Why I chuck the Meaty Goodness

Rainbow with a vendetta

Imagine walking along a stretch of new water, enjoying the beauty of the area while searching for "fishy" holes, when you come across some faster riffle water cascading down into a bottleneck that then plunges into a deep hole.  If you are like me, you will stand drooling for about 10 min before you snap out of it and begin preparing for a presentation.  But how do you present to the fish holding therein?  Heavily weighted nymphs might do the trick, however, they are difficult to keep in the strike zone for an extended period of time, not to mention the difficulty had ensuring a proper/natural presentation.  Dries are always a possibility, but can easily get lost in the turbid water by fisherman and fish alike.  So what's a guy/gal to do?

There's only one solution...Give 'em the MEAT!

It's no secret...Trout are some of the most voracious, greedy carnivores in a river/stream/lake ecosystem.  They, especially the larger fish, will eat almost anything presenting itself as a potential meal. While trout will typically key in on specific food sources that will require the least amount of energy to obtain, they are always in search for those opportunities to obtain a high calorie morsel.  This is especially true in water systems holding a large number of said morsels.  Last weekend we found ourselves fishing around crayfish, large leopard frogs, and plenty of small baitfish.  It only made sense to show them something that could make their day and fill their stomach.

Not only are trout massive predators, but they are also territorial.  In a river system, the larger fish will hold in various locations, but can often be found in the front of the chow line.  My first presentation to the fish above was altered when my fly line found a rock in the riffle.  While quickly bringing in my articulated streamer to make another cast, this bad boy chased it all the way out of the hole before darting back in.  I quickly made another cast and found him hammering the streamer with anger and force.  He may have been that hungry, or he may have just been saying, "get out of my spot bro".  Either way, it worked like a charm.

The next time you find yourself drooling over a fishing hole, give em the meat first.  You'll be glad you did.  

Hit It at the end of your drift

How many times have you drifted your flies through a nice hole or seam only to begin lifting your rod at the end to make another presentation with a fish at the end of your line.  It has happened to me a number of times.  I'll become complacent, especially after a few casts without fish and begin looking back for a clear spot to back cast, or start looking ahead to the target casting area and a fish will take the fly at the last moment.

When drifting nymphs under an indicator it's important to always finish your drift with a quick hook set, regardless of what you did, or did not see.  This has paid dividends on more than a few occasions when I would have likely missed the strike by lifting the rod to cast, or may have lost the fish due to a poor hook set.  Don't get caught off guard by a quick trout at the end of your drift.  Give a quick hook set prior to your next presentation, and bring more fish to hand on your next outing.

Before it was Cool to Like Carp

Top Lip...Just how I like it.

I like to think that my brother, our friends and I started the carp fishing trend before it became mainstream and "cool".  We grew up in Rapid City.  There was a pond by the Rapid City speedway that we so lovingly referred to as "the pond down by the racetrack".  Some of my fondest fishing memories come from a time where we were armed with nothing but spinning tackle, a can of freshly dug worms from the garden or canned corn, an egg sinker, a gold aberdeen hook, and youthful anticipation.  Back then, it wasn't about catch rates, size or bragging rights, it was just a grudge match between us and the most powerful fish to swim in fresh water.

While we were only in pursuit of the common carp, to us it felt like a hunt for a mythical creature with extraordinary powers.  They broke lines, eluded the net, dragged rods and reels to a watery grave, and filled our dreams with excitement and wonder.  We had names for many of those fish that got away, hoping that someday we'd feel their fight at the end of our line again.  Fishing was more simple back then, and seemed a lot easier.

Fishing for carp never got boring or went out of style.  Today it's similar only on a national scale.  Magazines, tournaments, television shows, websites and blogs all devoted to the "slimy" and "ugly" nuisance species.  I'm quite confident that I won't be fighting off fishing traffic for this terrific fish in my neck of the woods anytime soon.  Until that day comes, I'll enjoy roaming my home waters with pup in toe, reminiscing on a time before fishing for carp was cool.