A Pleasant Surprise.

I vividly remember fishing excursions from my early youth when I was part of the calmity that is opening day. Armed with a spinning rod and a cup full of meally warms I hardly ever caught anything other than the random stick while others routinely pulled out stocker after stocker. On one particular day, I remember standing in the middle of the stream late in the day. The sun was high and the water clear. I was no more than ten years old and a fish emerged out of the gloom that was as big as me. At the time I stood in amazement as this fish meandered on by. It made the tiny trout I was after look like minnows. I didn't know it at the time but that was one of my first encounters with a golden ghost.

That memory freshly recalled from long term storage I decided to check out the water with the hopes that I could sight fish to some carp. I approached the water and found myself on a cliff. Looking down into the deep sediment filled water I used my peripheral vision to look for the tell tale outlines of golden bones. I made my way upstream teetering on the edge before I found a shelf. The same shelf I waded out on as a young boy when I first saw that carp long ago. I parked myself behind some vegetation and began searching. I saw a moving log which meant only one thing. Carp. Rather than rushing into the fray I sat and waited. Soon two other carp came into view and I had a choice between three different bones.

The larger of the three was a good 10-12 pound fish. I decided to wait for him instead of going after the closer 6-8 pounders. Soon I had my chance. The larger carp was coming onto the shallow shelf directly at me. I roll casted my twelve foot leader and a few feet of fly line out and my horrible cast landed directly on top of the carp's head. The carp was slightly frightened and sharply turned away before immediately changing his mind, turning, and sucking in the unweighted, descending damsel. The carp was dazed and confused upon the hookset probably because he had never been hooked before. The battle came to an end on the other side of the stream as I carefully slid the carp in shallow water where it came to a rest next to an old algae covered can of Busch beer, most likely a holdover from the opening days of my youth.

Good Sized Carp.
Second Ever From a Stream.

Good Choice of Carp Water.

Bad Choice of Beer.