lake

This didn’t start out to be a post about my first carp caught on a fly or about using the world’s ugliest streamer to do it.  The trip was originally supposed to be the opportunity to test of a new popping bug.  But over an hour into it I realized that despite my best efforts and some great new poppers, there was no chance of catching a bream, bass, or other moderately  desirable fish on the surface.

This is where I turned to the world’s ugliest streamer.  Up until recently I fished this lake regularly.  It is a productive place, but has a bottom full of grass and other vegetation.  I wanted to prospect subsurface, but knew that I would most likely lose my streamer or nymph somewhere in the process.  Not wanting to risk too much, I tied on a green woolly bugger, or at least my version of it.

A few months ago I went to a local fishing association meeting and took advantage of free fly tying lessons.  I ended up tying two green woolly buggers, neither with any weight or bead head.  Later I wrapped some solder around the head of each and colored the solder with a red Sharpie.  I threw them in my bass fly box figuring that one day they might come in handy.  Today was the day.

This is where the carp comes in.  After about a dozen casts with a slow retrieve I hooked up.  The fish fought me from the start and peeled off line like a trout. I could easily see that it wasn’t a bass or bream, but what was it?  I had heard that there were some pickerel in the lake, but didn’t think that I was going nearly deep enough to hook one of them.  Then I saw the sides.   Shiny with golden tint and well defined scales, I started to think that I had hooked a carp.  when I finally saw the mouth I knew that I was right.

I reeled it in and took a couple of pictures for this post.  Then I removed the streamer and  gently placed the fish back in the water.  Instantly it took off like a rocket.

Although I probably won’t target carp on future trips, I can see why there are those that do.  Enjoy!