Joel | April 23, 2010
Great action on a local pond this week. Everything is moving shallow in anticipation of the spawn. Dragonflies and damsels are beginning to hatch and male bass are clearing out beds for the females. G caught this bass on a #8 black wooly bugger (and, really folks, could there be a better “all-round” fly?!?!?). He [...]
Joel | April 16, 2010
Here are some photos from various locales all taken on Carp Day (April 10th). Let me know your thoughts as to which fish is the largest. An interesting side note – the top fish had a run-in with either an osprey or a bowangler earlier in life.
Joel | April 11, 2010
Carp Day (4/10) found the flats of Ray Roberts in good shape with Spring in full swing. Males have already invaded the shallows to begin the spawning ritual and I saw a young female or two up with them. Another few days of warm afternoons and the back corners of the flats will be a [...]
Joel | April 9, 2010
It’s time for our official kick-off of the season – Carp Day! Tomorrow, April 10th is Carp Day as originally noted by none other than Issak Walton in The Compleat Angler. With this stretch of mild weather, the carp are coming up shallow for some easy protein before turning their attention to the REAL goal [...]
Joel | April 4, 2010
Hybrid action is still THICK below local dams but it won’t last long. This 6.5 pounder took a chart./white Clouser and put up quite a battle. Speaking of “Clousers”, I caught this fish on a new 7wt. TFO Clouser rod . . . AMAZING! Look for a review of this rod line shortly. The carp [...]
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!