Hot Day on the Flats

Posted By on July 8, 2011

Matt and a 5 pound Ray Roberts carp that gave us quite a battle

I spent a HOT day on the Ray Roberts flats this past weekend with Matt Miller of Dallas.  Matt set the record for number of carp in a day by a client (14) last year and we were looking to set the bar a little higher for 2011.  Unfortunately, warming water temps shutdown our afternoon fishing and we had to call it after 9 fish brought to hand (still, not a bad day at all!). 

Good news is that the break in high winds allowed the Hexes to hatch again.  This hatch had just started about four weeks ago when that stretch of 30+ mph winds started; they were blown to bits.  In accordance to part observations, with the Hexes came bass and Matt landed a nice one right off the edge of a west-side flat.  This fish was cruising the shallows looking for emerging or adult bugs and took a Bitters as soon as it came close.

Matt's "very casual" bass!

We are definately into our “late summer” pattern (as if you didn’t know) of high pressure, HOT afternoon temps, and warm nights.  I got up at 5:45 for a run yesterday and it was only 81 degrees.  What this means for the flats is water temps that are unfishable by 2-3pm.  Matt and I found some water this weekend that had to be over 90 degrees.  Uncomfortable for us; uncomfortable for the fish (remember your chemistry . . . gas solubility decreases with temperature – there’s little dissolved oxygen in 90+ degree water).

PROGRAMMING NOTE:  I’ll be giving a slideshow presentation to the Dallas Flyfishers at their monthly meeting this Monday @ the Addison Convention Center.  The meeting starts at 7pm and I’ll go on so after.  Hope to see you there!

Categories: Fishing Report
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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!