Posted By Joel on February 12, 2010
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!
Silly Question – is this a carp or actually a river chub (looks like the Eastern variety)? I can't see the barbs on the side of the mouth (which doesn't indicate whether they are there or not) but the size range would be more in that 12" range that Ospreys tend to enjoy.
yeah – that resolution makes it tough to see. Barbs can be made out in the original. THis is about as large a fish as I've ever seen an osprey carry.