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| Jay Zimmerman |
I mean no offense to anyone who loves the common carp. In fact I've fished a few places where if the gods had been home when I came calling, I may have caught one. But I didn't.
I've probably got the wrong attitude about carp fishing and as my buddy Mel says, you gotta have a positive attitude. But try as I might I just can't get excited about a fish that smells like spoiled...are you ready? Fish! Am I missing something? Fill me in.
Ode to the carp
Oh you wayward fat-lipped freak
why are you swimming in my creek?
I came today to catch a trout
instead I got your runny snout.
To say that I'm a tad upset
I wouldn't take me on that bet.
You swim in water that's not fit
I wouldn't touch you with my mitt.
And If I had my own way
I'd smash your head with a rock.
My plan is to always start out with a "positive attitude". That is why I don't spend my time Carp fishing. Don't mean to offend those that chase this fish or dream of huge carp on a fly rod, but, I am "positive" I wouldn't catch one. I hear they are pretty elusive and require stealth and a long cast. I am "positive" I left my stealth skills in Viet Nam, and, as for casting I still don't have any idea how to cast further than 15 feet across the Big T.
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of glad that you are on board with me on this Mel. I do have one positive thing to say about carp fishing. The places where they live seem to be devoid of anything that can kill us old geezers...trees, rocks, steep inclines.
DeleteWhat about "Quicksand"?
DeleteFunny you should mention quicksand. I was fishing the Eagle River one time years ago. The Eagle is a nice river to fish but slippery as all get out. I found myself at one point sinking into muck. I thought I was going to die because it was either sink into the river or free myself and get washed away. My older geezer buddy Dave and I quit fishing it after that incident. Neither of us were in any shape to save the other.
DeleteI would comment.... but Im afraid of the carp mafia.. old golden bones has powerful advocates-
ReplyDeleteYou're right FT. I gave that some serious thought before I wrote this. But I've still got my assault fly rods and reels so I can still protect myself.
DeleteMoose proved that presses as there is no power! Good pictures! Greetings from Polish.
ReplyDeleteGreetings to you Tom. Our moose here in the U.S. while majestic animals, are a poor confused bunch.
DeleteCarp are by-catch.
ReplyDeleteSince they are a non-native invasive species, they should never be put back in any water while still alive.
They do make excellent fertilizer. Dig long trenches in your garden, lay in carp nose to tail, cover them. Plant in the soil above them. You'll be shocked at the improvement in your veggie garden.
Truth be told Ken, I have no problem with people who target carp but it makes as much sense to me as targeting suckers. And you are right, carp do make great fertilizer as do suckers.
DeleteCarp rule and trout drool. Seriously though I think what attracts me to carp is the power. When you hook one and it starts to run there's really nothing you can do about it. You are at the mercy of whatever the fish wants until it starts to tire. You don't find many fish where you can't over power it with the rod. I used to wonder why I ever put backing on my reels until I hooked a big carp.
ReplyDeleteI hear what you're saying Kevin. Much of my fishing is within casting distance of roadways. Did I ever tell you the story about hooking the semi that was speeding past me one day? As I remember, I was throwing woolly buggers and caught the bumper of the truck. Talk about powerful! Of course I didn't follow very long and lost my line, the bugger and my rod. What a rush!
DeleteHoward,
ReplyDeleteI bet it was. It's good to know your limits.
Yeah, unfortunately I left my cape and tights home that day.
DeleteDon't give in to the "Dark Side" Howard. Once you venture down that road you'll never feel the same about your pristine , sweet smelling trout. The girls on the other side of the tracks have bodies shaped like a football and big juicy orange lips that taunt your dreams forever after that first encounter!!
ReplyDeleteOh my God! Now you did it. Now I am haunted by foul smelling women shaped like footballs with big juicy lips.
DeleteI've caught carp back in TN (big ones) on dry flies, and yes they are a lot of fun. I'm hoping to give the carp out here a shot as it sounds like a good time. Always will be a trout fisherman first though...
ReplyDeleteHi David. I'm an unrepentant trout fisherman. That being said, I'd be up for giving some carp a shot. Are shotguns allowed?
DeleteMy friends do it. People I know through the internet do it. Why don't I? At first I thought you were talking about the moose.
ReplyDeletePersonally I have a problem catching fish with lips like Mick Jagger.
I'll stock with trout.
Ha! Mark I'm glad I caught someone with the unrelated moose photos! Yeah, I'm not a big Mick Jagger fan either.
DeleteHoward
ReplyDeleteNever caught a carp, but from some of the blogs I have read tell me that this fish is one awesome fighter on the fly rod. Personally I would rather land a smallmouth than the fight happy carp. In fact if there was a beauty contest featuring the carp and the smallmouth ---I think the smallmouth would win hands down----
Hi Bill~
DeleteI've no doubt that the carp is one ferocious fighter and perhaps one day while fishing for something else, I will catch one. But I'd rather catch trout, bass or bluegill on a fly rod. Maybe I'm afraid of breaking a valuable W & M rod.
CARP!!!!! no thanks.I know some people like the fight,and i know guys that have given up cold water and now fish for bass,wipers etc.I have this thing for ice cold, crystal clear streams above 7500 ft.perfectly happy catching 8-12 inch fish all day with knowing that sometimes you can be surprised
ReplyDeleteSagetrout out
Yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about! I concur totally sagetrout. I enjoy a little warm water once in a while but give me a brightly colored trout of any size from crystal clear water.
DeleteI realize the futility of a carp guy replying to an anti carp post, and have no delusions of changing anyone's mind...nor am I trying to do so actually. I just think it has to be pointed out that some of the reasons listed here don't make a ton of sense. First, carp don't stink. They smell like fish. Second, fishing for carp in water that stinks or is polluted is 100% the choice of the guy fishing. Carp prefer clean water, and can be caught in all kinds of beautiful places, like the crystal clear flats of Lake MI, or my home waters of the Columbia River. Carp can tolerate pollution, and thus will often be found in waters that we have effectively destroyed for all other species, but I get little enjoyment fishing in those type of areas...so I don't.
ReplyDeleteThere are many reasons people would choose to fish for species other than carp, I just get tired of reasons like the two listed above, that are more about the perception of carp than the actual fact. Me, I focus on the method of fishing. I live in the PNW, surrounded by salmon and steelhead but swinging a fly bores me. I prefer to hunt, sight, stalk and cast to a single target rather than swing and step my way down a run. Most guys out here LOVE the swing...with different preferred methods we natural gravitate towards different species. Tons of reasons to prefer to fish for trout, steelhead, bass or carp...I just hate to see someone deny themselves a new experience based on things that are simply not true.
I hope you don't mind my reply cofisher...while I prefer to chase carp (method) I sure as heck love them all.
Hi John, thanks for stopping by. As a fisherman that you know once said, "I used to be a respectable angler...now I fly fish for carp." Seriously though, I appreciate your view and I certainly respect you for speaking your piece. Truth be told, I don't have anything against carp or carp fishermen. The opportunity only arises once in awhile for me to take the plunge as it were. I'm sure that once I had a large carp on a fly that I would forget any prejudices and only think "holy shit!" A fish is a fish is a fish. Thanks for commenting and honestly, no offense to anyone who fishes for carp. Now about those bluegills...
DeleteBlog response:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flycarpin.com/2013/02/stinky-trout.html
Hello Trevor...all I can say is Touche'. As I mentioned to John, I appreciate your stopping by and for the link. I enjoyed reading it. In the words of Rodney King, Can't we all just get along? I say yes. And I realize that I am but one of many who bash carp as a worthy sportfish. Obviously I'm outnumbered and wrong. Thanks again for the link. Check it out folks.
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