Fly Fishing - Closer To Home

In a post of not so long ago, I made the statement that the price of gasoline has a direct effect on the number of trips we fly anglers make.  I went as far as saying that we could graph it out.  I'm still standing by that statement and this morning the price of pony feed went to $3.84 here on the prairie ocean. 

Yesterday, I was at Blue River to have a look to see if the recent rains had changed the complexion of this sweet lady.  There was not a single camper; not a single angler; not a single soul on the river except yours truly. 

Stopping in at Scotty's Blue River One Stop, the store looked remarkably stark just like the river.  Not a single soul in the store.  In visiting with Scotty I learned this had been his worst April ever... and therefore I rest my case as to my argument. 

I don't know who to be more piffed at - those of us who have a love affair with our cars or the Obama administration.  Perhaps my disappointment should be equally divided and directed.  Not living in a glass house I will be the first to admit I can drive less.  Perhaps it will be a meager reduction, maybe 10%, but, I feel like it's a duty I bear.

The price of gasoline is high for two reasons - short supply and speculation.  The supply side is partially our fault, those of us who just have to get behind the wheel whenever the whim hits us.  However, the supply issue is also the partial fault of the Obama administration. 

The current administration, courtesy of the Interior Department, is preventing the increase of production in the Gulf of Mexico, while the EPA is preventing Shell Oil from producing in the Beaufort Seas and Chukchi sea north of Alaska.

Then there is speculation.  By keeping the oil in the ground or under the water, the Obama administration has become the number one speculator.  Speculators buy oil and hold on to it betting that the price of crude will go up in the future.  President Obama and his administration are doing exactly the same thing by preventing the opening of new oil fields.

In a recent address, President Obama stated his desire to end subsidies for oil and gas companies declaring that the time is now to search for alternatives to fossil-fuel.  Such a statement shows the Presidents disconnect with the American consumer.  Such thinking will do nothing to relieve the pain we are feeling at the pump.

I would hope as great as America is we can do two things at once.  Certainly we can open new drilling opportunities, which will relieve the short supply dilemma helping to drop the price of crude, and at the same time explore long term alternatives which many of us favor, including me.

Of course none of us want to see another oil spill disaster like the one created by BP, particularly this enviro/conservationist trooper.  However, this is a risk we will have to run to keep from wrecking the American economy due to the rising price of oil. 

So, from a fly fishing point, I will be fishing closer to home, fly fishing for the carp, bream, and bass.  No trip to the Lower Mountain Fork  like I'd planned.

Maybe I'm being too tough on President Obama.  I mean... how much can I expect out of a guy that doesn't fish, doesn't hunt, probably has never camped in a tent or chopped wood.  

Sure wish a fly fishing, oil drilling, alternative fuel proponent type of guy or gal would run for president.

Carp Redux 2011 - Fifteen Minutes Of Fame?

A week from this Sunday, Charlie and I will have our fifteen minutes of fame courtesy of the Oklahoma Wildlife Department and their television show Outdoors Oklahoma. 

Actually, we will have eighteen minutes of fame because that's how the segment is formatted.  Fifteen, eighteen, it doesn't seem to matter, for once the show airs that fame will most certainly vaporize like a fart in the wind. 

Now, friend and family seem to think differently and are urging me to convince Charlie that we should go ahead and acquire an agent.  You know... one of those agents that deal day in and day out with Hollywood moguls and television executives. 

Although I appreciate the concern of friends and family, I haven't lost that much sleep or worried too much about any possible film career.  I doubt quite seriously that the lads and lassies from Costa or Drake will be burning any cell phone minutes in trying to get in touch with me or Charlie about joining the Fly Fishing Film Tour. 

And, by some chance if they do and they want to talk about future film projects I'll have to politely say, "Well boys, thanks just the same, but, all I want to do is fly fish."

The Fly Fishing For Carp segment will air on OETA on May 8th at 8 a.m., and May 14th at 6 p.m.

Charlie getting wired for filming wildlife department video.

Still photo from action during filming of Fly Fishing For Carp.

Carp Redux 2011 - Charlie's Triumphant Return

Charlie hasn't had much time on the water in the last week or so.  Well... that's not exactly the truth... he has had time on the water, but, it's been with cane pole, worms, and grandchildren.  That's beautifully wonderful in itself.

However, he hasn't been able to carp by fly in the last week or so.  Today, he returned to the pursuit of carp by the fur and feather and what a return it was.

 

Singling out a rather large carp, Charlie sent out an offering in the form of an olive and yellow Carpolo Charlie fly.  In his report, Charlie says this big chap took the fly on the fall, which is always a beautiful sight to behold.

During the Carp Crusades of 2010, and thus far in the Carp Redux, both Charlie and I have tried our best to attract the attention of the sucker fish in our local creek.  We both have met with great failure.  However, Charlie reports that today two Redhorse suckers turned on the Carpolo Charlie.  We have greater hope now and if I know Charlie Wright, he'll end up catching one of those suckers.

On The Prairie Ocean - Knives

Knives hold a certain fascination or appeal to many of us.  To the outdoor sportsman, the knife can be an invaluable tool.  For over two million years now, the knife has proven to be a wonderful tool that often meant the difference in surviving or not.

Personally I only had one incident in all my years in the outdoors that a knife actually saved my life, so it's easy to understand why knives are so dear to me. 

 

The first knife I come to own came courtesy of my grandfather - he presented me with a Schrade Walden.  Next came a Case and then it seemed to be one Barlow after another - Barlow's seemed to be quite the rage at that time in my life. 

When my grandson Tanner came along he also developed a fascination for knives and so we've been picking one or two up, now and then, here and there.  We probably have around 100 knives right now. 
 

This is one of my favorite knives.  I picked it up at a garage sale for a lark.  It has some problems in it, but still I love it.  My favorite kind of knife is one that can be used in the outdoors.  A knife that can cut, dig, chop, and is easy to sharpen.



These are what I call "show" knives.  They're the kind you usually get as a gift and they are more suited to "look at" than to use.  We probably have fifteen of these sets in our collection.


These little pen knives have been with me for probably close to fifty years now.  They were handed to me by my grandfather and mother.  They are quite sentimental.


Everyone loves a pocket knife.  Sure wish I would've held on to every pocket knife I ever owned. 



A hand crafted knife picked up at a mountain man rendezvous.

Conservation - Water Footprint Calculator

Conservation

The good folk at National Geographic have put together a handy dandy water footprint calculator so we all can see just how much water we are using and just how much we might reduce our footprint.

Water Footprint Calculator

Take the pledge today.  Even 1% can make a difference.

Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer Protection Efforts

The effort to protect the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer continues and we received this message from Amy Ford, President of the Citizens For The Protection Of The Arbuckle Simpson Aquifer (CPASA).

URGENT Action Required!


In support of the Citizens for the Protection of the Arbuckle Simpson Aquifer, Friends of CPASA has been diligently working with the aggregate industry to draft mutually-agreeable statutory language that both sustains the Arbuckle Simpson Aquifer’s sensitive water resources and facilitates economic development. We believe that both these things can be accomplished by responsible management of the Aquifer.

S.B. 597, by Rep. Todd Thomsen and Senator Brian Bingman, passed the Senate and will be heard by the House of Representatives next week. S.B. 597 removes a special exemption held by the aggregates industry and places regulation of "pit water" infiltrating mining operations over sensitive sole-source aquifers under the jurisdiction of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. It also brings parity to the management of all major users in the Arbuckle Simpson Aquifer.

Passage of S.B. 597 is vital to the continued growth and development of the communities overlying the Arbuckle Simpson Aquifer (ASA), Oklahoma’s only sensitive sole-source aquifer. Over 40,000 Oklahoma citizens rely on the ASA for drinking water. Moreover, the ASA is the cornerstone of the region’s economy. Tourist destinations, such as Turner Falls and the Chickasaw National Recreational Area, among others, together supply millions of dollars to local revenues. Additionally, numerous organizations, such as the Slippery Falls Boy Scout Ranch and the Falls Creek Baptist Church Camp, utilize the ASA in furtherance of their altruistic missions.

On Monday (April 25th), we ask that you please contact your State Representative and ask them to support passage of S.B. 597. Friends of CPASA understand the value of outreach. Making phone calls, sending emails, and posting requests for support through your social media to all your friends asking them to do the same will help us see that this vital piece of legislation makes it to the Governor Fallin’s desk for her signature.

If we all work together, we can push S.B. 597 over the finish line!

If you need it, here's a link to find your legislator: http://www.oklegislature.gov/FindMyLegislature.aspx

THANK YOU!



Amy Anne Ford, President

Friends of CPASA

Carp Redux 2011 - Dingy Water Mirror Carp

I had every intention of getting in a lot of carp by fly time today.  However, Mother Nature had a different idea it seems. 

We received more rain last night and that's a good thing.  It didn't seem like all that much rain however.  Once I got to the creek this morning I knew my fishing would be shortlived.  The creek was as dingy today as yesterday, but the flow was down some. 

Seeing a disturbance in the water downstream, I snuck every so slowly to that spot.  In the shallows was a lone carp mostly hidden from my vision.  Taking a chance I plopped the olive and orange Carpolo Charlie in on his front and watched him.  Within five seconds I lifted the rod tip and felt his presence.

Ten minutes later he was in my hand.  This fish would not give up.  I finally waded out into the creek and scooped him up before he gave himself out entirely.

Since I was on the creek and on foot it made sense to just go ahead and wade downstream in hopes of seeing more carp.  Leaving the pasture known as Honey Hole, I waded through the pastures of Worm Pool, Shipwreck, Well Springs Pool, Well Springs Shallows, the Bend and the Beach.  This is about a mile of water and only two carp were spotted. 

That's part of carping by fly I guess.  If the rain holds off today, the creek should be more fishable tomorrow.  Hopefully. 

Carp Redux 2011 - The Day After "I Do!"

Charlie has told me a good number of times to seek out the shallows after a rain.  Of all the fly fishers I know, Charlie is one of the finest and the one that owns the keenest sense of observation - he studies these carp like a student prepping for a test.

Early this morning, about midway between the midnight hour and dawn, a thunderstorm tumbled across this prairie ocean.  It was loud with bright flashes and brought rain.  It didn't bring a tremendous amount of rain; a drought-buster my no means, however, it was a much needed rain and enough to turn the creek brown.

I decided to take Charlie up on his advice, and like I should have known, his advice was solid as a rock. With the creek being discolored, I dismissed the white Mysis Shrimp from duty and tied on an olive and orange Carpolo Charlie. Within thirty minutes I had battled and brought to submission three carp... including two of those fascinating looking Mirror carp.

It may be my imagination, but, Mirror carp seem to have more spunk than the Common carp does.  The Mirror just never quit and make run after run.  Sometimes I have to simply bulldog these Mirror carp and beach them.

Today the carping by fly was a mixture of sight fishing and blind fishing at the same time.  The creek wasn't dingy to the point the image of the carp couldn't be made, but, once the fly pierced the surface it was gone from sight.  I depended on the behavior of the carp to know when it was time to set the hook and if the creatures suddenly moved forward and stopped, or gills flared... I went for the hook-set.  This practice worked like a charm. 

First Mirror of the day.

Fascinating looking Mirror.

Fishing today was a total muddy mess.  The usual structure of felled trees and root balls were certainly present and today there were additional tree limbs that had been washed down the creek.  How the fish and I came through all that without a break-off amazes me.  Although it was fun, it was a work-out and in the end my rod was dirty, the reel was dirty, I was dirty, and the Carpolo Charlie looked like it had been through a meat grinder.
 

Speaking of Charlie again, I think he come up with the perfect coinage about fly fishing for carp.  In a dispatch I received from Charlie last year in regards to fly fishing for carp, Charlie said, "This ain't pretty fishing."  Charlie my friend, you're absolutely correct - this is sometimes down and dirty in the trenches fishing. 

It's not pretty fishing.

While I was having fun battling the carp, I didn't realize the creek was on the rise.  It wasn't a threatening rise or anything like that.  However, within another thirty minutes the creek had become unfishable, discoloring even more with a significant increase in flow. 

I gave thanks and left the creek. 

Marriage Vows And Carp

Yesterday afternoon, carp numbers eighteen and nineteen came to hand.  One fell for the Mysis Shrimp - the other for the Curvy Crazy Charlie in white and silver. 

Today, Carol and I are to marry at 11 o'clock.  At 8 o'clock this morning I had carp number twenty of this season on the reel.... courtesy of the Mysis Shrimp.  About thirty minutes later, number twenty-one and I said hello, and, yes it was the Mysis that did the dirty work. 

Carol and I have known each other for forty years and we are indeed best friends.  So, it is past time to make our relationship "official" and get hitched and stitched.

Now, for a honeymoon... it was Carol, not me, that suggested camping at our beloved Blue River.  I swear to you this is the absolute truth - it was Carol's idea.  Of course I hopped on that suggestion like a duck on a June bug. 

But, we had nearby storms last night and the sky is threatening today.  Our camp-out honeymoon trip will be delayed.  Sunday and Monday also looks stormy, but we both have a week off and we'll get to Blue sometime this week.

I am so very thankful that both of us share a lifetime love for the outdoors.

Since we can't get to the river Blue and start the honeymoon, we made other plans.  Carol loves Red Lobster and I like Bass Pro, so a trip to Oklahoma City, leaving our rural settlement behind, will be made after the ceremony.

I do need to get some more material to tie more Crazy Charlie's and Mysis Shrimp. 

Preacher just called and he's getting ready.  Guess I better get out of these waders.