"Like they were on steroids...."

The biggest fish tonight was this 17 lber.  It put up one of the
best fights of any fish I have landed this year. River fish
are tough fighters in the heat of summer.

I went out this evening and fished with my friend and fellow CAGer Nick.  We fished a new area of the Blackstone River that I have been exploring.  We landed four carp that went from 8-17 lbs. along with two horned pout and a lost carp.  However, I will tell you those four carp that we caught were the best fighting fish we have tangled with all year.
At times the largest fish, a  17 lber. that I caught, was like fighting a 37 lber. from a pond.  The hit was violent and explosive as the alarm was just humming.  Once the fish was hooked it darted down the river and peeled off line as if there was no drag on the reel.  I can assure you that it was tight.  It screamed up the river, down the river and when I thought the fish was finished it made another wild dash for a snag in which it had me hung up temporarily.  FINALLY, I was able to get this beast on steroids in the net. It was one of my most memorable battles that I've fought this year, and I would have guessed the fish was double its size judging from the fight it put up.
So, this is summer carp fishing at its best....tough fighting fish, lots of action and even a couple of horned pout to boot.  Can't beat it on a summer night when there is little else going on in the fishing world of southern New England!