Chapter 58 Day 121 - Trout Season

Conversations With Carp - Charlie's Latest Dialogue

I've been miserable here of late.  Trout season at Blue River is quickly winding down and I cannot get to the water.  Being held captive by the block and mortar I stay sullen and cranky. 

The block and mortar feeds my family however, but you see the river feeds by soul and the soul is on a fast.  There is simply something wholesome about the woods and water.  I find nothing wholesome about block and mortar.

The only thing that has kept me remotely intact is Charlie's scouting and success reports.  Charlie came down with an early case of carp fever, but yesterday his temperature broke.

At the pasture we call Forty Foot, Charlie got his lasso around three different golden beeves.  Two would come to Charlie's hand for branding with the third breaking the tether.  I believe this is a first for Charlie also - catching carp in February that is.

Chapter 58 Day 120 - Trout Season

Celebrating Nature

The Arbuckle-Simpson Nature Festival is a celebration of the outdoor resources overlying and around the Arbuckle-Simpson aquifer.  This year on April 27th and 28th, the 6th Annual ASNF will take place.

Last year I had the pleasure of doing a fly-fishing clinic on Blue River.  This year, fellow angler Kevin Harris of Ada, Oklahoma will be conducting an anglng for the small mouth bass clinic on Blue River. 

New to the festival this year is a Dutch oven cooking gathering, demonstration and cook-off.  The organizers of the ASNF asked if I would help to recruit Dutch oven cooks from the local area and points far. 

Donny and Linda Carter, both members of the Blue River Fly Fishers will be attending the cook-off as will Vernon Forester, also a member of the Blue River Fly Fishers. 

The Dutch oven gathering and cook-off is an effort to introduce the general public to the joy of cooking in the outdoors in cast iron. 

The public will be treated to samples of the Dutch oven cooks and all the recipes will be judged by a panel selected by the organizers of the festival.  One recipe will be crowned as best of the best and that cook will be awarded a plague along with a new black pot. 

If there are any interested Dutch oven cooks that would like to join in on the fun then please contact me at my email address. 

Chapter 58 Day 119 - Trout Season

Feathers For The One Fly

To me, the 1st Annual One Fly event is exciting.  This season's event is the first such event ever attempted at Blue River and that seems special somehow.  Secondly it is going to bring a lot of names to faces and not only can bolster, but also bond the wonderful fellowship that exists amongst the brothers and sisters of the angle.  Lastly, it's for a good cause - that cause beingthe raising of funds for support of Blue River and particularly the future of the Catch and Release area. 

Of course all of us want to the event to go well, for if it does then there will certainly be more to come in the years ahead. 

When thinking about the event I knew that "gimmes" should be a part of the festivities.  One participant in the One Fly was the first to step forward and donate a gift, which has still yet to be announced.  Mercurio was quick to donate some of his Aztec Angler caps and I can speak for these caps - they're nice.  Charlie Wright is handcrafting cane walking sticks for everyone attending and then there is more.  There are fly tying DVDs, a brisket that's just waiting to be smoked, some possible fly collections (if those flies I ordered by mistake arrive) and now six sets of genetic tying feathers. 

The genetic feathers promised by Tom Waits of Hackle and Tackle in Blanchard, Oklahoma arrived over the weekend.  There are six sets of two different sizes of hackles and they should tie some dan-dan-dandy flies that will capture many fish.

Here's the fine feathers.

Chapter 58 Day 118 - Trout Season

Conversations With Carp - February Talks

Last month I caught the first carp I'd ever caught during the month of January.  Today was another first.  Never before had I caught a carp in February.  Usually it is mid to late March before we have any chance at these creatures.

It was surprising how active and playful the carp were today.  They were flashing, chasing one another, and breaking the surface.  At times it almost looked like activities when the spawn is on. 

Starting out with a Crazy Charlie the carp were showing no interest at all.  But, a spunky little spotted bass sure would.

Since the carp seemed uninterested in the Crazy Charlie I tied a Clouser on, but the golden ones were snubbing their snouts at this pattern also.

Then came the olive and orange Carpolo Charlie, but no results.  A crawdad pattern followed the Carpolo, but again nothing in the fashion of fancy came from the carp. 

Then the Carpolo Charlie black and olive with slightly longer legs went to sea and as a minute and ever-so-slow strip was being employed I felt a heavy heave.  I reacted with a double side sweep hook-set and the battle was on.

Today's carp was a nice one for this little creek - about twenty-four inches long.  However, the battle lasted longer than it should so I stayed in contact with the fish in the water to make sure there was a complete revival. 

It felt good to see this grand and golden one swim away quickly.  

Chapter 58 Day 117 - Trout Season

A Message To Beer Drinkers On Blue River

There's nothing wrong with drinking a little beer - I'm a big fan of it myself.  With that being said, it should also be said that there are places to drink beer and places not to drink beer. 

Larry is a big time local tournament bass angler that works with me at the mercantile store.  During the fall and winter he also likes to go to Blue River for the trout. 

Friday mornng Larry was telling me about his Thursday afternoon trip to Blue.  He had hiked into the south wilderness and stopped at Desperado Springs.  While standing on the bank there he noticed three fishermen on the east side of the river that seemed, according to Larry, more interested in drinking beer than fishing.

To begin with we are not allowed to carry beer or any other alcoholic beverage into the wilderness areas or have on the banks of Blue River anywhere.  Beer must be consumed in campsites or parking areas. 

Larry continued his story by saying the most frustrating thing was how these guys were chuggin' their beer and then tossing the empty cans in the river. 

Now, I don't know who these Bozo-like characters were, but they should consider themselves lucky.  Lucky in the sense that a game warden wasn't standing where Larry was and the warden didn't see what Larry saw.  Most assuredly if a game warden had been there to see these events he or she would have had a sudden spike in blood pressure and the tickets would have started to fly. 

Not being absolutely sure what the fines would have been, these clowns would have not only received a citation for having beer on the river, but a second ticket for littering.  The total price tag would have probably been around $400.00, which isn't enough in my opinion.

I still believe the only way we will ever get people to stop trashing Blue River is to fine the hell out of them.  First offense should be no less than $500.00.  Then, if the offender decides to become a repeat offender, they should be banned from Blue River altogether.

My opinion may sound a little harsh and radical, but I believe it is a perfect and just judgement for those uncaring and thoughtless clowns who throw trash on Blue River.

Arseholes.

Chapter 58 Day 116 - Trout Season

The One Fly Genetic Feathers

In today's mail dispatch there was a most wonderful sample of the genetic tying feathers that Tom Waits of Blanchard, Oklahoma is donating to the 1st Annual One Fly event at Blue River. 

Right now Tom is in Wisconsin and he says as soon as he gets back he'll be sending the feathers.  The sample I received today was awesome and will tie some really nice flies. 

In additon to the sample of feathers Tom sent he also sent a whip finishing tool he creates called the "Midge Rapper".   Tom explains that is designed to handle really delicate threads, which is gong to come in realy handy.

 

These feathers, to me, are precious and certainly won't end up as an accessory for someone's hair.  Like I said they will tie some dog-gone good flies. 

I can't wait to see which contestant will have the luck of the draw at the One Fly and receive Tom's feathers. 



Chapter 58 Day 115 - Trout Season

One Fly Scorecard

Click On Image For Larger View

Last night I got all the One Fly contestant score cards finally printed off on card stock.  The score card is pretty simple actually. 

Each trout you catch will count as one point.  Based on the length of each trout caught you will receive additional points.  So... for example if you catch a 14 inch trout you will put a "tic" mark in the column on the left that corresponds with that particular length category which is 12" to 16".  For that 14 inch trout you will receive a total of 4 points. 

Since this contest is taking place ten days into the month of March and since we are having unreasonably warm weather there is a good chance to pick up a small mouth bass.  If you do... then you will receive a bonus of 6 points!

Each contestant will be given a score card and ink pen housed inside a Zip-loc bag.  It is up to each contestant to measure or guesstimate the length of the fish.  And of course this is the honor system and all of us are quite honorable people so no problems there.  

Chapter 58 Day 114 - Trout Season

The Season Of Confusion

The calendar is saying that we are still deep in the winter season.   Today though, nature seemed to indicate else wise with bright sunshine and a temperature that reached 73 wonderful degrees. It's been, for the most part this winter, a season of confusion.

During trout season I get excited by gray, overcast and almost damp days.  Somehow the trout fishing always seems better for me on the pewter-like days.  I must admit the sunshine and spring-like weather today was rather nice. 

Not being able to get to Blue River to try and trick the trout, a trip to the local creek to see what the grand and golden carp had on their mind was in order.  It was time to do a little scouting in other words.

One of the things I like best in the pursuit of carp by the fly is the hunt.  It's that hunt that intrigues me, and within those moments when I'm stalking... when there suddenly appears a ghost out of the water before me... I can feel my heart rate change.  It's the adrenalin... that rush of excitement laced with hope, but buffered with doubt. 

This afternoon I went to one of our carp pastures we call the Beach.  In the last couple of seasons Charlie and I have seen as many as forty carp in this short stretch of water.  Today, I counted ten. 

Though the weather is nice and the air temperature is saying spring more than winter, the water temperatures are still on the cool side.  I still believe many of the carp are wintered. 

The ten carp I encountered were suspended... lethargic at best... showing no signs of needing to eat. 

One thing I've come to learn about carp is that they seem extremely social in their existence.  They form in communities and it is there that they socialize, play, love, and eat together in the herds they form.

There is still another week until the month of March arrives and with it the promised delivery of St. Patricks day (definitely a beer drinking occasion) and the vernal equinox.  And... a time the grand and golden ones grow restless in their wintered homes. 

Between now and then the search for the grand ones will be ongoing.