Chunky Carp

[FishnDave]

I caught this carp last week during my lunch hour....heavy with eggs (I presume), it wasn't able to fight as hard as they typically do....but certainly still fun!
This one hit a Black Ops carp fly...designed by Chris Vargo of Missouriflies.com. I did a drag-and-drop to put the fly near the head of the fish as it was feeding along the bottom. It then struck within seconds.

[rwar1423]

Nice one Dave!

[Prairieschooner]

Lunch time well spent!

[smij]

Did it swallow a football? Nice fish!

[Bill-B'klyn]

nice fish you have there!

[FishnDave]

A coworker chose to go flyfishing with me during lunch today. I had some bass and panfish flies I tied last night that I wanted to try out to check on their "action".
For at least the 3rd time in a row, others were fishing my usual lunchtime pond, and so we went to the carp pond instead.


I'm glad we did! Spotted some carp in the shallows right away. Some were following each other and splashing in the shallows....typical spawning behavior. Others were near shore and willing to eat a fly dropped near them.


A very good lunchtime would be catching a carp on a fly. Catching 2 or more is phenomenal! I did catch 2 (must be because of my LUCKY SHIRT?), and both carp fought really well. The first measured 25", the second measured 25.5". The second one I hooked just to my left....and then it took off and ran straight down the opposite shoreline to my right for@ 130' before I could finally get it slowed and turned! VERY fun!



Check out the sail fin on this one:



Both hit a pattern called a John Montana's Hybrid Carp Fly:



After the 2nd carp, the shallow area sorta cleared of fish, except for a few spawners. I moved down the shoreline a bit, and saw a shadow in the water near shore. I dropped the fly near it...twitched it, and thought I got a strike. SNAPPING TURTLE! I did manage to land the turtle AND get my fly back, so all is good.

[NJTroutbum]

That is one healthy carp! Nice job Dave. I hate hooking turtles. They take forever to land, and it always seems to attract a crowd, half of which seem angry with you for "hurting the turtle".

[FishnDave]

I agree with you, Ralph. Over the years I've caught my share of snapping turtles...always on accident. Some were GIANTS, most were maybe 10" diameter shells, like this one. Who would want to catch one on purpose?? Same with softshell turtles....they can have quite the aggressive "attitudes" as well. I thought this shadow was a fish....if I'd known it was a turtle, I'd have left it alone.

I don't mind turtles being in the waters I fish...I've heard there will never be more turtles than the water can support....if the turtles can't find enough food, they just leave.