Charlie On The South Platte And Big Morning Carp

Charlie is probably landing in Denver about now.  He'll be there a few days visiting family and this time he took his fly rod.  Early this morning he told me he plans on exploring the South Platte in search of the carp we hear so much about.  I imagine the South Platte will be big water compared to our little carp creek, so I hope Charlie has fun and does well.

This morning, conditions were as poor as I've ever seen on the carp creek.  There wasn't an ounce of sunshine getting through the completely overcast sky.  Of course there was daylight, but there is something about the glare of daylight on water that will drive a man insane.  It's tough seeing anything.

At the edge of the creek a brown body, yellow wing with olive and black barred legs Creek Critter went on the tippet.  The dark outline of a carp was about twenty feet out and the Critter went his way.  Maybe five seconds passed before the tell-tale twitch in the leader came.  With a side-sweep hook set the beginning of a fifteen minute battle commenced.  About ten minutes into it I was wishing I had brought a net.

 

I pretty much had to gas this carp to get a hand on him.  Gently lifting him out of the creek, I laid him at the edge of the bank to hopefully get a decent picture.  However, the bank here is quite steep and I had to use my knees to keep the fish from sliding back into the water.  The carp simply folded around my knees and finally I said the heck with it and snapped the picture so I could get the fish back into the water. 

 

 

 

This was one of the prettier carp I've landed this season.  Beautiful colors and markings along with being a brawny fish.  Next to the carp taken at Veterans Lake, this is one of the larger carp taken this season also. 

 

Leaving the creek fairly early, another outing was planned this afternoon with my daughter's husband Van.  Van is a life long angler, but new to fly fishing.  He's been at fly fishing for about three weeks now and is dying to capture a carp by fur and feather.  He'll have to wait for another day however, because it's been raining for about five hours now. 

 

The rain has been substantial at times and looks to continue for a good bit.  Maybe this rain event is that burn-ban lifting and drought busting rain we've been praying for.  Hopefully it is.