Another shot from last summer!

Posted By on March 5, 2011

Mark Levock with the "turbocarp!"

Well, winter has made an abrupt (and, hopefully short) return to north Texas.  It was forty degrees with a 20 mph north wind when I left the house this morning for a run. COLD!  Definitely something to take one’s mind out of “fishing” mode.

Report of sand bass are trickling in but nothing confirmed regarding hybrids.  I’m going to head out to some spots in the morning and see what’s up – my guess is that the cool weather has put a damper on things but you never know.

Anyway, here’s a pic from last summer to get the blood moving.  This is a carp that Mark Levock caught on one of the northside flats at the beginning of the Hex hatch in early June.  This was one STRANGE fish! Notice the large tail and head and a very skinny body.  This guy was about 5 pounds and if the body was proportional to the head/tail, it would have been 8-9.  You can’t tell from the photo (it’s body is curved) but he stretched from the rod butt to the first stripping guide!  This was one of the rare carp that had gone to the “bonefish school of fish fighting” . . . no redfish-esque “strength” battle.  He took off  like a rocket when Mark set the hook and moved us all over the flat with 2 runs deep into the backing!  FUN! ! ! !

Categories: Fly Fishing
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About the author

Joel Hays has been a professional guide since 1990, and has guided professionally in Colorado and Texas.

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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!