Sunday, November 18, 2012

Throw off Your Bonds

Fly Fishing For Carp - Long Live the Revolution.  As a motto it is ridiculous.  Perhaps even mildly tasteless given world events of the last several years. 

Nevertheless fly fishing is in the middle of a cultural revolution.  Over the course of the twentieth century our sport entered bondage at the mercy of none other than our fore-fathers stomachs.  Fish species earned the label sport or trash at the dinner table.  When I speak, or joke to a certain degree, of revolution I mainly speak of resisting these old and obsolete cultural biases.

There is another aspect to the revolution however.  Even as we begin to value fish species on their sport merits versus their caloric quality there is are still decades old misconceptions to overcome.  One of them for me was the idea that carp are strictly a warm-water species. 

It was February 2009 when carpin changed forever for me.  March perhaps.  My memory of the timing is a little vague.  A rumor?  A faint whisper on the wind?  Some clue on the Internet?  I had of course discarded notions of trash versus sport years ago but it was not until then that something inspired me to throw off the oppression of winter and start my carp season early.

I caught several small carp in small ponds that late winter and for me it was a seminal moment.  Suddenly I feared winter not and have now targeted carp on flies the last 30 months without a break.  Furthermore I have been successful 27 of those 30 months.

Look back in the archives of my blog and you will find that it was the next January that I started this blog.  I wanted to participate in the fly fishing for carp revolution on the front lines but I also wanted to share in the idea that revolution knows no winter. 

Ty at finewater has thrown off his bonds.  If memory serves correctly when I started this blog he would shelve his carpin gear in September.  His season now officially extends to mid November and counting.

Tim Creasy has likewise resisted the urge to throw in the winter towel.  By all appearances, his carpin has not only extended through November, it has actually gotten better!

Most surprising of all my friend Miles from the frigid north (SE Michigan) has also refused to give in this year and recently caught this football.  Not only was this latest carp by almost three months, it certainly does not appear to be starving.

Miles Latest Carp by Three Months!

As for me.  The revolution continues, and with 60 degree temperatures it was a good day for the resistance today.


So go on ahead.  Give it a shot.  Discard your misconceptions and take a serious look around because there just might be some winter carp to be had in your area.  Current?  Warm-spell?  A warm-water discharge?  Spring fed pond?  Even something as minor as a sewer drain can raise water temperatures to the point where carp will feed.


 

11 comments:

  1. I'm with you, McTage. I was personally shocked to have located a spot with actively feeding carp in mid-November here in Idaho. This is the first time I've landed one this late in the fall and I am hopeful to do the same every month moving forward.

    Keep up the good work!

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  2. Yes! Nice! Unless it's frozen over, there's always a chance. And that's a great release shot, btw!

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    1. Yup, always a chance and as sad as it is that is all I need. Thanks, it turned out pretty nice.

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  3. I had that misconception for a long time. Then I saw that you guys out west were catching winter carp. I distinctly remember some of your posts here with carp and snow on the ground. Definitely a revelation.

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  4. Won't catch me not trying all winter. Still have December to complete a catch but the lack of a fish is my fault not theirs. A winter carp is very satisfying, all the more reason.

    Gregg

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    1. I agree, there is definately something a little more satisfying about a winter carp. Hard to explain. Like you have just accomplished something so improbable.

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  5. Thanks for the nudge. Sure enough, they were there.

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    1. Good to hear John. Will keep an eye out for a report.

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  6. monday I'll be hitting a lake to to see how carp are doing...temps been in the 30s at night, but the next few days they will be in the 50s...well we'll see how it goes.

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