| More than 95 percent of the US population has no | | | | different lake owners do different things during |
| idea what the term "Jackpot Fishing" means. The | | | | each contest. Lake Ann ran their tournaments as |
| small percentage of people that know about this | | | | follows: The first carp tournament would begin on |
| exploding trend that started in South Carolina are | | | | Friday evening at 6:00 pm and run for 12 hours: |
| quickly jumping in on this great money making | | | | The average cost for you to fish would range |
| fishing sport of catching carp. | | | | (depending on the weekend) from 80 to 120 |
| What started out as an experiment with one | | | | dollars for 3 polls. Is that a lot of money to spend |
| small pond of about 3 acres has now spread to | | | | on fishing for 12 hours? I will let you decide on |
| over 500 large and small ponds, ranging from as | | | | that as you continue to read. |
| far south as Florida across to Texas and into | | | | Once the tournament began the person that |
| Virginia. | | | | caught the largest fish for each hour would be |
| What is Jackpot Fishing For Carp? | | | | rewarded $250.00. Of course the same person |
| Almost everyone has heard of the fish called a | | | | could win many times. Not only that but depending |
| carp. There are more than 20 species of carp | | | | on how many people were involved depended on |
| with the most popular being the common carp, | | | | how large the Jackpots would become. At the |
| bullhead carp, and the grass carp. The grass carp | | | | end of the tournament there would also be 3 |
| grows the largest and can reach 60lbs in 5 years. | | | | large pots given away for the 3 largest fish of |
| With the amazing strength these fish have they | | | | the 12 hour tournament. 1st place could be |
| are extremely fun to catch but not so desirable | | | | several thousand with 3rd place receiving 7 or |
| to eat. | | | | 800 dollars. Now with that being said lets look at |
| Roughly 10 years ago the owners of a small pond | | | | the possibilities. |
| in SC decided to try an experiment to see if they | | | | Lets say you have the best bait on the lake, you |
| could actually get people to pay money to catch | | | | out catch your completion and you win just 10 |
| these fish. In return they offered a portion of the | | | | out of those 12 hours. You have just won |
| money back to the person that caught the | | | | approximately $8,000.00 You read it right it says |
| biggest fish during the short tournament. The | | | | eight thousand dollars and that's not all. The good |
| winnings ranged from 50 to 100 dollars during that | | | | news is when that tournament ends a brand new |
| time. It wasn't long until other pond owners | | | | one starts right back up immediately and runs |
| started catching on so they proceeded to buy | | | | another 12 hours. This cycle continues until Sunday |
| carp and stock their ponds with 100's of carp | | | | at 6pm or if its a holiday it will keep going through |
| ranging from 5 to 50 lbs. This started competition | | | | Monday. |
| between the pond owners and the amount of | | | | If you enjoy fishing and live in the south I |
| money given away to the winners grew rapidly. | | | | encourage you to give this a try. If you do by all |
| Now here we are 10 years later and an explosion | | | | means do not go out there thinking you can catch |
| has happened. The amount of money it cost to | | | | these fish with stuff that works in large lakes or |
| enter these tournaments, the length of them and | | | | rivers. These fish are accustom to fantastic |
| the enormous amount of money persons can win | | | | tasting baits and they will not bite the same as |
| is extraordinary. | | | | those in the wild. |
| Let me give you an example: | | | | No one tells their secrets: |
| One of my favorite jackpot fishing lakes was | | | | When you first start out I advise you don't even |
| Lake Ann located in Lithonia GA. It was 2 ponds | | | | get in the tournament, go to the jackpot lake on |
| of approximately 10 acres total. The lake was | | | | other days and experiment with different bait |
| filled with catfish and carp. The total amount of | | | | recipes until you find something that really catches |
| fish it held is unknown but at last count the total | | | | the fish. Then and only then take your chance. |
| weight in fish exceeded 300 thousand pounds. | | | | The people that fish these ponds are for the |
| Now that's a huge amount of fish swimming | | | | most part experts at jackpot fishing and have |
| around in a small body of water. The tournament | | | | some of the best recipes you could imagine. |
| season at lake Ann was from mid March up until | | | | Some will catch a 100+ fish a night and do it all |
| November each year. There was a Tuesday night | | | | weekend long, so you have to be ready. They |
| tournament and then tournaments from Fridays | | | | are not going to help you when it comes to baits |
| though Sundays and even longer on Holiday | | | | because your their opponent along with 100's of |
| weekends. | | | | others so don't even ask. When you find that |
| Here's how the money works: | | | | perfect recipe you wont share it either. |
| Basically all carp tournaments are the same but | | | | |