..... We are ALL fly fishers who pursue fish from all over the globe. Fresh, salt, North, South, and everywhere in between. To all of the SOTM winners, you impressed me and you ALL deserved to be winners in my book.
When does it go BACK to fishing and not shit talking? You guys rip people apart for the way they hold the fish, the clothes they wear, and everything under the sun. I think that the people who bash these SOTM and SOTY fly fishers are just plain JEALOUS. Carp, Bull, Cutthroat.... They are ALL worthy fish and I'm sure that the anglers who caught them are all frigging awesome in their own right.
Hats off to all 12 entries, to the three that placed, and to the carp that kicked everyone's ass. I'm impressed and about to hit the water in search of another SOTM entry for myself. Instead of talking so much SHIT, why don't you put your money where your mouth is and actually SPEND SOME TIME ON THE WATER.... Some people just plain suck.
And, I'm done.
Grats to Montana.
Lots of arguments can be made against carp. However, they are here now and we will never get rid of them. They are just too damn adaptable and thrive all over. They won and there is no going back at this point. That being said, considering the availability of them why not take advantage? Not all of us can regularly get away to prime trout/steelhead/whatever waters.We might as well hone our skills on just an intelligent and advanced species. Sight fly fishing for them take a lot of work and skill to accomplish on a regular basis. To claim that carp are stupid is pure and plain ignorance of the highest order.
Montana didnt pimp for votes. His friends supported him because we wanted a carp to win SotY. Dont blame him, blame us if you think there was some unethical voting. There will be plenty of Steelhead, Char, monster trout, etc winning this in the future so dont get at wadded up about it. Frankly the bias and disrespect shown by some voters was what encouraged us to push even harder. You havent seen any carp on the fly anglers showing that kind of disrespect to other fish caught. Mainly because we all fish for those too.
In Australia it's illegal to catch carp and let them go alive. Got to slit the throat and throw them up on the bank.
What's next for slab of the year, Tench ?
Even if Lee Wulf himself was holding that thing it would still be a joke, I'm never voting again.
Oh and I'd prefer a good dose of skin cancer than to be caught dead wearing a buff. Got to be the most stupid piece of clothing I've ever come across. And why is it only fly fisherman that wear them ? Must be a certain kind of sunlight that only shines on guys with fly rods ....
September was a farce !!! And that gay bull trout got second ?.. I'm out.
Congratulations to the winners. However I can't say that I am very impressed with the slab of the year being a carp. A first place carp and a third place put and take. There were some better entries. My favorite was the huge redfish and the steelhead.
On a side-note I don't even think that is a large carp for the species. He has a good "arm-out" pose going on and the size is highly exaggerated.
Final word on the carp. I hope you killed it! Don't release em folks!
Way to go John - who is undoubtedly the most talented angler I have ever had the pleasure of fishing with!
And don't let the vitriol stress you out fellow carpers. Long Live the Revolution!
I odn't mind a carp winning.. but.at least it could have been a big carp. Guess I should start taking pictures...didn't know guys were so impressed with normal sized fish...
He he......love it and hate it, this shit that is! I'm familiar with the Carp angler who won. Congrats to winning, but if you move out to Carpier waters in Washington; at least make it a 40 or 50 pounder not a 25. Carp are very fun to catch on the fly and ALOT easier to catch on the fly than people are leading on. On the flipside all you purest Steelhead, Cutthroat,and "wild" Trout Carp haters out there; I feel bad for you. You only fish to try and fit in and call yourself a fisherman, because you fit in nowhere else. Fishing is what it is and if Moldy Chum would expand their views on species it would be alot more fun. I have yet to see a gigantic Bluegill entered, or even a large Pike. I love Trout and Salmon, but theres more to flyfishing than "hollywood fish". My 35# Bigmouth Buffalo that I subdued on a 5 weight a couple years back was way more worthy of the spotlight than any of these "easy" fish targets and it never even got posted. I'm not sad or mad, well sad a little. I fish for everything from Carp and Redhorse to Trout and Muskies. Anyone that is a one species fisher, or a Salmonid only snob, either has no passion for the sport, or decided to join a "club" and call themselves an angler.
The buff is gay, about as gay as the finger condom the guy was wearing earlier in the year on here. Yeah I know its for the sun, bugs, etc; but hey.......grow a pair. Do you wear a helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, and wrist guards when you go skateboarding? Ya might want to bring a spotter next time you go fishing; just in case you fall in the water, at least your covered!
Honored and humbled to have won runner up for slab of the year!!! Thank you Moldy Chum for the contest and all the voters. I am by no means a carp fan, I have caught plenty and it's just not my thing. However, it certainly took serious skill to stalk and land that beast, congrats on the fish and for winning slab of the year, mad respect! Haters are going to hate. Seriously there were impressive fish every month, it was anyone's game. Just glad to see Bullies get some love as they are amazing fish. Farce or not it was the fish that symbolizes a lot of effort to me and I appreciate any vote sent my way.
"Final word on the carp. I hope you killed it! Don't release em folks!"
Yes, that will do the trick. We'll have them gone in no time.
Its pretty obvious that the artificial interest from the carp community caused the massive influx of votes for this one. It would have been nice to know who the regular patrons of MC voted as Slab of the year.
carp suck, and around here are easy to catch. Ugly as sin, smell like ass and are a boring fight. should never have been in contention. Its the fish for anglers with nothing else to fish for.
Didnt vote for it. But hell of a catch.
To be honest, I dont like seeing any fish win... it all comes down to the angler themselves. a 10 inch trout could get someone just as hyped up as a 10 pound bone. Its about the love for fishing.
While on the topic of carp.... How can one go about catching carp on the fly in the middle of dallas, tx during winter?
This is getting as bad as comments on political articles. Why the hell would you bash a fish or fisherman because you don't like the species he fishes for? I don't personally know John, but I voted for him because he seems like a genuinely good dude, runs a sweet blog and caught a bitchin fish. I don't give a rats ass what you fish for; whether you are using a Sage One and a Loop Opti, a tenkara rod or the $35 Wallie World special; if you are flying halfway around the world to fish crazy destination fisheries or the pond in your neighborhood; as long as you are being ethical and having fun, who gives a shit. Personally, I fish for a bunch of species, nothing too crazy, mostly bass and panfish, carp, steelhead and occaisionaly trout. If I had trout streams closer, I'd chase them more, but I don't and that doesn't really make me sad, I love what I fish for. I don't own any $1000 rods or $700 reels, I don't spend 6 G's going on fishing trips, but if you can afford it, I don't hold a grudge. We all love to fish and probably spend more time and money on it than is truly justifiable and that should bring us all closer, not push us apart with stupid bullshit.
Fishing for carp flats boat style is probably the best saltwater like experience those of us who aren't close to the salt can experience. It's great practice for chasing reds. It is another challenge any flyfisherman should master. Now that being said....catching them at a dock or in a pond is absolutely no challenge whatsoever!!! This SOTM winner looks to be a pond fish. Musky or Bull should have won. The permit challenge died out with the miami vice series back in the late 80's.
"Its pretty obvious that the artificial interest from the carp community caused the massive influx of votes for this one."
So what you're saying is that the artificial interest of the carp on the fly community is stronger than the genuine interest of the trout community?
Not good news for the trout community.
(1) Opinions aside, you don't bank fish. Any fish. Illegal and wanton waste. Against the law in most states. Also disrespectful.
(2) There is no size distribution within which you would call that carp small.
(3) Buff is highly useful. So are bike helmets. My dad's got skin cancer on his neck and ears and one of my buddies fell off his bike and died by way of hitting his head on the curb. BUT: at least they both looked tough when they were working outside and biking, respectively.
(4) Previous comment by mt.... you just described carp as a "boring fight." This disqualifies you from any meaningful discussion on the topic going forward.
Any of those three fish could have been the winner. Very cool all the way around. Congrats to all the anglers. Some very stupid comments following the pictures though. Carp will always just be carp to some people.
ha classic chum argument going here. I'm just surprised no one has accused him on taking it off a redd or fit in a landon meyer dis somewhere yet. No problem with a carp winning it. However, it is stupid how that isn't even very big as far as carp go, dude has the inspector gadget extending arms in this picture for sure.
Bonefish, Tarpon and Permit had no place in the sport in the early fly fishing years. The challenge of stalking and catching powerful wary fish that could bust tackle, advanced the thrill of fly fishing world wide. Carping will do the same thing. Trout are great but carp offer a greater challenge most of the time.