Dear Carp - Arrival Of Autumn

Dear Carp,

Sunday announced the arrival of the autumn season and it was with great gladness I found myself standing at the fringe of your watery home for the third Sunday in a row. 

Although I knew my time would be a mere whit of an outing, still there was an ease and gentleness with the cool air that autumn brought this morning.  This mornings temperature was 59 degrees and that is a wonderful reprieve to the muggy and sticky high 70's we've been encountering in the hours before dawn. 

I was surprised to find so many of you in suspended fashion so early in the day.  My hope was to find one of you grazing as I often do, but as hard as I searched no grazers were found.

On this Sunday morning the gift I would bring to you was one cactus chenille Creek Critter.  I put the gift in the drink and watched for the telegraph signal in the line and there it was. 

 

The citizen that claimed the gift offered wasn't a large member of your community, but he thought he was refusing to yield time after time. 

 

He took me through a really compromised area of this sea current and before our encounter was over we were both battle worn wearing part of the creek on ourselves.

 

 

Shortly after saying so-long to this fine lad, I received a dispatch informing me to return to the workplace and therefore I parted company with the wonderful lot of you.

 

My friends, Charlie will be returning soon from Mexico and he has already shared with me his intentions of coming to you.  It should be a grand reunion. 

 

Soon I will traveling to North Carolina to visit other fellows that are similar to your kind.  When I return I will come to you with grand stories... hopefully.

 

Take care grand ones.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Prairie Ocean Fly Fisher



Dear Carp - The Color Of Fall Carp

Dear Carp,

In coming to you today, the second week in a row, I feel like a rich man.  As I stood at the fringe of your home the cool morning air was refreshing and mindful of the approaching autumn season.  I wonder if you sense the same?

Having lost all my Aftermath gifts, I tied a new one before leaving the place that I live.  With the Aftermath tied on I show it to the first of your kind I encounter.  He is a long fellow and wide in the shoulders - a beastly sort and he likes what he sees.  My hook-set is firm and employed with great conviction.  This beastly fellow wastes no time however in showing me his determination and runs me to the edge of my backing on a downstream path.  Finally I get him turned, but he is not done showing me how the cow eats cabbage.

As he turns to come upstream I realize how clever this beastly one is.  He goes to the far bank and entangles himself in the thick weave of the root system along the eroded bank.  I see him floating on the surface unable to go forward, back, or to either side.  I decide to call it and break him free and as I attempt to do so, I somehow pull him out of the weave.  Our battle continues, but not for long.  My line suddenly ricochets out of the pool and lands near my feet.  Gathering the line I inspect the end of my tippet and sure enough there was the tell-tale sign of a bad or giving tie - a curly-q at the end of the tippet. 

With no more Aftermath gifts I tie on one of Charlie's Creek Critters.  Looking upstream I see a juvenile and cast the Critter about twenty-five feet.  He gobbles it.  

Bringing the young chap in for the branding by my hand I notice the colors your kind are taking on.  In years past I always enjoy the orange hues in your tails and fins that come about this time of year.  Perhaps it's a thing of nature - I'm not sure, but whatever it is seems like a great artist is using you as a canvas. 

 

My friends, I have much to do in preparation for my bucket list trip to North Carolina.  I do hope to return to you soon and certainly would like to see you more often.

 

Until our next meeting, live, love, and prosper. 

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Prairie Ocean Fly Fisher 

Dear Carp - Reminiscing

Dear Carp,

On my most recent visit with your kind I found myself reminiscing about a time that Charlie and I came to your home together.  It was three years ago to the day when not only Charlie and I came, but two young chaps with the television show Outdoor Oklahoma also came.

Outdoor Oklahoma wanted to do an outdoor show about fly fishing for carp and of course we were excited about helping.  Yes, we captured several of your lot and all of it was captured on film.  It was a day of Lights, Camera, Carp.

Since that filming the show has aired numerous times and most seemed quite pleased with the production.  One exception was the local game ranger.  He reported that upon the initial airing of this film his phone began to ring and didn't stop.  The outdoor public was highly interested in fly fishing for carp and on one hand that is a good thing.  On the other hand though, it caused Charlie and me some concern.  Of course we will always be willing to introduce new people to this sport, but we also know how some species have become pressured to the point it almost becomes exploitation and we do not want that to happen to you.

Now on my most recent trip to visit your lot I brought the gift that has seemed to be your favorite - the Aftermath.  The first three citizens I would connect with all broke off our talks rather abruptly, which seemed highly unusual and gave me cause to inspect the line I use to connect with you.  That inspection revealed a severe roughness in the line and that roughness was dispensed of.  A new Aftermath went on and the next citizen would come in for the branding.

He was a pretty lad. 

 

Still, I am not getting to spend near the time I wish with your community, but things may change someday.  Until then, I wish you well.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Prairie Ocean Fly Fisher

Dear Carp - It's Been Way Too Long

Dear Carp,

In the last eight weeks I have been to visit with you one time with the exception of this morning.  In my one previous visit, conditions were so poor I simply walked away and it was only today in this long period of time I would have a conversation with any of your kind. 

As to why I have been absent, my story is much the same as it always is to you.  Therefore, I won't ask you to listen to any of my excuses any longer.  Let's just say that my work life has paid off in the form of a very nice fly fishing dividend coming my way soon.

On the fringe of your home this morning I had a connection with one of your citizens via the Aftermath gift I often bring to you.  The chap was a beast and not at all interested in continuing a conversation and he quickly broke talks off taking the Aftermath as his spoil of battle.

With no more Aftermath gifts I tied on a Creek Critter and found citizen number two.  Hooking up with this fellow in an odd place on the creek required me to jump down from the bank and when I did I begin to sink in the silt.  With each step I continued to sink a little more and once I was up to my knees I had to put it in high gear to get to a more sturdy sandbar. 

 

Now, I spoke of how my work ethic has paid off and it indeed has.  When I was a young man I was on my way to Marine Corps base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.  The trip required a drive through the Blue Ridge Mountains along the fringes of the Pisquah National Forest.

It was on that winding road through the mountains and forest I laid my eyes on the prettiest water I'd ever seen.  However with a young baby, the wife and I never had a penny to spare for things such as fishing and I never got to fish those beautiful waters - a regret I have carried all these years.

 

But, my employer somehow found out about this story I was telling to a co-worker and he recently approached me handing me an envelope with a message in it.

 

 

I am sure you can appreciate my joy and excitement about this trip - a bucket list for this aging chap for sure.  Here, some forty years later, I am returning to western North Carolina to fish the famous Davidson along with more intimate mountain streams.  My buddy Van will be going also and we plan on making the best of the five day adventure.

 

As a matter of fact we've already started gearing up.  Both of us have new Sage rods coming along with new Ross reels and yesterday we made a small gear haul

 

 

With summer almost over, my workplace activity should begin to slow down and therefore I hope to see more of you my friends. 

 

At least that is my hope. 

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Prairie Ocean Fly Fisher





Dear Carp - In The Chocolate Brown

Dear Carp,

It has been two weeks my friends since I've been able to come to you.  As you already know, my kind has been slammed by violent weather - the kind that takes life.  Our long and consistent prayers for rain has paid off and we have been rewarding handsomely. 

The downside to the wonderful bounty of rain we've received is that it does keep the angler from having much chance, if any, of communicating with your sort. 

 

Yesterday I could bear no more and came to you home in hopes of seeing one of you at least.  Visibility was nil to none however, but I remembered a tactic that Gregg in Idaho uses - he fishes the bubbles. 

 

Fairly close to the fringe of your home I saw bubbles and watched patiently as the bubbles were moving along and this told me that one of your kind was making tracks. 

 

The Aftermath that I so favor now went out in front of the bubbles where I let it set for just a moment.  Upon lifting my rod tip I felt a presence and then the water exploded.  Fishing the bubbles worked on this occasion and a fine young member of your clan came in for the branding.

 

 

Although it felt wonderful being with you today, I figure it will be another week or ten days before your home clears enough for me to return. 

 

Enjoy the bounty of water coming into your home - more may come, more may not come.  You do indeed live day by day. 

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Prairie Ocean Fly Fisher 



Dear Carp - The Monsters

Dear Carp,

I hoped to come see you yesterday my friends, but the weather was extremely threatening as the monsters were on the ground laying devastation as they went.  Before they were through, the monsters had claimed 91 souls and it's still early in the rescue and recovery. 

I did enjoy my time with you mid-morn on Saturday.  Within two minutes after arriving at your home I met the first citizen of the morning in the form and fashion of a young and fascinating Mirror. 

 

 

Several minutes later the second citizen latched onto the fluro chartreuse bug I have been sending out lately.  Of the last eight or ten citizens I have met, all but one have favored this bug called Aftermath.

 

 

 

Deciding to leave the pasture at Honey Hole, I traveled to the pasture Big Well Springs.  Here, I make a long distance call with the Aftermath and a rather brawny member of your clan grabbed it and ran.  Our conversation lasted a good time, but then my call was suddenly disconnected due to the line being broken. 

 

As I sent out a new Aftermath, by way of long distance, another citizen took my offering on the blind and our talk begin.  As we were talking someone in my world was wanting to talk to me.  I could tell this by the buzzing in my pocket, but that call would have to wait. 

 

Turns out the caller was Van and he was headed for the fly shop in Fort Worth, and friends guess what he was going to get me?  Some more fluro chartreuse body material so I can tie you many more of these gifts you so favor. 

 

 

My friends I have news to share with you.  There is a new lass that has come into my workplace life and she is one dandy firecracker of a gal.  She brings to the workplace great knowledge of the work I do and that means I can have more time with you now.  At least this is my hope.

 

The rain is coming as I close this letter and it's a good rain.  Rejoice in the bounty my friends, rejoice.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Prairie Ocean Fly Fisher 



 



 

Dear Carp - The Rematch And The Blessing

Dear Carp,

Yesterday I went to the mercantile store extra early, where I worked in a fevered pace and harder than usual in order to leave the store early and come to you.  I came to you and yours looking for a redeeming rematch to the whipping I took the day prior. 

When I arrived at your home the thunder clouds had begun to form and take a firm stance.  The thunder was rolling and lightning streaked across the western sky.  The sky was letting go of only a few sprinkles of rain, but they seemed to be drops of hope.

In the upper shallows I saw one of your citizens that was quite impressive, so I sent out a Creek Critter his way.  My gift landed to his right and I watched his movement, which told me he liked what he saw.  A soft jab followed and we were connected in the rematch that I was looking for.

This fellow was stout with big shoulders and it wasn't long until he took me to the center of the mat, if you will, and there we found ourselves in the middle of the creek as the sky opened up and the good rains came.  The thunder was now louder and the lightning even more threatening.  I felt like I was in an unsafe place, but it was the place I wanted to be in hopes of making my comeback. 

Ten minutes passed and I finally worked my opponent into a corner and in this case the corner was the fringe of the creek.  With a gentle and subtle hand I took his tail in my hand and with my other hand cradle his underside to lift him out of the water.

 

 

After visiting with this citizen it was time to get him back in the drink and say adios.  He swam away quite healthy.

 

 

It wasn't long after the battle the real blessing for you and your kind not to mention angler alike came.  The sky opened up even more and the most delightful thunder shower began.  An inch and half of rain is what we received and although we need much more, this event certainly helps us all. 

 

Blessings sometimes come in short portions and perhaps more will come our way.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Prairie Ocean Fly Fisher



 

Dear Carp - Unanimous Decision

Dear Carp,

If the ring-side judges had been positioned at the fringe of your home today, they would have declared a unanimous decision for you and your kind declaring you the victor.  Thanks for the arse kicking.

In round one I choose to lead with the original Aftermath gift I tied some weeks ago.  With the brightly colored body, appetizing worm tail at one end, and the tantalizing fibers that undulate, this gift is hard for any fish to refuse.  It's a Trojan horse of sorts. 

With the Aftermath I threw the first punch, but evidently the punch was quite faint.  The citizen that took that blow threw a counterpunch and it was hard enough to knock the Aftermath out of commission and the gift became the property of that citizen. 

In round two I choose an olive Curiosity with brown tail and targeted a rather large citizen of your community.  With a long distance haymaker that missed it's mark, this citizen decided to catch me off guard and claim victory in round two by knocking out my second contender.

I was well behind in the early rounds, so for round three I tied on a brand new Aftermath that had just been created about an hour prior.  In this round I would begin to make a comeback and was able to put a younger citizen on the mat.

 

When the bell sounded for round four I was feeling quite confident as I sent the Aftermath out into the middle of the ring.  I took a hit and as I counterpunched, the Aftermath came sailing out of the ring and landed high in a tree where, unfortunately, this pugilist was lost.

 

I then threw in the towel.  My arse had been kicked. 

 

It's good for the angler to have a good old fashion arse kicking every once in a while.  A arse kicking knocks us off that high and haughty horse we sometimes ride when we begin to think we can come to you and capture you at will. 

 

An arse kicking is also good for the angler because once we accept our defeat we can spend more time enjoying the beauty that surrounds us.  Today, I took great pleasure in simply admiring the trees and the fine details they own. 

 

 

 

As I sit under the tree with a refreshing breeze cooling the summer-like temperatures I enjoyed a most delightful musical courtesy of the birds above.  Never have I heard the birds put on such a wonderful concert. 

 

My friends, I do not know when I will return for a rematch.  The mercantile store is still robbing me of much time and it's time I miss so much.

 

Of all the time with you that I am denied as a result of my servitude at the store I think the time I miss the most is that time I find myself standing at the fringe of your home as day breaks. 

 

Maybe soon I can stand there again.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Prairie Ocean Fly Fisher