Who’s That Masked Man?
Joel | September 29, 2009
That’s Youngki Min – recent carp convert and theology student from Dallas; keeping it under cover and well-hydrated while stalking carp in the Ray Roberts backcountry.
Season’s End
Joel | September 22, 2009
Fall seems to be coming early to north Texas this year; we’ve had over six inches of rain in mid-September (and it’s currently raining again as I write this – thunderstorms pushed ahead of another early “cold” front), cedar elms are already changing colors, and there are migratory species of birds showing up that usually [...]
North Texas Fly Fishing Adventures with Joel Hays
Imagine wading through ten inches of clear water,trying to be as quiet as possible. Fifty feet ahead is a pod of large fish "tailing" on the flat. You strip out fly line, make the cast, and pull your fly in front of the lead fish. After agonizing seconds the fish spots the fly, rushes forward for a quick grab, and feels the hook. The silence is broken as the fish accelerates across the flat, quickly exposing backing on your screaming reel. Sounds like a great day on the coast, or even an exotic bonefish flat, right? Actually it's a great description of the usual day my clients have fishing for Carp on the flats of Lake Ray Roberts where many clients are blown away by the water clarity and the actual ability to sight cast along miles of flats. Big spooky fish in shallow water. They fight and tail like Redfish and can sometimes rival Bonefish in nervousness. This is an EXCELLENT WAY to hone your flats fishing skills and test your "eyes" where it's more about stalking the fish than simply stumbling upon them. You will be a better flats angler!