20 pounder - carp

[KEB]

After the thunderstorm moved through yesterday morning I decided to give some local water a shot. The carp were enjoying the change and were on the feed. Unfortunately, the only thing I could make out were the clouds of silt they were kicking up. Once in a while a tail would be visible for a second. Thought I might trying running my Hares Ear through the feeders. Hooked three fish one after another. All broke me off in the weeds. The first fish had me running along the bank like a mad man until he turned for the weeds and I couldn't stop him. Decided to let the fourth fish head out to clear water guiding him away from the weeds.
Twenty minutes later I got him close and had my first chance to see him. That's when I realized my net was too small. So I guided his head along the bank with the net outside of him in the open water. He bolted right into it trying to make another run. He weighed in at 20.2 pounds on my digital scale and is around 28+ inches long. Great fourth. http://www.westfly.com/photo/photoGallery/xhTeNHvyMS_new.jpeg http://www.westfly.com/photo/photoGallery/XOiKowKbDn_new.jpeg

[98ramtough]

Flyfishing for carp is so much fun. I used to have great luck with crawfish patterns.

[fishladder]

Nice goldfish, I got my first a couple of weeks ago on a size 10 hares ear rubber legs. I am still not sure what fought harder, the carp of the weeds it wrapped itself up in. Still a heck of a lot of fun to sight fish for these big fellas. Not to mention trying to keep the fly away from highly aggressive bluegill. What is your favorite carp fly?

[john montana]

nice fish KB! carp are a great flyrod species, and by far my favorite fish to chase. i knew you would nail one of those big ones...now that the curse is over, i'm willing to fish with you again...heh heh...

http://carponthefly.blogspot.com/

[KEB]

Thanks John. I really hated the jinx.

fishladder - I don't have a favorite fly anymore. I am learning that they will take most anything that looks like food. For me the key is seeing the take. This fish, however, grabbed the fly, GRHE, as I stripped it through the feeding fish.

[fishladder]

KEB,
I have the same philosophy, something buggy put right on their nose. I have never had the opportunity to fish in open water for carp, always have to go comando, and ambush from some brush. This is due to the weeds growing in throughout the center of the ponds. The fish tend to feed along the perimeter of the pond. Funny, flyfishing the Delta (force) Ponds in Eugene, using the words comando and ambush to describe it. I sometimes expect Chuck Norris to jump out of the brush and kung fu kick my butt. I guess I spend too much time carp fishing in the sun! (In reality I feel I dont spend enough time flyfishin in the sun)