Carp #1

Around 11:00 this morning something came over me. We are a bit more then halfway through 2014 and I had yet to get my first carp of the year. I prepared bait, flies, and gear, put on my hat, and hit the water. I hunted around for bubble makers before setting up in one of my favorite swims to fish for carp from. It is a weedy shallow portion of a shallow pond It has a good brush background to hide from fish from, but also to catch and loose flies in. It was not long after spreading the first ground bait when the pond cows came in to suck in oats and corn meal.

It was about an hour before I got the first take, and Although I managed to get what felt like a firm hooking, he came of fairly quickly. The soft mouths of Common Carp are frequently the cause of frustration. Luckily the fish recovered from  fright quickly enough and at least three came back. It was probably another two hours when I got my second chance. A barely discernible twitch and a gathering of slack signaled the take. I tightened up and the water boiled. The fish wasn't by any means big when Its comrades are pushing the twenty and thirty pound marks, but on light line even this four to five pound carp put up a good fight. In the lilies there were a few moments when I feared he had me beat. Eventually I got the fish in and was able to admire and photograph it.

The fish was released, and his fight had been enough to prevent the return of any more. I moved elsewhere, but being unable to find any fish a fly was cast blindly. One o the beauties of carp flies is that almost anything will eat then. Here is one of the Bluegills that did so today:

I eventually gave up on getting a tailing fish on the fly. When I get the chance to get my kayak in there I should be able to get some takers on flies.

A Day for Trolling

Yesterday I fished from the kayak on the local lake. There were tons of boats and a stiff breeze kicking the water around. I tried to get fish casting flies, but it seemed the best method would by to troll Rapalas. I managed sixteen Perch and Smallmouth while trolling, and none using any other method. I'll go back in the late evening when I can use big flies on top to nail the leaping bronze backs.

Three

Yesterday evening I went to a little pond to catch some fish. I went carrying both fly and spinning rod. To fish the pond effectively where I started my evening one must wade. I was watching a bubble trail when it came into the lilies in front of me. I assumed it to be a snapping turtle and was ready to abandon ship when I saw the tail of a large common. Being as it was two feet in front of me I was powerless to turn and grab my fly rod, already rigged with a carp fly. I had to wait, very patiently! Unfortunately it noticed me one way or another and swum away quickly.

I eventually got one Pickerel on a soft plastic before deciding to stick it out with flies. I managed a LMB on the carp fly, and a SMB on a popper. He was only the second of his kind I have caught in that hole.

A Good Day on Two Streams

I went out to some streams today that I fish every now and then. They both have wild and stocked trout, although one requires a five mile hike to find the wild ones. One has fair Smallmouth fishing when it gets warm.

The first I fished today has a very productive bend pool, and that is where I fished. I messed around for a while with big dries, including a skater, but only got a chase. Eventually I sat to snack on an apple and observe the insects on the water. Some size eighteen sulfurs and the occasional terrestrial were being taken. All of the terrestrials were eaten only if the were moving a bit. But a lot of rises were sips for the emerging mayflies. I started catching fish by sight casting to them with a soft hackle sulfur and a parachute.

After working over and catching the risers, I went to the fast water at the head of the pool. On the way I stopped to look at a leech suddenly, !Kamikaze Trout! A big brown came flying out of the rocks and attacked the leech, then my feet. I was shocked. I was being stealthy but what would cause even a stocked trout to decide my laces may be food? I will never know what that fishes purpose was. 

After getting over the spook, I tied on an Isonychia Nymph and caught a mice Brown, two Bows, and a little Brown.

Wanting to get into some Bass, I went to the other stream, expecting it to already be to warm for trout. It wasn't. I managed on Brown fairly easily with the soft hackle.

I then found a more formidable aponant in a Rainbow. I kept getting refusals, then finally got him on an emerger.

Low, Clear, and With Picky Fish

I went out and fished dries on my favorite wild trout stream today. A lack of rain has led to the stream being low and very clear. At times like this even these trout, which normally throw themselves at big dry flies with reckless abandon, can develop a damnable snobbery. Particularly the bigger Browns I cast at refused most dries. I was still able to pull some very nice wild fish, and one stocker, out of the (thankfully still cold) little creek.

I used many different patterns. This was mainly due to the fact that I had run out of floatant. Each time a fly got to water logged, I tied on a new one. Fish were caught on a Humpy, Elk Hair Caddis, Goddard's Caddis, and a new tie I have yet to name.

The new fly, slightly frazzled from it's encounter with the largest wild trout landed today.

The first take was on a Red Humpy. It was a very loud gulp of a take. The hook came free when the plump wild brown jumped. I fell to my feet and cursed a bit. It is rare to encounter such a nice trout in a small stream, and it was disappointing not to land it and see it's colors. Luckily it would not be my only chance, as many colorful and spirited fish would come up to eat.

On the way back downstream, I saw a good place to put a marker. I'll see next time if it is still intact.

Farther down I put in a few last casts in the Bridge Pool. A stocked Brook Trout and a Bluegill ate the new pattern. 

Speckled Trout

All are beautiful.

None are the same.