10-02-2006, 03:19 PM
I guess it was inevitable that I would post a carp pic or two. Here are a few recent customers and some nice scenery.
[inline c-5.jpg]
[inline c-3.jpg]
[inline c-1.jpg]
[inline "kirk pond carp 1a.jpg"]
[inline "kirk pond carp 3a.jpg"]
This is a purely sight fishing game. You move along the shoreline, spot fish feeding, tails up, in shallow water, stalk them like a heron, cast accurately and softly, and then try to hone your senses to detect the pickup of the fly before the fish blows it back out. They're harder to catch than bass, trout, steelhead, or salmon because of the way they take the fly. There's barely a wiggle and rather than feel it, you have to "sense" it. Once hooked up these guys blast off for parts unknown, break tippets, straighten hooks. What a rush. And... virtually nobody fishes for them. If you can get over the unearned stigma that carp have, you can brighten some otherwise dim days, IMHO. Great sport!
The beauty of it for me this year was that they fish best during the dog days of summer when the trout are either lethargically hugging the bottom or are going belly up and the bass are nowhere to be found.
I haven't applied my hard earned tubeology to the equation yet. Not sure if the low riding position will allow me to see into the water sufficiently. On the other hand, from experience with other fishies, I might be able to get much closer without worrying about foot vibrations and sucking mud sounds alerting them.
TD, I'm looking forward to those pony jigs, but don't use precious fishing time because of me. Wait until the water hardens. That's when I'll be using them anyway since water here will still be open.
BTW, that first pic is a slough off the Willamette.
[
]Don, sorry for hijacking your post.
z~
[signature]
[inline c-5.jpg]
[inline c-3.jpg]
[inline c-1.jpg]
[inline "kirk pond carp 1a.jpg"]
[inline "kirk pond carp 3a.jpg"]
This is a purely sight fishing game. You move along the shoreline, spot fish feeding, tails up, in shallow water, stalk them like a heron, cast accurately and softly, and then try to hone your senses to detect the pickup of the fly before the fish blows it back out. They're harder to catch than bass, trout, steelhead, or salmon because of the way they take the fly. There's barely a wiggle and rather than feel it, you have to "sense" it. Once hooked up these guys blast off for parts unknown, break tippets, straighten hooks. What a rush. And... virtually nobody fishes for them. If you can get over the unearned stigma that carp have, you can brighten some otherwise dim days, IMHO. Great sport!
The beauty of it for me this year was that they fish best during the dog days of summer when the trout are either lethargically hugging the bottom or are going belly up and the bass are nowhere to be found.
I haven't applied my hard earned tubeology to the equation yet. Not sure if the low riding position will allow me to see into the water sufficiently. On the other hand, from experience with other fishies, I might be able to get much closer without worrying about foot vibrations and sucking mud sounds alerting them.
TD, I'm looking forward to those pony jigs, but don't use precious fishing time because of me. Wait until the water hardens. That's when I'll be using them anyway since water here will still be open.
BTW, that first pic is a slough off the Willamette.
[
]Don, sorry for hijacking your post. z~
[signature]