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bug_power
02-18-2007, 04:48 PM
ok so here's the report from San Marcos. I know you're wondering BAG Grouper he must have had a typo...it's GAG grouper right? Read on...

So I get there to San Marcos at 11:30am. The weather is fairly nice except for a stiff 15mph wind blowing. We'll be in the water so no worries. I walked down to the water and was surprised actually how warm it was. I'm not sure the actual temp. but my 3 mil was plenty. So MilkJug meets me up around 12 and we head off to Old Bastrop Road....first issue...it's not called old bastrop any longer, they call it County Line Road. So after passing it by 5 miles we u-turn, buy a map, and we find our road. We find a spot to park the car (there are SEVERAL "No Parking" signs around so we have to park about 1/4 from the bridge. We load our stuff into the his truck and head back to Stokes Park. We hop in and I look at my Watch 12:22pm. Great it will be a nice day. We don't get 20ft and we see some BAG grouper...Now I know some of you are asking WTF is BAG grouper. Well I figured with the current resturant style of Grouper classification when you order it for dinner leaves "grouper" for a wide interpretation. So BAG Grouper is Big Ass Goldfish Grouper :) We both spear one, mine tears off, but MilkJug get's his on the stringer. We see some buffalo carp as well but don't get any shots on them.
I can't start to say how many Pleco's (sucker mouth) catfish are out there. It has to be several thousands. Seems everywhere you look there's about 4 or 5 on the bottom. Definatly WAY overpopulated. I shot one and threw him on the stringer for a "lobster" dinner. The average size of them is probably somewhere around 8" or so. Great practice for shot placement. We float down the river and find some great spots on the back side of fallen trees that have dammed the river a bit. We swam around/under the logs and found bass (too bad we can't shoot um) and buffalo's there. I got my BAG grouper and Milkjug started the perch shootout! We floated and floated and floated...I'm consistantly thinking the bridge is right around the corner. I brought my floatline which turned out to be a bit PITA around all the trees and stumps. Definatly next time just cliping the stringer to me and bringing a small 20' float for when you've gotta leave the gun onthe bottom due to fish getting wrapped on stumps. The deepest spots I saw were only about 15' or so.
We (I) started to get a bit worried as it was getting late and we were not seeing the bridge any time soon. So we got out and walked a bit. We managed to navigate some pasture, only to find fence on the other side. So we did our best impression of cliff divers to get back into the river an fin down a bit more. ONly to find about 40yards further downthe river was a damn...thank god we didn't try to go over it. 15' drop :) So by this time we are carring 60lbs of Bag Grouper and perch over the damn. We hop back in and slide down some rapids. We make another 2 or 3 turns and find our bridge YEAH.. Ton's of up and down diving and a great workout....but we didn't see the bridge until 6:34pm. I was wore out. Freediving fins are great, but when you have to kick them for 6 hours...my legs were on fire!

Here are some pics for your viewing pleasure.

http://www.redpepper.cc/sanmarcos/san mrcos sml.jpg
http://www.redpepper.cc/sanmarcos/san mrcos 005 sml.jpg
http://www.redpepper.cc/sanmarcos/san mrcos 006 sml.jpg
http://www.redpepper.cc/sanmarcos/san mrcos 007 sml.jpg
http://www.redpepper.cc/sanmarcos/san mrcos 008 sml.jpg
bug_power
02-18-2007, 04:53 PM
http://www.redpepper.cc/sanmarcos/san mrcos 009s.jpg
http://www.redpepper.cc/sanmarcos/san mrcos 010s.jpg
http://www.redpepper.cc/sanmarcos/san mrcos 011s.jpg
http://www.redpepper.cc/sanmarcos/san mrcos 012s.jpg
http://www.redpepper.cc/sanmarcos/san mrcos 013s.jpg
http://www.redpepper.cc/sanmarcos/san mrcos 014s.jpg
http://www.redpepper.cc/sanmarcos/san mrcos 015s.jpg
http://www.redpepper.cc/sanmarcos/san mrcos 016s.jpg
http://www.redpepper.cc/sanmarcos/san mrcos 017s.jpg
bug_power
02-18-2007, 04:54 PM
http://www.redpepper.cc/sanmarcos/san mrcos 019 sml.jpg
http://www.redpepper.cc/sanmarcos/san mrcos 020 sml.jpg
MichaelBaranows
02-18-2007, 05:16 PM
I know what you are talking about a long swim. We went right after a good rain so we might if had a little better follow. But a long swim no matter what. Looks like yall got a few more fish than we did two weeks ago. I like those Bag grouper cause they are a little easier to see.
mrfish87
02-19-2007, 09:26 AM
So do you grill the BAG's or fry em up. That looks like some interresting shooting. I might have to make a roadtrip.
SeaWeed
02-19-2007, 09:45 AM
Good catch. We have those plecos in Florida some of them are at least 5lbs about 2ft long.
bug_power
02-19-2007, 10:49 AM
didn't see any pleco's that big. Bag grouper is soaking in some milk until wednesday as that's the first time I don't have school from 7am to 10pm. Gotta love teaching and college at the same time. So I'm getting the grill ready for some Goldfish on the halfshell!
JLittle44
02-23-2007, 08:21 AM
Great report Bug. We told you it was a long swim! :D

Looks like ya'll had a good time. Sorry I had to cancel this time, but I'm definitely up for another run at it. So did you end up eating any of the plecos? I really want to know what they taste like.

I've been freezing my a$$ off for the last few days. While you guys were swiming in 70deg water having a blast, I was stuck out here... with no shotgun...
bug_power
02-23-2007, 10:45 AM
if your fast enough, speargun works for goose too! I shot a few on the lake from underneath :)
Milkjug
02-23-2007, 02:20 PM
So, how was the goldfish on the half-shell? :D
bug_power
02-26-2007, 12:36 AM
honestly if you don't mind a couple of bones....it's hard not to taste good with enough butter and Tony's :) Pleco....didn't make the grill.
MauiFreeDiver
02-26-2007, 05:21 PM
Are those orange and red fish Koi? Or is that what your calling BAG?
bug_power
02-26-2007, 06:08 PM
yup KOI or (BIG ASS GOLDFISH) = BAG Grouper :)
MauiFreeDiver
02-26-2007, 06:53 PM
No shit :eek: , ive never heard of anyone spearing Koi, I have heard of people eating it and they say it tatse like shit. Is that true?
So lemme get this straight, there is wild Koi all over that lake? Was it cause someone let some go a while back and they just adapted?
x-ring
02-26-2007, 10:42 PM
Little goldfish grow up into big Koi with enough habitat.
bug_power
02-26-2007, 10:47 PM
exactly...put any fish over a mesquite fire, add butter and tony's and it's pretty good. For the Koi. I simply fillet with scales still on, then put the scales side down over open flame. Works well when camping too. Just shoot the fish and cook scales down. The scales keep it from burning and you can get a good smoke flavor from the wood.
Texsurfer
02-28-2007, 12:36 PM
that sounds good, I'll have to show you boys how to do it messican "sarandeado" style, you could grill a turd that way and it would taste good! :thumps:
mnguy
03-01-2007, 02:57 AM
Y'know, shooting a koi like that (assuming it is a true koi and not an overgrown goldfish) means you just looked $100 base, probably more in the mouth and pissed it away.
bug_power
03-01-2007, 06:41 AM
ummm.....so? Probably the most expensive fish I've ever eaten! There are SOO many of them that I could catch 100's of them on any given day. I tell you what, you give me $75 each on on them. and I'll see if I can't rig some sort of net and catch them. I'll throw them in my pond out front.
MichaelBaranows
03-01-2007, 07:17 AM
Bug,
You are going to be rich if you can find a buyer. I saw tons of them when I was up there last month. But I really think they are over grown Goldfish and not Koi.
bug_power
03-01-2007, 10:24 AM
any way to tell besides DNA?
JLittle44
03-01-2007, 10:33 AM
Bug, here ya go:

John:

Based on your description, it sounds like common carp. FYI—Common carp have long fleshy barbels, either bronze to yellowish in color (most common in Texas) or bright yellow, orange, red, black colors (koi). Goldfish do not have barbells.

Thanks,

Tim

_____________________________________
Timothy H. Bonner
Texas State University-San Marcos
Department of Biology
Freeman Aquatic Biology Building
601 University Drive
San Marcos, Texas 78666
apexpredator
03-01-2007, 02:18 PM
Those red ones are Koi fish. They are carp...not goldfish. The super expensive varieties are a product of careful breeding. Koi are grouped into categories for judging. There are 14 specific varieties and another 15th variety called Kawarimono which encompasses all those fish that do not conform to the other 14 standards. Pond fish left to breed unrestricted and wild fish will all fall into that 15th category. Some people just want a nice big fish for their pond and I am sure would pay a pretty penny for a healthy specimen. But I am also sure that there is more than meets the eye in capturing and marketing Koi than simply going to the river to pluck out $100 bills.
mnguy
03-01-2007, 04:28 PM
Those red ones are Koi fish. They are carp...not goldfish. The super expensive varieties are a product of careful breeding. Koi are grouped into categories for judging. There are 14 specific varieties and another 15th variety called Kawarimono which encompasses all those fish that do not conform to the other 14 standards. Pond fish left to breed unrestricted and wild fish will all fall into that 15th category. Some people just want a nice big fish for their pond and I am sure would pay a pretty penny for a healthy specimen. But I am also sure that there is more than meets the eye in capturing and marketing Koi than simply going to the river to pluck out $100 bills.

In a nutshell, yes there is more to it that pulling fish for $100. If you are talking about enthusiasts or breeders like myself, we would know what we are looking at and probably not buy them, or buy them at a cut rate in an attempt to breed a certain quality that the wild ones carry back into our nicer specimens(I'm currently trying to do this with wild green carp and a diamond-scaled koi specimen for kicks). An American Koi, regardless of the quality, has yet to meet the quality standards to get into, much less win, in the All-Japan koi convention every year.

The average person with a large koi pond who just wants some pretty fish to look at that are big without having to grow them from little ones(hotels and upscale offices are a good example of this) will gladly shell out $100 or better for fish of that size.
Dallasdiver
03-02-2007, 02:06 PM
mnguy you set up the buyers and bug you get the nets and fish traps ready. :D I will help you catch them. :D They seem like a pretty robust fish that could survive a car ride in a container, I wonder if I could find buyers in Dallas? :D
bug_power
03-02-2007, 03:12 PM
I've got some 300 gallon containers for transport...if your trailer/container could haul the 1800 lbs in water ballast :)
bug_power
03-02-2007, 03:13 PM
Hell we could probably spear them, put them in a retaining pond to heal up, then sell them ;) how much water does one of those large koi(carp)whatever need? I've got a 300-500 gallon pond on my front yard. I wouldn't mind digging a pond in the back yard either.
normanhghntr
03-02-2007, 08:52 PM
your going to need a bigger pond, with bio filters and all sorts of goodies, and youll have to dig it at least 48" deep 24 at minimum, dont get excited because no one will pay 10 bucks for those rock carp!! eat them and be happy with your dinner!!!! :D