[BrookfieldAngler]

Got out again today after a bit of morning work. The carp were in full spawn and quite busy! It was hard to find any that weren't busy doing the hibidy dibidity but I managed to entice two. The first one got off after about a minute. The second one came to hand after a short 5 minute fight.

More photos and details on on the blog
http://www.brookfieldangler.com/2012/05/horny-fish-and-broken-rod.html

 

[Steve]

GREAT READ!!!

I set the hook and sent a poor bluegill flying through the air.

I was upstream from Grau Mill the other day with a buddy and was using my Fly Rod. I casted out with a larger Twisty Tailed Wooly Buggerish type of Fly that I tied on to keep the Gills off. I threw it in, retrieved then when it got close enough pulled it out to recast- Dam Blue Gill came flying RIGHT AT MY FACE! They weight of him caused my fly to come at my face as opposed to over my head. It was like watching his face come to mine in slow motion. I ducked my head to the left and he went flying over my shoulder.

Great read!!Still havent gotten into any carp yet with the rod but all of your posts are making me chase it a few times a week!

Sorry to hear about the Rod- Ive been putting off upgrading mine for that exact reason. I pull a little harder when I get a fly stuck up in a tree because I know its a cheap rod. I dont have the hang of it yet to keep my flys and rod out of harms way!

 

[BrookfieldAngler]

Keep at it! Once you get into one, you will be so freaking hooked.

Regarding the rod, nothing wrong with ponying up the cashola for a good quality rod provided it carries a warranty to back it up. My TFO is getting replaced for free.

I also have Ed (SpecialEd) building me a custom 6wt specifically for carp. Once I get it, if you haven't gotten a carp yet, I'll take you to one of my spots and see if I can't get you on a fish.

 

[Steve]

I'm down!

 

[jrc56]

Nice work! That is the second time this week I har heard of a TFO rod being snagged In a tree and sebsequently being broken! Is TFO replacing it for free or is it someone else? I was thinking of gettin one. Saw a ton of carp down at lake Michigan again today, I couldn't get to them though, terr was no way to land them and I did not have a long net. Keep on Carpin, looks like fun

 

[Tikimahn]

Tough luck on the rod Nick, least it's getting replaced free of charge. Your not the only one to have some bad luck this week, the river claimed my Tackleware house shirt, a bag of tubes and swim baits, as well as my 1250 yard spool of Big Game for my casting rod in the mad scramble for dry land when they opened the locks up without a warning.... I'll chalk it up at a Sacrifice to the fishing gods and hope my curse ends in my next outing.

 

[Charged]

Sorry to hear about the rod, and good job with the carp. I took a 8wt out on the duper and tried my luck this morning, I had less success than you. I saw a few carp, but managed to spook them before I had a chance. I just ended up with 3 small gills. The good news, is from past experiences the carp seem to become more interested in flies a little later in the year.

If your catching them now, I'd assume you can really expect to have lots of success with them in another month or two.

 

[BrookfieldAngler]

Nice work! That is the second time this week I har heard of a TFO rod being snagged In a tree and sebsequently being broken! Is TFO replacing it for free or is it someone else? I was thinking of gettin one. Saw a ton of carp down at lake Michigan again today, I couldn't get to them though, terr was no way to land them and I did not have a long net. Keep on Carpin, looks like fun

TFO is replacing it - If given a choice between the TFO and any other one in it's price range, I would pick the TFO. The one exception is having another custom rod built and I will hold off on that decision until after I get it. 8)

 

[BrookfieldAngler]

Tough luck on the rod Nick, least it's getting replaced free of charge. Your not the only one to have some bad luck this week, the river claimed my Tackleware house shirt, a bag of tubes and swim baits, as well as my 1250 yard spool of Big Game for my casting rod in the mad scramble for dry land when they opened the locks up without a warning.... I'll chalk it up at a Sacrifice to the fishing gods and hope my curse ends in my next outing.

That scenario scares the crap out of me! I heard that a little guy will drive across the dam in a golf cart before it opens up, that is supposed to be the warning - at least where you were fishing

 

[BrookfieldAngler]

Sorry to hear about the rod, and good job with the carp. I took a 8wt out on the duper and tried my luck this morning, I had less success than you. I saw a few carp, but managed to spook them before I had a chance. I just ended up with 3 small gills. The good news, is from past experiences the carp seem to become more interested in flies a little later in the year.

If your catching them now, I'd assume you can really expect to have lots of success with them in another month or two.

Thanks. they are generally quite spooky. I have figured out that you need to find the fish that aren't as spooky and put that fly a a foot in front of their face. I have also figured out to cast less and pick your targets wisely. Once they are done spawning, it's time for cottonseed flies!

 

[Rich Frye]

Nice job. Still having luck with backstabbers?
If only something fed on cottonseed other than my lines...

 

[BrookfieldAngler]

Nice job. Still having luck with backstabbers?
If only something fed on cottonseed other than my lines...

I had one take on the backstabber on my first cast, but I screwed that one up. The only other feeding fish that I found were in a shallow, clear, inlet flow that was less than a foot deep. I ended up "nymphing" that section and the backstabber was too heavy for that purpose. This is when I switched to an unweighted san juan worm and caught the fish above.

 

[Rich Frye]

Yup, clear water and shallows with a weighted dumbbell type fly = big scary splash. I can see the lighter nymphs and worms working well then.
I need to find a decent carp spot with decent back casting possible by me. Fun stuff. Everything likes a worm , and most a perch. Those SJ worms are so tough to tie though :wink: .

 

[BrookfieldAngler]

Yup, clear water and shallows with a weighted dumbbell type fly = big scary splash. I can see the lighter nymphs and worms working well then.
I need to find a decent carp spot with decent back casting possible by me. Fun stuff. Everything likes a worm , and most a perch. Those SJ worms are so tough to tie though :wink: .

LOL, I know...at best I can probably only tie 45 of them in an hour :lol:

A good spot is definitely the key. The more targets, the better

 

[Tikimahn]

Was right infront of the Locks... Scared the shit out of me and Tom too... I bashed my knee on a nice sized boulder in the mad dash for my other rod and fishing bag and back to dry land.... Got soaked in the process too, now i'm just hoping i don't pick up some flesh eating bacteria. haha.

 

[Charged]

Tikiman, If that bacteria doesn't kill you, it will certainly make you stronger.

BrookfieldAngler, I also have a 7wt TFO and I do like it. That's the rod I taught myself on. I liked it enough to also purchase another in a different wt. That 7wt is the first real fly rod I ever purchased. The customer service does certainly give you some peace of mind.

 

[Tikimahn]

Or I could lose a leg Charged lol. Looks good though, doesn't look like gangrene or anything has set in yet. haha.