Killer Take

Sometimes a carp just decides it HAS to have your fly.  I live for those moments.

CLOPS Sports Cam and the death of Fly-Carpin

You may have noticed that Fly-Carpin essentially died a couple of years ago - or maybe not.  It is easier to notice the existence of a thing on the internet than it's absence.  Either way I would like to tell you the story.

When, in 2014, I tried to make the Carp On The Fly On The SUP videos I found the process extremely frustrating.  No matter how hard I tried I couldn't generate Go-Pro first person view (FPV) video that wasn't shaky to the point of vomitville and I felt like it interfered with my creativity. 

While researching solutions I ran into something called a brushless gimbal.  A brushless gimbal is a mechanism that uses three brushless motors to stabilize a camera.  At the time they were mainly used for drones, professional videography and for hand-held Go-Pro stabilizers.  I immediately decided that I would try and build one small enough and light enough that I could mount it on my head like a GoPro FPV camera.

Four months later I had a solid proof of concept micro gimbal which I code-named Cyclops 1.0.  It had issues.  Lots of issues.  It had wires hanging everywhere.  It had to be re-started ~ every 20 minutes for a dozen different reasons and would break completely every couple of days and had a dozen other issues that just added up to a total pain in the butt.  When it did work, however, it worked GREAT and it could do stuff like this with almost perfect stabilization:

At the time I had dreams of taking this idea and doing something big with it, but first I wanted to make sure it was really viable.  You know, make sure that I could get it working "good enough".  

Well, something funny happened.  Version 1.1 was worse in almost every way and Version 1.2 was a massive failure and I was still a family man with a day job, a fishing addiction and a blog and a major case of burnout.  The family, the job and the fishing aren't optional, so I ended up having to take a break from project Cyclops AND Fly-Carpin.    

Fly-Carpin will probably never recover, but I did eventually get back to work on project CLOPS (The name Cyclops gimbal is now taken for a Drone gimbal).  Version 1.3 still had major issues, but was a modest step forward in terms of reliability and form factor.

In November 2016 (after another burn-out break) I started CLOPS 2.0 and it has been a massive success.  

SPECS:

• Camera:  Mobius Action Cam integrated into the Gimbal
• 1080P 30 frames/s
• 760P 60 frames/s
• Gimbal:
• 3d printed from Polycarbonate  
• 102 Grams for the part mounted on your head/chest/wherever.  
• Variable mass depending on battery size for remote battery/power supply
• Two modes (Sport and Cinematic)
• Mounting flanges compatible with Go-Pro accesories
• 2S lipo batteries from the drone/rc plane industry.  Battery life can range between 2 and 6 hours depending on battery size.  

So, while Fly-Carpin the blog may not live on, Fly-Carpin the Youtube channel will and I guarantee you the footage will never be shaky again.  Some examples of what V2.0 can do:

Wallflowers

It has been a really really really good pre-spawn for me this year.  My best ever actually, but I am getting word of early spawning all over the Denver Metro area.  As your waters phase in and out of spawning season across the country remember - if you can ignore the spawners and find the wallflowers this can be one of the most productive times of the year.

Wallflowers are carp that are either resting or actively feeding during the spawn and they can often be found just on the edge of, or outside of, the main spawn.  These are positive fish and can be extremely good targets!  Just don't get sucked in by the fast cruisers and active spawners - its a rookie mistake.

Carp On The Fly On THe SUP: Event Horizon

The finale to Carp On The Fly On The SUP is finally up on Youtube. It took so long because I wanted to get this one just right - and I am extremely happy with it. I really wanted to try and get across how it FEELS to catch carp on the fly.  How did I do?

Carp On The Fly On The SUP: Episode 5

Not only was this my biggest carp of 2014 (so far), it was one of the best takes I have ever gotten, and it all went down on my Standamaran SUP.

For some details - You may notice that the carp initially starts to swim towards something that is NOT my fly (a Sculpin Helmet McLuvin).  I actually believe that the fish had detected the disturbance my fly was making during the drag part of the drag and drop and was moving towards that disturbance to investigate.  That is an aggressive carp!!!!  Way more aggro than I am used to around here.

At the time of course, all I knew is that it was not moving towards my fly, so I popped my fly a little off the bottom and then let it drop still.  The carp noticed my fly at that point and turned slightly to the left and accelerated to attack.  Sight fishing?  In clear water?  From a SUP?  To an 18lb carp? That attacks your fly like a bass?  And then smokes your drag?  Life doesn't get much cooler than that.

Carp On The Fly On The SUP: Episode 4

In this latest video I landed one of my biggest mirror carp ever and at that time it was the biggest carp of the year.  That is awesome in an of itself - but what is even cooler is that this carp was a topwater sunner in chest deep water.  This was essentially an open water sunner - which are often virtually impossible on foot.  I made the Standamaran SUP with the intention of being able to target carp in different scenarios - and here is one example of how it worked out.  

Carp On The Fly On The SUP: Episode 3

Somebody recently asked me if Standup Paddleboards are the future of carpin.  I think that may be pushing it, but they certainly open up new waters, opportunities and scenarios for catching carp on flies, and that is why I made my Standamaran SUP last winter.

In Episode 3 of "Carp On The Fly On The SUP" I hook a decent ~12 to 13lb carp tailing on a small sand flat surrounded by waste deep water that is extremely difficult to access on foot.  I would have never had a shot at this fish without a SUP - and it was a really fun fish to catch.  

Note:  If you look carefully you can see a much much bigger fish tailing in the background that I never noticed in person because I saw this fish first and got focused.  A MUCH bigger fish.  I just noticed it.  And yes, I cried.

Carp On The Fly On The SUP: Episode 2

In this episode of Carp On The Fly On The SUP, Chris Galvin got in on the action with a rented SUP.  It was his first time ever on a SUP - let alone fly fishing from one, and he landed a total beast of an 18b carp.  He also fell in in the process.  For the record I was laughing with him not at him.

Carp On The Fly On The SUP: Episode 1

This September I had a brief two week window where I was catching some very good sized carp in an area of waste deep flooded brush from my Standamaran.  It took me a while to get around to blogging about it because I was lucky enough to get some of my best go-pro footage yet chasing these carp and it took some time to edit the video.

This is the first episode in a series of videos about the experience:

As you can probably tell, it was really challenging to land these carp.  I ended up using mainy 1x  and cranking my drag down and sticking it to these fish from the second I hooked them.  If you showed mercy - any mercy at all - they would destroy you.  

For the most part I was using black leech patterns like Chubby Charsers and Martin's Carp Bitters.

Carp Fly Colors: Black is the New Black

I have been using black flies here and there for many years, but over the past 6 months it has become a more and more important tool in my arsenal.  I recently realized that a really surprising percentage of the carp I have caught in 2014 have been on predominately black flies.  Like over half - and that got me thinking.  Has black been one of my most effective fly colors all along and I just never realized it?  In order to answer that question I went back through my records and estimated the percentage of total carp caught with a couple of basic color schemes.

The hybrid category is a combination of a red tail with an olive or black body.  The first thing that may surprise you - and certainly surprised me - is how few basic fly color schemes I really fish.  The second thing that may surprise you  - and definitely surprised me - is how may carp I have caught on black in my lifetime. I would have certainly guessed much less than 15 percent,  and when I look at this year the percentage seems to be increasing rapidly, mostly at the cost of rust.  

Almost the moment I finished putting that data together I got an email that was almost creepy in the level of coincidence.  Tim Cammisa wanted to let me know about a new fly tying video he had put up on YouTube - about a black variant of the Trouser Worm!  And THEN within 10 minutes of first publishing this post I ran into this fascinating article about a new material blacker than black.  The carp spirits have spoken and I would be foolish to ignore the message.  Black is the new black.    

Video: Standamaran On-The-Water - Day 3

Here is a new video of me fly fishing for carp from my DIY stand up paddleboard.  As a bonus you get to see a carp hand it to me at the end of the video.  They carp are way back up in the trees in this lake due to high water and this one made it into the trees before I could stop it.  That makes for tough landing percentages!

Video Editorial on Bow Fishing for Carp and Leaving them to Rot

Stupid Fly Tricks #4: Fixing Fly Line Wrapped Around Rod

How to quickly and easily fix it when you fly line is wrapped around your fly rod between guides.  Without cutting off your fly or bringing it back though the guides.  

New Video: A Better Way to Tighten Down the Improved Clinch Knot

Long-time readers of the blog probably know that I have been on a several year crusade against the improved clinch knot for connecting carp flies to tippet.  After significant effort and time I finally decided that the no-slip mono loop knot is the best alternate.

That being said, even I still use the improved clinch in a couple of scenarios.  Occasionally I am in such a hurry to get a different fly to a tailer that it is worth the risk of losing a pound or two of breaking strength to gain a second or two.  I am also using it on the top-side of a new super strong leader system I have been working on with a tippet ring, a bimini twist and a hand-shake knot.

Since knot even I  (pun intended) can completely abandon the improved clinch, I decided to put together a video showing improved clinch stalwarts how they might be able to squeeze a smidge more strength by tightening this knot differently.

Especially if you use flourocarbon, adjusting how you tighten down the knot can increase the strength of this knot dramatically.  Give it a shot.

Whip Finish Fly Line Loop Video

If you want or need to add a new loop to the end of your fly line to attach your leader to this is the best way. The resulting loop doesn't really float so this is not your best choice if you are drifting indicators to trout - but for most fly fishing for carp situations it is ideal.  The resulting loop has a low profile, gets through your guides easily and smoothly and is virtually indestructible. 

2014 Fly Swap: Frasier's Package of Crap Flies. I mean Carp Flies.

For this year's swap we decided to do something a little different.  In order to thank Dan Frasier for saving the swap, getting us all SA GPX lines and for everything else he does for fly fishing for carp we made him a special package.  A very very very special package.  And then we talked him into video-taping the experience!  Check it out.

McTage's Chubby Chaser Leech Tying Video

Chubby Chaser Leech, because I like my carp round and juicy.

Winter Carp On The Fly Fix Video 2

Whether or not it is still Winter in Denver when all of our stillwaters are iced-out is negotiable - BUT there was snow on the ground this morning so I think it still qualifies.  Snow in the morning, carp on the fly in the afternoon!!!!!

2014 Fly Swap: Rinehart's Frankenbeetle

Click HERE to visit the swap summary page.

Tier: Josh Rinehart

State: Fort Davis, Texas

About : "I believe the design for this fly is original. To my knowledge, there isn't  anything else like it which may not be a good thing. This fly was developed to fish over freshly flooded grass without getting snagged (as much). The first time I fished it I noticed it floated. With a small twitch it descend extremely slowly to the bottom. Since then I have fished it by false casting to dry it out, leading the target and making the cast. When the target is approaching the fly, I twitch it and it slowly falls into the "zone." Another way it can be fished is by leading the target, allowing the fly to sink and then twitching it across the feeding path; similar to other weighted carp flies. On a side note I can't wait to land one in the greenlights on the coast."

Notes:  Josh has developed one of the most creative flies I've ever seen. This design may very well eliminate many presentation problems that anglers have by effectively turning every presentation into a suspended dap. Really amazing idea here.

Recipe:

• Hook:  Mustad C49s size 6
• Body: STP frog small: tan foam from craft store
• Tail: Ultra chenille: tan; 1/8" tungsten bead
• Hackle: Sub rooster cape: tan
• Eyes: Large mono: black

Video: Suspended Dap

Hard rabid tailing carp can be infuriating. Often they can be surprisingly hard to catch since the carp can't find your fly in their own dustcloud and you can't figure out when they take the fly amid all the choas. If you can get close enough to dap the fly one presentation to try is suspending the fly just a couple of inches off the bottom at the edge of the dust cloud.