Conversations With Carp - Nature Call

My heart was set on fishing early Saturday morning.  So much set, that I had everything ready Friday night.  On the floor of the den the waders were laid flat.  Next to the waders were the boots, followed by the cowboy hat, and finally the camera.  In the prairie schooner, the fly rod, flies, and lanyard were already stowed. 

The plan was to be dressed by 5:45 a.m., and out the door.  I would arrive at the coffee-getting store about ten minutes prior to six and the morning-shift girls would be good to let me in early... as they usually do.  I would be on the creek by the six o' clock morning hour.

However, as I pulled up hard on the prairie ponies and hitched at the convenience store, a bolt of lighting found ground followed by a tremendous clap of thunder and then the rain came down.  My hope of having conversations with carp was being interrupted by a nature call.

Thinking the rain would stop I would find myself sitting in front of the convenience store some thirty minutes later drinking my second cup of coffee and hot chocolate - a jacking mixture I tell you. 

Finally, I give in to the fact this day would be a wash and belonged to the carp... not the angler. 

These days on Rock Creek, it doesn't take much rain to dirty the creek.  The good news, however, is that it clears almost as quickly as it darkens.  Upon checking later in the day, it was easy to tell the creek would be fish-able on Sunday. 

And... Sunday it would be.

On Sunday, I owed some servitude to the mercantile store first and wouldn't get to the creek until high noon.  Here, where Charlie and I live and fish, I don't particularly like to fish mid-day.  This is June and this is Oklahoma - it's already getting hot with lots of humidity to go with it.  Heat and humidity do a number on the body and therefore I almost have to fish early or late.  But, after being so disappointed yesterday, Sunday would not let me escape without getting on the creek. 

And... Sunday's results would wipe away the wet and stormy disappointment that Saturday brought. 

Using the same pattern that's been used for the last eight or ten carp - the one with the stinger on it - the one I call the Curiosity, I would hold conversations with three carp.

Today's carp came from three different pastures.  The first two came on casting to a carp and going into blind-fishing mode, and the third came on a sight hook-set. 

Today's fishing was terribly muddy, messy, and sloppy - most likely due to yesterday's rain.  I left the creek mud-splattered and wearing carp slick like a badge of honor. 

Loving every moment of it I remembered what my buddy Charlie says.  Fly fishing for carp - "It's not pretty fishing."