While hunting carp at Riverbend ponds this evening I had an situation that I have heard horror stories about. I had cast straight out to a small feeding common when he took the fly and ran straight instead of turning. Two head shakes and my fly broke free and came screaming back to me...right into my sunglasses! I have heard stories of guys getting hooks right into the eye but I never thought it would happen to me. Wow, scary. So lesson learned. Always wear your sunglasses or some type of eye protection while fishing. You never know when your cool little fly will come back to bite you in the ass!
But the day was not a loss. I hooked into 6 carp and landed 4. The second fish of the day was my largest yet on a fly rod. He took a Zimmermans Backstabber in white. I really don't know how big he was but it was a great 5 minute fight with several line screaming runs. On the bummer side, he seems to somehow damaged my new Orvis Mid Access Reel. I will be send that into Orvis for some service.
The carp in my area seem to be in summer time patterns. They are close to the shore and in schools of 5 to 8 fish. That makes it easy to spot them and pick out stragglers from the school. Cottonwood are fuzzing up the surface of the pond. That means its almost top water time for Carp!
This little guy hung around for a quick photo.
This was the view from Riverbend ponds with the Hewlett Gulch fire. Smoke came billowing down from the canyon into Fort Collins. Local authorities are issuing warning for those with respiratory issues. Hope no one gets hurt fighting this fire.
Lonny
Nice!
ReplyDeleteThank you John.
DeleteAnother fire? Going to be one of those summers it looks like.Here is something I wanted to pass along to you. I just had a new fishing shed just completed today. I had it delivered and assembled by Backyard Rooms. I have a lure makers paradise inside!. Check it out at
ReplyDeleteBackyard Rooms
The local authorities have ordered partial evacuations now due to the fire. Bummer.
DeleteCool stuff Lonny! My cottonwood became so thick the other day I almost couldn't punch trough it. I have an Orvis Mid Arbor IV, my "Snake River reel" with 200 yd. backing, but I found little access to said river and overkill for my ponds. Love it though, no problems. Odd, your spool bent?
ReplyDeleteGregg
Gregg, I am not sure, I re-spooled the reel and it seems to be functioning correctly now. The sound of the reel changed after fighting the carp. It has this pleasant metallic clicking sound as I reel it in and for some reason the pitch changed to this unpleasant hollow sound. After re-spooling today the pitch sounds correct now. Strange. I will fish with it this weekend and if it still sounds strange I will send it in for repairs.
ReplyDeleteThe cottonwood is getting thick here and some of the carp really like anything white thrown to them. Soon our conditions will match yours with a large blanket of cottonwood on the surface.
Lonny
I havent ever worked out the cottonseed hatch. What do you usually throw? I have tried tying up various cdc, marabou, yarn, foam etc etc. Apprently I havent tied dry flies in too long because none of it floats :(
DeleteHey there Trevor, I usually throw a white parachute with white hackle dry fly. I like the white parachute as its easy to find in the middle of the actual fluff of the cottonwood. Its freaking hard to get them to take it so often I switch to a white Zimmerman Backstabber. I like that they tend to just slowing drift down looking like a piece of water logged cottonwood. Hope that helps and happy hunting.
DeleteLonny