Conversations With Carp - Strategic Talks

Yesterday afternoon it came a most wonderful rain shower.  It wasn't a long event - maybe 45 minutes, but it was a good steady rain. 

I checked the creek late in the evening, after the rain, and the carp were celebrating in good numbers.  If it hadn't been so muggy, the fly rod would certainly have been employed.  However, morning wasn't that far off.

This morning I would have bet my last dollar the carp would be out in good numbers, but was I ever wrong.  After searching for an hour and a half only three carp had been spotted and none of the three were favorable carp - they were suspended or stationary.  It was then I recalled on my last several outings, all morning events, the carp activity had seem minimal at best.  Deciding to call it a morning I retire to Club Carpio, which is the shade tree in the backyard and while sitting there with a cold beer I made up my mind to change strategy. 

The strategy change came late this afternoon around seven.  My hope was to find the carp more active in the late evening hours compared to the early morning.  Much to my delight this proved to be the case.

I guess we've all done it - plan an outing and think we have everything in tow.  As soon as the first carp was stuck this evening I realized that once again the camera was left behind at the bunkhouse.  I could have left the creek after the first carp to get the camera, but looking upstream there was signs of another carp so naturally I headed upstream.  When the fish came into view the yellow winged, olive-leg Creek Critter was rolled out and just like the first carp he ate it. 

After releasing carp number two I left the creek to return to the bunkhouse and fetch the camera hoping more carp would be waiting for me.  Upon returning to the creek I chose a different pasture.  By now, it was close to eight o'clock and light was fading quickly.  Downstream was swirls and riffles and with the same fly a young mirror carp came to hand.

Continuing, it isn't long until the second carp is spotted.  With this carp I choose the Mysis Shrimp, which has not seen employment in several months.  The carp couldn't get to the fly quick enough.  This fish took me through the biggest mess of leaves and algae, sulphur mud and all kinds of crap.  By the time he came to hand there was five pounds of algae wrapped around the leader. 

The stream flow of upper Rock Creek is down to a trickle.  Lower Rock Creek receives the benefit of the Travetine Creek confluence, which is spring-fed.  However, those springs are near running dry.  Two years ago, Charlie and I fly fished for carp through October, but that's probably not going to happen this year. 

Of course more rain events like yesterdays would help, but the forecast is not showing any rain - just triple digit temperatures for the next seven days.