Hoping for a Carp in the Fog

I walked shoreline this morning sight fishing for carp. I do this regularly now, more often than I have been fishing for wild trout (mostly because the water is just too low). Why? The more I fish for carp, the more I respect them as a terrific game fish especially on the fly. Today, for example, I was getting refused by every fish I was able to put the fly in front of. I really didn't see that many, so this isn't saying much, but it was still frustrating. And that's what keeps bringing me back to carp. Of course, there is always plenty of bi-catch during the periods between careful stalking. Today a mouse stripped quickly got some awesome blowups from smallmouth when there were no carp around.

Water TOO Low

The Salmon is extremely low right now. It is so low that it isn't even fishing that well at night. Last night I met with Dave Goodson, who is still looking for a big fly rod trout, hoping to help him in that regard. Some fish were caught by both of us, but it really wasn't anything special. The other gentleman that was there stayed the duration of the bite with me, and around 10:00 it got better, though nothing like it was last week.

The two of us caught some better fish, and we even doubled up at times, but it was clearly not going to be a crazy 30-40 fish night like other nights I have fished on that pool. But fun none-the-less.

Small Ponds, Warm Weather, and Photography

I've been doing a little bit of pond fishing the last couple of days. I was hoping for some big topwater bass at first, but eventually I gave up hope and just fished for sunfish on beds, the only fish taking on top were dinky bass. After having such a ridiculously early spring and good panfish fishing through much of the winter I haven't really been in the mood for bluegills for a little while, so I focused more on photography during the last two trips. Besides, who needs to see hundreds of photos of cookie cutter fish? I didn't bother with any fish photos that weren't artistic.

Carp Spawn, Breaking a Rod, and Bass on Topwater

The  carp spawn is one of my favorite short "seasons" if you could call it that. A lot of carp fisherman avoid the spawn because it is literally impossible to get the fish that are actively spawning to eat. It is, however, possible to catch what I call "outsiders", carp that follow the main spawning schools around and feed on the margins or actively search for the freshly lain eggs. It's very counterproductive. Carp lay eggs, then carp eat the eggs. It doesn't seem to matter, there are plenty of carp to go around. 

The spawn also attracts other fish. panfish and bass often follow the carp hoping for caviar. I caught a 6 lb. smallmouth in this lake during the last carp spawn I fished (regrettably this was about 5 years ago).

On the first morning during which I fished the spawn I found a good number of small males cleaning up eggs. They were very moody due to the chaos going on around them. You would be too. I cannot think of a more violent mating ritual, and it shows on the fish. The one I landed yesterday was very much beat up. Scales are littered all over the place. And yet the fish seem to fight as though they were on steroids. Even the little guys will do 200 yard runs right now.

I broke my 8 wt. on the hook set that first morning. The take was a bit of a surprise. I noticed that some of the cruising fish would lunge for a big woolly bugger or backstabber like a bass, but this one came out of no where and at the fly only four feet in front of me. I couldn't think of a good way to set the hook so I just lifted abruptly at a sharp angle. Stupid idea. SNAP! Ah, well. It happens.

I decided to give the fiberglass rod my grandfather gave me a try. The last time I used it I had a six weight line on it and it didn't feel right. The eight was wonderful! I did a dry run in the yard and I knew I had found the right line for the old, unmarked rod. I went to the lake for an evening on tossing streamers and big topwater bass bugs. I discovered quickly that I could cast the full length of the fly line with only a few double hauls, and even shoot about ten feet of backing. I could do that with my eight weight and a heavy sink tip too, but it is not nearly as enjoyable as the fiberglass.

I did really well, getting the "bass slam"- rock, smallmouth, and largemouth.

This morning I was intent on landing my first carp on the glass rod. It took a while, there weren't nearly as many actively feeding fish, and the ones that were feeding were selectively working on carp eggs. I am not sure how to imitate carp eggs yet. I enjoyed watching the chaos though, and I had a few hookups too, all blind and I'm almost certain they were fouled. I don't mind loosing a foul hooked fish, in fact I intentionally try too loose them. 

Eventually I found a fish that was feeding like a carp should- a happy fish. I had on a little generic grey carp nymph, I dropped it in front of him, and I watched him suck it in. It was all just picture perfect. The fight was going to be a task and a half... that I new for sure. It was a big fish in tight quarters with plenty of docks and ropes to hang up on. You know you'r in over your head when the fish is 30 yards into the backing and there is nothing but docks and posts and boat props between you and it. To make things more stressful I had an audience. A construction crew was doing work nearby and a few of the workers and a police officer would stop and watch periodically. After THREE runs into the backing I was able to get the fish close enough to work on it and tire it out properly. All the rubbing against dock pools had done a number on my leader, but as I have told many a jogger or resident that has stopped to watch me fight a fish, this was not my first rodeo. I knew this fish was going to come to hand, and it did. I'd guess 18 lbs. 

Nocturnal Trout Slam

Last night I had another excellent after dark fishing excursion. The Salmon is low and particularly tricky to fish during the day. I is certainly possible to catch fish during the day, but I'd rather be there when the air is cool and the feeding is indiscriminate and aggressive. I got all three species to come out last night, though I didn't get any particularly large fish one brooky was pretty good though).

Flies that worked were a black leech, a white leech, a Muddler, and the Waller Waker. I think I'm going to try a flew big Chernobyl Ants on my next night outing, they tend to be productive at dusk and I'm sure fish will take them in the dark.