What these pond carp lack in size they make up for with stupidity. But of course they aren't as stupid as they used to be. At least the slightly bigger carp are slightly less stupider seeing as how the odds are very high I have caught just about every danged one of them at least once. There is no doubt about it, over-educating your favorite pond is a real phenomenon. It is noticeably harder to catch a carp in this pond than it was five years ago when I first stated harassing them.
Nevertheless, I can still go out this time of year and do some pretty respectable damage numbers wise in these local ponds. Just not BIG damage. Nothing big about it since the 7 carp I caught this weekend probably averaged 2 to 3 pounds. Most fell to a very lightly weighted (no bead, small bead-chain) Trouser Worm.
The first carp this weekend was a clooper that was slurping on a scum film. He couldn't see me and I couldn't see anything but his lips protruding through the sum so I could get really really close. Close enough that I just dabbled an olive Primordial Carp-Stew about a quarter inch under the film where the carp could see it like a leach slow-swimming under the scum. That carp just calmly back-fined back and a quarter second later laid down one of the hardest takes I can remember in a while on my suspended fly. It was awesome and earned a itty bitty grip and grin!
The next 5 carp all fell to a lightly weighted Trouser Worm. Trouser Worms can be really really effective for post ice-out carp and are my first choice in March.
Yes, I was wet wading. I am so sick of waders. I can't stand waders now.
The last one fell to a Montana Hybrid which is a peacock bodied soft-hackle with a worm tail. It was the first cast to the first fish that I saw after tying it on, a really really good sign!
It wasn't just my first carp on one of John's Hybrids. It wasn't just a carp caught on a swap fly which is a total bonus. At 1lb 2 ounces was also my official personal best smallest carp and earned another itty bitty grip and grin! It was so small and cute I had to crop myself out of the picture or you would miss the fish.