One Last Trip

Although Charlie and I may not be practicing carp by the fly as much as we were, we're still out there.  We fished together yesterday, for a short while, and fishing with Charlie is always a great pleasure and learning experience.  Charlie has found yet another pasture and it is a most beautiful pool of water.  Upon his suggestion, we plan on fly-fishing this new discovery by dry flies only, which will prove most challenging.  As we were wrapping up yesterday, I told Charlie my wishes to fish his Pasture one more time before trout season begins.  Today, I did just that and happy I made the trip. 

Charlie's Pasture is a most serene and peaceful place.  The carp that live there are magnificent creatures - probably the most striking of all carp in Rock Creek. 

I started out with a burnt orange and black Backstabber pattern, and the second carp I cast to would become carp number 114.  He was one heck of a scrapper and I had to get in the creek to land him, which really wasn't a good thing.  Once entering the creek, the rest of the carp community went on high alert.  I fished the remaining carp with the same pattern for awhile, but they were in a panicked frenzied.  I changed to an olive and black Carpola, but they also avoided this proven pattern. 

Deciding to give them some time to settle down, I went upstream to the shallows to look for carp there.  Carp were not to be found, but the bass were out in good numbers.  Deciding to target bass until the carp could get their nerves settled down, the Carpola took a pretty and feisty smallmouth. 

Thinking it was time to go back downstream, I tried the Carpola once again on the company of carp, but they seemed to recognize it immediately.  Wondering if they were indeed recognizing the fly and remembering the recent fate of one of their brethren, I decided to try a fly and get away from the black color scheme of the previous two flies. 

The Carp Carrot goes on.  Somehow I managed a long roll cast that fell within one foot of the far bank.  The water was clear as gin here and I watched a carp swim to the fly.  It looked like he ate it so I gambled with a hook-set and the gamble paid off.  This carp took me far upstream, which was good because that is where we would have to go so I could land him.  He became number 115. 

Trout season is only two weeks away and I'm ready for the pretty fish.  But, I don't think I'll be able to just simply walk away from these magnificent fish known as carp. 

Here are today's pictures.



Taken by burnt orange and black Backstabber





This guy liked the Carp Carrot



 

Carp Carrot found the upper lip.

 



Carp Carrot worse for wear.