Carp Redux 2011 - Thinning Pastures

Like yesterday, today seem like a good day to ride the range in pursuit of carp.  Today is the 5th of May and it's more like the typical spring day we are accustomed to on this prairie ocean.  The wind is present of course, but, somewhat mild compared to the last month or so.  The sun is in full bloom tracking on a south by southwest plane. 

Slipping out the backdoor of the mercantile store, only the essential gear is once again stowed.  There is the rod, lanyard, and possibles pouch. 

Arriving at the pasture known as Shipwreck, I perch upon a large boulder overlooking a deeper pool.  Within is three carp, and they have stirred the bottom.  With the same carrot on the stick, the fly plunges deep into the pool and I await.  Soon there is a slight tug on the leader and the hook set brings in a youngster carp.  He becomes number twenty-seven this season.  This year, there is not near as much time to spare compared to last carp season.  Hopefully, more time will come this anglers way in the near future.  

The memory recorder did come back alive this morning after taking the plunge into the stew yesterday.  However, when the forever button is pushed... no memory results.  I'll give the machine a couple of more days to dissipate the moisture hidden within it's nooks and crannies.

From Shipwreck, a trail is blazed to the pasture called Courtyard.  There is only an hour, or little over, to spare today, so the search for carp is somewhat rushed.  However, it's not so rushed that movement will alert any carp that lie in waiting.  Sadly, only two images of carp are seen in this entire stretch. 

The Carp Carrot has retired and a spawning shrimp pattern is placed into employment.  Since the carp, as a lot, are not visible, blind casting is pursued.  No carp come, but a smallmouth, spotted bass, redbreast and green sunfish come to hand. 
Our pastures are thinning by the day.  It's not hard to recognize the lowering of the creek and when it progresses more each day it is a certainly concerning to the angler.  From what I am seeing in the upstream section of this creek, I fear this little stream will run dry within two weeks... unless we receive rain.  The lack of rain this season will have a profound effect on the whole of this prairie ocean.

It comes time to go as thanks is given and I leave the creek.

Carp Redux 2011 - Branding Time

During this month of May, there seems to be a sense of excitement... a feeling of good times to come,  a feeling wrapped in the warming weather of the spring season.  Although that great mother known as nature has tended to try and take the wind from the sail, our vessel of pursuit of the grand ones continue. 

In reading the yellowed and thinning page of fly fishing accounts, I note with great interest the words of Walton in describing the carp.  "Queen of Rivers" was his reference... a fitting one I would think, an entitlement also, and a point I would engage with anyone that looks at the carp as a worthless creature.

Today is the 4th of May and it seems like a good enough day to brand a couple of these beeves we tend in our watery pastures.  With the prairie schooner being out on loan, gear is packed to the mercantile store of which I labor.  Rod, lanyard, and of course the possibles pouch.  From the mercantile store I take the short walk to an overgrown trail that will lead me to the first pasture of the afternoon.

From the possibles pouch comes the Carp Carrot... a well worn Carp Carrot if you will.  At the pasture known as the Courtyard there is a carp about twenty-five feet out and the offering goes sailing toward him.  The fly disappears from sight, but there is a sense that the carp is on it and with rod tip lifted sharply the hook lassos the beast. 

Further upstream the second carp of the day is captured with the same carrot and as I'm trying to capture the memory of the fish on the line in the water, the memory recorder slips from my hand and takes the drink.  Today's trip to the bottom of the creek was trip number four for this memory recorder.  The machine has resurrected the previous three times and if a recovery is made this time then the machine will be known as "El Gato", for surely this thing has nine lives.  One memory was saved, one was not.

This event takes some of the steam out of the drive.  I leave the creek giving thanks.

A Long Morning Wade

A half-hour before sunup, I was tying on the Carpola Charlie aided by the canopy lights at the gas pumps. As I moistened the tippet and drew the knot tight I had a craving for a hot chocolate-coffee mix, so I quickly fetched one and headed for the creek.

I arrived at the south side of Well Springs just as the sun was breaking the eastern horizon. I knew very well that the creek would probably be quite off-colored since we received five inches of rain Wednesday. Sure enough, it was cloudy... more cloudy than I expected. It was tough seeing, but I could make out several images of carp so I tossed the Carpola to one across the way. We hooked up, but upon turning him the hook pulled out. Looking at the Carpola I noticed it was looking quite battle fatigued so I changed to the Carp Carrot.

In fly fishing for carp, the sun can be, at times, our best friend and at other times our worse enemy. This morning the sun was not a friend. If the cloudy water wasn't enough, the glare of the sun didn't help a bit. I left Well Springs and went to the Bend.

At the Bend, the water was even cloudier because the carp were mudding the wide pool. I decided to cast blind and missed the first suck of a carp. Going upstream I found more carp and would miss the next two sucks also. Finally I hooked up with the second carp of the morning and once again the hook pulled out.

Further upstream I saw a pool of water that I just knew held carp. It also held Rock Bass... a lot of them, and I kept pulling the little dudes out one after another. The carp that were in this pool moved out with all the excitement going on. The perch and carp robbed me of a number of perfect opportunities to catch carp this morning. Although, I came to the creek to catch carp today, I also had another project in mind. I decided to go elsewhere.



Driving over to the north side of Well Springs, I parked in the parking lot of Flower Park. Here there is a ledge that's about six or eight feet above the water, so I decided to sit on that ledge and see if I could spot any carp. Sure enough, in the middle of this pool was one big bad boy. Now, I knew if I hooked that fish it would require me to jump off that ledge into the creek. But, I just couldn't stand it, so I showed the carp the carrot and he sucked it up right away. And yes... I hollered "Geronimo" as I jumped from the ledge, hoping I wouldn't come away with a sprained ankle or worse.



I waded across to the other side where I could beach the creature, and he turned out to be a dandy sized carp. Now, it was time to start the long wade because my plans were to wade all the way to the Wynnewood Street bridge, which is about a mile.

I fished the big pool at Well Springs, but it was cloudier than most other pools. Continuing upstream, I waded a fairly long stretch of really tight and murky water with few opportunities to fish.





I make it to the boulders at Shipwreck and see a few carp, but due to the glare it's almost impossible to sight fish these creatures. I leave the boulders with no fish. Charlie has caught fish here, but I have yet to capture one.



Working my way under the Broadway bridge, I get another chance for a carp and we hook-up, but once again the Carrot pulls out. Making it to the pool where Charlie caught his nice carp on camera the other day, the perch keep robbing me of opportunities for carp.



Even the smallmouth get in on the action of intercepting flies.



I head for the area Charlie and I call the Courtyard, and this stretch of water is actually muddy. Spotting one carp in the shallows, I toss the Carrot one more time and he takes it. The dog-gone hook pulls out once again and sails past me into a tree. I just broke the darn thing off after having lost four fish to the particular fly. I have no idea why this particular fly or hook would not hold fish today.

It was time to call it a morning and I had covered a lot of water for one carp to hand. However, I said earlier I had another project in mind and I'll share that in the next posting.