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.

Carp Redux 2011

Today, during the lunch hour, I stood high on the bank overlooking the pasture Charlie and I call Well Springs.  To both my delight and amazement there were twenty-five to thirty carp sipping the surface.  Most of the carp I saw were absolutely huge. 

The problem in fishing for these creatures during lunch was not having any gear with me.  Earlier in the morning I had traded the fair lass Miss Carol the schooner for her little brown pony, and therefore my gear was nowhere near.

However, two hours later I traded back and went directly to Well Springs.  Upon arriving most of the sipping carp had left, but, there were still six to eight gently sipping the fallen spring time blossoms.  Twenty feet from the edge of the creek I started duck walking.  Ten feet from the edge of the creek I was on all fours, and at five feet I stayed on my knees taking a half rising casting posture.

I chose a non-weighted white San Juan Worm as a offering to the slurping carp.  The wind was brutal at gusts of twenty and thirty miles per hour and it sent my offering everywhere except where I intended.  On about the eighth or ninth attempt I had adjusted enough to get the fly into the sight of the carp and a youngster of about sixteen inches slurped the fly and took off like a bat out of hell. 

It was fun, but, the fishing was over.  The excitement of the moment sent the rest of the pack a-packing.