To Last Year's Levels

In 2014 I caught a not so grand total of three carp on the fly. Now, to be fair those were all quite big. But three is a very weak quantity considering the time I spent trying to catch them. Today I reached last year's total. So far in 2015 I have caught three common carp on flies. At this point in 2014 I hadn't even targeted them yet.

So, for me that's pretty exciting. But for a while today I was getting frustrated. I was getting more shots than I usually get in a week, but just no good solid takes. I was sure  wasn't going to get skunked, as plenty of big bluegills and perch were on the flat too, but I was getting a little annoyed at my target species. When I thought I got one it turned out to be another snapping turtle (not everything that makes bubbles and mud patches is a carp).

Yes, those are carp. Right in front of me.

Big turtle- released by plucking the fly off with the rod tip. 

Then it got better. A fish slowed down and flashed open his sucker mouth where I thought my fly was. Fortunately I was right and I set into the best fight I have had with any fish. The first run was impressive. For a while I just had the fish going back and forth in front of me. Then he noticed me and went off again. It was a while before I got him back to me, but at that point I was sure I had the battle won. I was wrong. the fish tore upstream just after the second photo bellow was taken, taking me all the way passed that bend. Then, down it went, me running along side of it. Finale after more of the back and forth I was able to land the fish. Boy was it a beauty: gold and gorgeous, and probably 10-12 lbs in weight.

After releasing the fish I caught some more big bluegills, and attempted to hook another carp. Eventually I had to give up, not because the conditions decreased in quality, but because I had other things to do. But trust me, it won't belong before the 2015 carp tally is 4. I'm hoping to get that tally into the mid 40's by the end of the year.

Two Days of Panfish on the Fly and Amphibians and Reptiles

Yesterday: I caught some little bass, bluegills, and even some decent crappie and pumpkinseed. But the highlight of the day was when a giant dinosaur stared following me around and stealing my fish. No kidding. The first time this mega turtle whacked a bluegill it was 6 inches in front of me. I bronzed my pants. But after getting over my original fright I began to enjoy my new found friend and every now and then let him nail a gill' off the end of my line.

One stunning fish.

Today I fished the pond across the street, which is usually giving up monster bluegills right now. Today was a little frustrating, and frankly borderline annoying. I began to wonder why I was still there. I felt a little like this:

So I went across the street and caught a few not so monster bluegill, photographed mating toads, and caught a cute little snapping turtle. It quite frankly made my day.

Go Stand In a River!

I highly recommend it. That's what I did today. It was highly refreshing after the exhaustion I got from camping. The river: my home stream. The fish: wild brown trout. The flies: Ausable Bomber and Hair's Ear Soft Hackle. The conditions: perfect.

Hendricksons and caddis were coming off, but rises were infrequent. The best way to get fish in these conditions is to tie on something that imitates both. The Hair's Ear Soft Hackle does just that. I caught well over 20 fish. It was remarkable. I went through three flies, as the vicious takes wore the dubbing away and undid the hackle. The fights didn't help either, they were vigorous. Short runs and sparkle spray throwing jumps signified that the water is the perfect temperature and that these fish are feeding well.

The bite mark on this fish's midsection says that there are larger predators than him in these water. And this fish is above average! 

I was floored when the holdover bellow took the first time. Then the second. Then the third. Finally I nailed him on the fourth and BOY DID HE FIGHT!!!! For a fish that spent a large chunk of it's life in a concrete raceway he ran from me like a dog with his tail between it's legs. With a risky bend in the 6'6" rod I gave chase and eventually brought the fish to hand. It has likely been about two years since he was put in this river, and the fresh color and repaired fins show it.

What a Painful Day...

In more ways than one. I targeted sea run trout as I planned, spending enough time on the river to see the tide come and go start going. There was a riffle at the bottom of one pool. Then there wasn't. A few hours later, it was back again. I didn't move any salt flavored brown trout, which is what I was expecting to happen anyway, but I did have a few sucker takes and saw this beaver:

Suddenly and without warning, my upper back and neck developed the worst cramp I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. I had to lay down for a while. But eventually I got back up and started pounding the water with a size 6 Ausable Ugly. I figured it might take a sucker, a bass, a trout, a carp, a shad, who knows what, it's just a good all purpose pattern. I spotted what I thought was a decent carp. I cast ahead of him and let the fly sink. Up came the fish and chomped the fly. Clearly not a carp. The fish that jumped a moment later was the biggest god damned smallmouth I have ever seen. The stat record is 7 lbs 12 oz. This big girl was probably a bit bigger then that. I could not believe what I was seeing. It was just to good to be true. And of course it was, so the fish popped off right before I was about to grab it. I was crushed, dejected, and angry. What did I do to deserve that? All I could do was keep fishing. I caught that fishes son, then went to a pond nearby that I hadn't fished in about two years and caught a pumpkinseed bluegill hybrid thing.

The river was clearly no longer going to fish well, so I cut my losses and went to my carp spot. First cast, nice 'gill. Next cast, big mamma carp comes and sucks in my white sucker spawn pattern. I was in for a heck of a fight, this was one of the old fish of the pond. You know, the ones that are so fat and lazy they can barely move or be moved? Well at least that's what they look like. They can go! This one didn't get into my backing, but when I tried to move it I just couldn't when I finally started making headway the fly came unbuttoned. WHAT DID I DO? Whyyyyyyyyyy!?!?!?!?

 It has generally been my experiance that when I have a string of lost big fish, something really spectacular is coming. This isn't it, at least I hope not: