Wind Blown Expedition

The wind just about blew me off Rock Creek today.  The gusts had to be somewhere in the range of thirty miles an hour and the steady riffle on the creek at times were more like white-caps. 

I spent an hour and ten minutes on the creek today, and the first hour didn't catch a thing.  But, in the last ten minutes the action heated up.

Upon arriving at the creek, I immediately went into a stalking mode.  I've learned much about stalking carp, but two things in particular seem to stand out.  One thing is that it's quite easy, when stalking carp in water that is twenty to twenty-five feet wide, to fixate on the open water or far deeper water.  However, it's always best to check the inland, near, or shallow water by the island, sandbar, or bank.  Oftentimes, when we don't check this water first, we end up spooking a carp that we never noticed.  This is particularly important this time of year with the creek being the color it is.  These carp blend in so very well with the bottom of the creek they are quite easy to miss.

The second thing when stalking carp is to slow down, and then slow down some more.  I think this has been the most difficult thing for me just because I tend to be a hyper-active individual.  So, to counter my excited self, I make myself walk backwards when stalking carp.  It doesn't matter if I'm walking upstream or downstream, I walk backwards.

My entire stalking adventure was a big disappointment.  The strong winds of today created blankets of leaves on the creek.  I started out with the Prizefighter trying to place it in the clear water between the tears of the leaves blanket.  I was getting no interest with the Prizefighter so I switch to a brown and orange Backstabber.  Same drill - place the fly in the tears.  No interest from this fly. 

Giving up on the stalk I go back downstream and decide to fish blind.  I change patterns to a black and olive Backstabber and put it on what I thought was a shadow of a carp.  The fly hit the surface and I waited.  Shortly, I thought there was some movement in the tippet, but with the strong wind I wasn't sure.  Then I actually felt a bump and the line started to move so I set the hook.  A nice twenty-five incher came to hand, but unfortunately I waited too long to set and he swallowed the fly way down deep, so I cut the tippet in hopes this creature will live.

Now I am left with an olive and black Carpola Charlie and again I put it on what looks like the shadow of a carp.  This second carp actually picked the fly up and ran with it.  These two carp came to hand in less than ten minutes after that hour of disappointment.

Carp number 125 on Backstabber

 

Carp number 126 on Carpola Charlie.

I gave thanks and left the creek.