At 8:30 I decided to take my dog Drift for a walk along Rock Creek. We could feel the edge of the front already announcing itself. As Drift made notes of every tree along the creek, I looked down and to my amazement saw two carp actively feeding.
I let Drift finish his walk and then we hurried home where I slapped on the waders and grabbed the rod and one Creek Critter - nothing else would be required because this was going to be a short trip. I arrived at the pasture known as the upper shallows of Honey Hole about five minutes before nine. The temperature had already dropped another five or ten degrees in just thirty minutes.
The water was crystal clear at this carp pasture and as I let my eyes adjust I saw a really nice carp - one of the nicest I've seen this year. I rolled the Creek Critter out to the fish, but my first cast was off mark going downstream and beyond the fish. The second try was an on-the-money shot landing about four inches in front of this large carp. The carp slowly inched to the fly and sucked.
I planted the hook hard, but there was no reaction from the carp - no panic, no run, no turn, nothing. This carp acted like it didn't know it was hooked. Then I put pressure on the fish and instead of blowing up the carp started a methodical, and extremely heavy tug headed downstream.
The best way I can describe this fish is that it felt like someone had tied a 15 lb. bag of potatoes on the end of my leader. It took me a long time to land the creature, but to my delight this fish turned out to be the largest carp I've caught this season. It seems rather ironic that my largest carp of 2012 would come in the month of December as an Arctic front was arriving. The fish came to hand at 9:03 a.m.
After releasing this dandy fish, I headed back to the prairie schooner thinking I would go back to the bunkhouse. However, I decided to check one more pasture - the one known as Lower Well Springs.
At Lower Well Springs there was a solitude carp feeding in shallow water. The Creek Critter found his upper lip also. The second, and also last, carp of 2012 came to hand.
As I was spooling and lining up my rod, I notice a funny looking black mark on my fly line. Guess the carp of 2012 have put some burn on the ol' fly line.
Lovin' it.
