Another Nice Carp on the Fly Day

 Flat at Riverbend ponds.  I have fished this area often, but only for bass.  Not anymore!  This flats was unknown to me until today and I think I have a new favorite carp flats.  The water temp was near 60 in the early afternoon and the water was shallow and crystal clear.  The other pond was the same as yesterday, 58, clear and full of suspending carp not interested in any thing I had to offer, not even Greggs Carp Eggs. Bummer, those eggs are my new addiction and I hope I can reproduce a few soon. Heck after talking back and forth with Gregg I think I might be able to produce a few crude eggs.  Thank you Gregg.

There were many many tailing carp, many jumpers and a few carp doing something I have not read about.  Every few minutes in this large group, a few would roll and scrape their sides on the bottom of the pond.  It was really easy to see their entire profile while doing the behavior but to be honest I have no idea what they were doing.  What do you think this behavior is?  What came to mind for me- maybe they had some type of  parasite or bug and they were trying to shake it off.  Or like McTage witnessed the day before, its just CARP BEHAVING BADLY! Here is his post. http://www.flycarpin.com/

Good times and get out and catch a Carp!
Lonny

First Carp on the fly for the 2012 Season.

Wow what a great day stalking carp at my favorite carp pond in Fort Collins.  With the local warm front passing through the Front Range of Colorado our local ponds are warming up fast.  Around noon when I started the temp was right around 55 degree's. Light breeze and the was clear to about 3 feet off the shore, otherwise it was silty. I positioned myself next to that big cottonwood tree on the left and did my best 'tree' impression.  Short after I was amazed to watch a 'flight' of 3 medium size carp fly towards the reeds, each one off the right shoulder of the one in front.  I was really thought I was watching a flight of P-51 fighters sent into patrol the flats for the bigger bombers in the rear.

I tied on a huge orange crawdad pattern from the fly swap and after two cast lost it in the tree!  Damn.  Wondering if this was just to big I went for something I have never tried before, an egg from Gregg Martin. Gregg states "Eggs are nice in that they land softly and present a very visible piece of possible food. Carp often go far out their way to investigate them on the bottom or even suspended in the water column. I normally fish these to either poorly seen or unseen fish under an indicator. I do not think they are taken for an egg, as I catch most fish where they never see such a thing."  I am a solid believer in Eggs now!  I watched this guy suspend in the current.  I cast past him and pulled the egg over him slowly and then when the fly was just past his nose I let the egg settle and was rewarded.  I watched the carp swim forward and suck in the fly!  How cool was that?  Thanks  Gregg, you made a convert of me.

                                                                 Greggs Carp Egg

 Well by the end of the day the water temp had climbed to 58 and more carp were coming up closer and closer to the shore, but alas I had to run off for dinner. I did land two and lost 2 more. I can't wait for this weekend as the weather is supposed to continue to warm.  Hope to post more pictures soon.

Lonny

Carp Sighting, first of 2012.

I had a few minutes after work before I had to be home so I drove down to my favorite carp pond to see how the pond looked after the recent warm weather.  As I drove the first thing I noticed were the trees!  Where were the trees? It seems the City had come in and removed all the Russian Olive trees thus opening up the entire shore and bank.  Wow this was going to be a new challenge this year. Where am I going to hide?

Getting over my shock, I strung up my fly rod and walked down to my favorite area. Hiding my shadow in the later afternoon sun in the few remaining trees I saw Carp! Many, many Carp!

Getting my shock and excitement I sat and studied the scene before me.  I remember reading and article by Dave Whitlock in the September 2008 issue of Fly Fisherman, where he listed the common behaviors of carp and your chances of catching a carp based on that behavior. 

Ok what was I seeing here?  Jumpers, two of them, poor chance of catching them!

Basking or daisy chaining groups- another poor chance!  Moving around a bit I tried to cast to a few that I felt were tailers, excellent!  No dice.  Was I that rusty?  Did I really loose all my skills? Was my bug to big?  Was it that solar flair mentioned in the morning news?

Sitting back and letting the carp settle back down after my shotgun blast of a cast into the middle of a group of baskers I just sat and watched and reflected.  This was the beginning of a new season, a new adventure.  I am armed with new flies from that cool Carp Fly Swap.  My favorite pond has a new haircut and I am fresh from the sleep on winter.  I am excited, I am refreshed, and I am ready for the new year of Carp on the Fly!!!!