Carp Redux 2011 - Carp For Lunch



No worries here - this carp was cleaned and safely returned to the water.  No carp has ever loss his or her life at these hands.

 

Many times before, I've said the best way to spend a lunch hour is on the water.  Today I went to the same pasture where the sipping carp were having a time of it yesterday.  Today however was quite different in that there was only two carp taking the blossoms off the top. 

If I'd carefully thought and planned my lunch hour trip I would have grabbed the dry fly pattern Charlie brought me earlier in the day, but, in a hurried rush it was left on the workplace desk. 

The white San Juan Worm used yesterday was still good to go and there was only a couple of chances at the sipping carp before they would go subsurface for good.  Looking upstream, I see the fellow pictured above feeding in the clear, slightly riffled, shallows. 

The white San Juan landed about a foot above him and I took pleasure in watching the current be ever-so-favorable to this fly caster as the fly gently drifted into his feeding lane.  He was quick to grab the snack and I was quick to set the hook.

Appetite satisfied, back to work I go. 



Charlie's White Thistle Missile - promising!

 

Late last carp season, Charlie created a dry fly pattern for carp that looked remarkably like a fallen thistle.  Since the color white, here of late, has been a hot topic between Charlie and I and not to mention it's been working well too, Charlie brought me the white Thistle Missile this morning. 

Although I didn't take it during the lunch hour, it certainly wasn't forgotten at the end of the workday and the creation was given a test run on the way to the bunkhouse. 

Two carp did come up on the fly and give it a hello kiss, followed promptly by a good-bye kiss.  Exciting to watch unfold, but, then that big let-down when the event doesn't come to bear fruit.

Evidently the carp are feeling the trimmed deer hair and it doesn't suit their barbules or sensitive mouths.  Perhaps a little fine trimming will remedy the refusal problem. 

Charlie's latest creation certainly has promise.

Saturday Trout - Sunday Carp

Charlie has gravitated to the next level of fly fishing for carp.  He is now catching carp on dry flies.  In the last week or so he has caught six carp on a dry fly pattern.

Charlie has created a pattern called the Thistle Missile and it looks a lot like a thistle.  He brought me one at work the other day, and I'm sure proud he did because I hate spinning and clipping deer hair. 

I took the Thistle Missile to the creek today hoping to see a surface feeding carp, but there wasn't any.  I'll just have to wait for that special moment. 

The creek's flow is really diminishing and the leaves are now falling faster than ever.  I only spent an hour on the creek today and probably shouldn't have went at all.  I had 100 things to do today, but knowing myself there will probably be 99 of them left undone at the end of the day.  Too bad procrastination isn't a virtue.  If it was... I'd be one righteous man.

Charlie has promised some pictures of the carp he caught on dry flies, but he's going out of town for a while.  I'll get them up when he gets back. 

Here's the catches of the day.