Ones Better Than None!

A seemingly nice Carpin day started out with a few good pods. They were hanging around some deeper water were the faster water of the stream flows in. They were being finicky on this day or I was being to obvious on the bank. (I will go with to finicky! LOL)  Ended up moving down to a "good" spot that I knew of. I was greeted with extremly murky waster due to the Agricultural Fields being irrigated. This made for less than ideal conditions for Carp. As I watched the water roar out of the culvert pipe and into the stream I caught glimps of a single Carp rising through the rapids. He worked left then right, then he disappeared for a few then reappeared. I knew I could trick him into a nice looking Carp Carrot!

First Take at Some Big Water

While Carp in streams seem to be a bit slower and less active (unless it's windy) Carp in larger bodies of water seem to be very active. (In my opinion) The body of water that I am working is not really a lake or pond but a very wide section of a stream. It is nearly 200 yds wide but relatively shallow. Being around 40 to 50 yds into the water I am at knee depth, but it looks as though it gets deeper.

I started along a high bank so that I could try and spot and stock any lazy Carp. There are pretty good weed beds along the shore that the Carp seem to hang in and around, producing tailers, cruisers, cloopers and sun bathers.

 

Here if you study the water long enough you will find a sun bather. She wasn't interested in leaving this location. I snuck in on my knees and got some line out; I was about 10 yds closer than the photo shows. Now she was not really in the mood to eat also, I put the fly on her nose a half dozen times with no movement at all. If you were underwater you could probably hear her snoring! Finally the fly moved passed her left side and I guess she finally had enough, she bolted for the fly and when the time was right I pulled up and set the hook!

 



She wasn't ready to give up so easily, battling through weeds, cattails and what ever else lay beneath the surface.

 

She was now my new Personal Best! 12 lbs. I don't officially have a length yet as I still need to measure my fly rod were I marked the length. (Need to get a tape in the Orvis Sling Pack)

 

I had only hooked two on this day as these big water fish move around a lot hunting for a snack. Some will take the surface others will root through the mud, it seems to be a battle of what fly weight to use. The second Carp was 11 lbs and a real fighter, nearly taking the fly line into the backing! Much learned as the anticipation of Carp on the Fly continues.....