Saturday, June 26, 2010

Breaking Down The Wall.




In the past few months I have received multiple emails regarding fly fishing for carp. As with any species, it can take some time to learn the nuances of the fish. Whether it be the aforementioned golden bones, bonefish on the flats, tailwater trout, or backwater tarpon. New water and new fish present a challenge for anyone. Initially it can be somewhat intimidating until you crack the code and land that first fish. Even then, it can still be difficult until multiple fish are landed. With multiple fish, comes confidence, with confidence comes swagger, and with swagger comes even more fish until the proverbial wall comes crashing down.


A New Term I Like: 
Coffee Mug Mouths Via Third Coast Fly.


Hoss, Tank, Bazooka, Manatee, Megatron, Optimus, Whale, Shark.
Gotta Love Nicknames of Big Fish.


First of the Morning. 
Dubbed: Megatron.


The Bazooka Shot.

My particular wall has been canal carp and if you follow the blog at all, you know of our experiences carping on that particular piece of water. It took us awhile before we became comfortable with the water and the beasts that reside there. With each passing trip and each shutout answers to many of our questions became answered. What time is best to fish the water? What clothing is best as to not spook the fish? How long should our leaders be? What fly works the best? What tippet can withstand their force without breaking off? What type of rod can tame their power in such tight quarters and the last one, how the hell do we get pictures of these guys when we are all by ourselves? 

The answers to these questions all led to the breaking down of the wall. We now know what needs to be done and how it is to be done. We have had back to back successful trips and some large fish landed. Our confidence is sky high and each time we now tread down that canal path we expect to at least hook into a fish. My last outing produced the 2nd and 3rd largest carp on my all time list. Two tanks that were caught back to back no more than twenty yards from each other on successive casts. Both fish required the stealthiest of approaches as they actively fed mere feet offshore and each put up quite the duel. I left with a wide grin spread across my face and made it home just in time to watch the USA defeat Algeria. My emotions went from an absolute high to absolute ruin back to an absolute high all in a matter of hours.


Battling Big Fish Draws Attention.
Can You Take A Few Pictures For Me?


No Arm Extension Required.


The Grin Makes An Appearance. 

Anyway, the best way I can answer all those emails is to tell all of you to stick with it. You have to be willing to put in the time, the effort, and be willing to handle the many defeats and heartaches that you our bound to experience. One of the most fulfilling aspects of fly fishing is finding out the answers to all those questions that are out there and what better reward is there than the tug of a fish on the end of the line? So the next time you go fishing in search of something new, go with an open mind and be prepared to look for all those answers. In finding them, you will become a better fisherman, and in all likelihood, you will leave the water with one big shitty ass grin on your face. 


I Dub Thee Optimus Prime.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

you forgot "Sea Donkey" icehole

Bigerrfish said...

Cow's

dude, I just stood up, walked in a three foot circle and sat back down. That my friend, I know is not an easy one to get to take,,, let alone the battle around all that lumber!! krazy!!

Mark said...

Sea Donkey's & Cows

I like it.

Matthew D Dunn said...

Awesome. And the captcha was "hoggy". I swear that's a message.