A buddy and I flyfished a couple ponds yesterday afternoon. We caught bluegills and crappies at both, and I also caught 2 or 3 bass at the first one.
Biggest crappie I measured was 11.5".
After the 2nd pond, my buddy went home, I tried another pond…got SKUNKED.
Went by 2 other ponds that already had anglers fishing, so I kept driving. Tried one more pond (did I mention there are over 20 public ponds in my town?). Fished for crappies/bluegills, but was blocked by this:
33"… I just achieved one of my goals for the year of catching a 10th Iowa Master Angler species on the fly rod. Gold Award! The current DNR Master Angler program was started in 2011. You achieve the Silver Award once you catch Master Angler-sized fish of 5 different species, and the Gold Award once you catch a Master Angler-sized fish of 10 different species. So far there are only 20 people in Iowa that have achieved the Gold Award distinction…I’ll be #21. I suspect I may be the first one who has done it entirely with a fly rod! :headbang: How cool is that?
Based on length and approximate girth measurements and plugging those into a formula…I calculated the weight of this carp to be @ 18.5 lbs. For the first several minutes it was sluggish like it didn’t know it was hooked. Then it took off! Long battle, probably around 20 minutes or so. Was so happy (and worn out) to finally land it! Beautiful fish!
Dave, you are my hero and I am crazy jealous! She is spectacular. Tell us a little about conditions: air temp, cloudy - sunny, time of day, not specific location but a little bit about the water. I know it was a pond, but was she shallow or deep, on the rocks or sand or mud. Just curious and hope to live vicariously through your success.
Thanks for the great pictures, really like the way that you teased before giving up the shot of the whole fish.
Congrats again Dave. And yeah those other trash fish species that keep getting in the way of the grand carp are OK to include.
Water conditions…clarity about 8"-10"…might’ve been better if the sun had been out. Calm. It had been highs in the low-to mid- 40’s for weeks…this day was supposed to hit a high of mid-50’s…was sunny earlier in the afternoon, but then clouded over and the wind died. I’m guessing water temp might’ve been around 40 degrees F. The water along the shoreline is very shallow (8"-12") for about 15’, then it starts to drop off.I was fishing along a drop-off…I may have been over 2’ of water with a clay/silt bottom, fishing 18" deep…a 1/80th chartreuse microjig suspended under a Fish Pimp strike indicator. Definitely did not see this fish before the indicator signalled the strike.
While chasing carp with a fly rod for over 10 years, we still tend to get into a rut or rather a specific technique for success. Bluntly I tend to just sight fish the carp in a similar manner as chasing bonefish. If I leave my Polarized lens at home, I don’t fish. They are as important as my rod for my success. I think that I am leaving a big carp population untouched since I only cast to fish that I see. I’ve been out a couple of times this spring. The rod stayed in the vehicle until I see fish and the line hasn’t touched the water this year since I haven’t seen fish in my usual spots so far this year.
Thanks for sharing, it motivates me to get out behind the keyboard and on the water.
I agree, polarized glasses are extremely useful. I’m wondering if the ones with lenses designed for fishing, like the Smith Optics Chromapop lenses, or the Costa de Mar 580 lenses, would work better for me. Right now I wear prescription lenses, and then Coccoons “fit-over” polarized sunglasses. I don’t think I can see fish as well as I WANT to…or maybe many of the waters I fish most are just too turbid?
I’ve actually flyfished specifically for carp twice so far since the ice melted off the local waters. I saw mud clouds both times, and bubbles coming up as well today during lunch. They are definitely active and eating. It was windy enough that I wasn’t sure if I had strikes or not. I think I did, and missed them.
There was skim ice on several ponds I drove by this morning. I don’t recall ever seeing ice on the ponds here in April. Crazy how cool/cold its been. But at least later today is supposed to hit 50 degrees F, and upper 60’s the next couple days.
And a 25.5-incher yesterday evening that had a 18.5" girth…which works out to 10.9 lbs (using the formula length x girth x girth / 800).
…not very long, but really chunky!
Thanks Dale! Yes! They seem to be liking chartreuse this early in the year…and they also seem to be pretty shallow, although the water was stirred up enough that I didn’t see any of these before they hit. The indicator just went down…I thought I had a crappie or bluegill until the hookset. And that’s where the fun started! :lol:
