A Great Morning to be a Fly Carper

I rose before sunrise this morning. The heat and heaviness of the previous day had stuck around, and I suspected this would work in my favor. Carp tend to feed well in the morning during hot muggy weather. As soon as I got to the lake I was seeing fish. Carp tailing, carp mudding, carp jumping. The adrenaline began to flow. 

The first take I had was from the fish on the right in the pictures bellow. The disturbance it was making was deceiving, it was actually quite large. Large enough to brake off on the first head shake.  That prompted me to change tippet and a shorten the leader. 

As the sun rose over the ridge, I cast into a spot I had seen some fish move but could not discern individual fish. I was rewarded with a good pull followed by a blistering run. First backing in a good long while! It was not the first time the fish would take some of the dacron off my spool, and given the strength and length of the fight I thought this would be a very big fish. I was wrong in that regard, but who can complain about a healthy gorgeous carp on a fly rod? The dragonfly nymph was perfectly placed in the upper lip.

For a little while I was plagued by white perch. But eventually I waded down the shore a little ways after spotting a tailing fish. A few casts later I was in again, and this carp went airborne, an odd thing for one to do while hooked! It tail walked much like a bass does. Very cool! This fish was similar in size to the first, but the fight was drastically different. There were runs, but mostly small ones every time I got the fish close enough for it to see me. It took a long time for it to stand down, and after landing it my arm as noticeably sore. I can't imaging how I'd feel after a 10 or 15 carp day!

My 2nd fish was flawless. Not a mark on it. I felt that was a good note to end on, although I did take a few shots at other fish on my way out. What a great morning. I can't wait for tomorrow!

Carp are a beautiful animal.