First Carpin of the Year

I took a few hours today and went to Utah Lake to scout out some of the spots I like to hit. People are still ice fishing the harbors, but the lake is really starting to open up. It won't be long until we will be able to launch the toon and get after it.

 

I checked several spots, seeing if I could see anything to cast to. Most spots had nothing to speak of, but one spot was chuck full of carp. It was game on, as I tied on an orange and black beaded woolly bugger and made my first cast. It took me some time to figure out what presentation they wanted, but once I did, carp were more than willing to dance. The bite was crazy light, and I missed several fish.  I finally had a good hook set, and I started to strip him in. I don't think the carp knew he was hooked for the first few seconds, but my drag let me know as it started singing as he tore off . There is seriously not a better sound in the world than the sweet song of burning drag!

 

I played the fish for several minutes before I got him to shore. I had a little tripod for my phone that I used to get a few pictures (I need to work on that). I ended up landing a few more before I packed it in. I'll take four carp in two hours anytime. admittedly, this made that itch to get out on soft water that much worse. spring can't come fast enough.

First Carp of 2014.

 

Even ugly fish need some love...

A shot of the second victim.

Utah Lake Carpin'

The Carp are here! I launched from American Fork Harbor to gusting winds. There were white caps in the open lake so I hugged the shoreline which helped. I found schools of Carp all over once I left the marina. I started out with my fly rod casting a few different dry patterns, but the wind was really affecting my accuracy. It would take several casts before I got the fly where I wanted it. Once I did, more often than not today, It was fish on!

As I cruised along the reeds looking for rising schools of Carp, I also got to enjoy seeing all the waterfowl swimming around me. There were a variety of different ducks and several pelicans. Once I spotted a dark patch of water in front of me though, It was time to focus on fishing again. I was typically able to get some action on most of the bigger schools, and the drag on my reel was put to the test repeatedly. These Carp don't like to give up. After a few hours, I called it quits for the day. The Carp should be pretty thick for the next month, so now is the time to get out if you've ever wanted catch one on a fly.

The hunting ground.

Three different schools. Take the closest to you and work your way in.

It was tough casting dries in the wind, but it paid off.

Some spinning rod action when the wind was to bad to cast.

Another Carp on!

Several this size were landed today.

Recon Trip To Utah Lake

It's almost time to start "Carpin" again! It's still a touch early, But I decided to do some recon and see what I could find. I launched at American Fork boat harbor at around 10 in the morning. and fished until Noon. I mostly cruised around to some of go-to spots for Carp to see if any were rising yet. Upon arriving, most areas were empty of any signs of fish. I made some blind casts in each spot but came us with nothing.

The last spot I went to had three carp that I could see right ion the serface. I made several casts at them without so much as a look. I switched from a purple wolly bugger to a brown one and my second cast had action. I set the hook, and the fight was on! I kicked away from the shore line to get away from anything breaking me off. Seriously, the fight that a Carp will give you is hard to match in freshwater. I landed him after several times of getting him close, only to have him make another run. I think it's going to be couple more weeks before you start seeing big numbers of Carp on the surface. All-in-all, it was a great two hour trip.

 

First Carp of 2013.

The Lake Giveth, And The Lake Taketh Away

I took a lunch break and hit Utah Lake. I took my 4 weight rod to target white bass. I got my tube set up and headed to the spot where I've been smashing the white bass. I made my my first cast, Then another. Could it be? The white bass didn't want to play today? I made several more casts and tried several different flies without so much as a single hit. How can it go from catching a fish on every cast to not a peep in just a few days? I found this rather odd, so I moved to another spot.

On the way I saw some carp, and I couldn't help but make some casts even though I only have my 4 weight. I soon had something on and the line started ripping off my reel. I kicked out from the reeds and tried controlling the fish, but he wouldn't have it. This carp could do whatever it wanted. It made a run for open water which helped me out big time. I continued to fight this fish for what seemed like an eternity before I finally landed him. This carp was all my rod could handle! I left him in the net and head to a white bass spot. I cast and let it sink some before stripping the line. All at once I had another fish on, and it felt to big to be a white bass. I kicked out to deeper water and the fish kept trying to bulldog his way to the bottom. When I finally got my first glimpse of what it was, I couldn't believe what I had on. It was a channel catfish! I had no idea they would hit a fly. I soon landed him and the excitement I felt was amazing! I left him in the net as well, And made more attempts at white bass with no luck.

I decided to call it a day and started heading back to the marina. I stopped and made some casts at several carp with no takes. Then it happened again! Same story as earlier. The carp did what it wanted and it took forever to tire him out. While trying to land him, my catfish made it out of the net which was a bummer, but I finally landed my second carp of the day. I kept him and made one last cast, and it's a cast I wish  I could take back. I snagged up on something and in trying to get the snag loose, I snapped my rod in two! Could I really be this dumb? I can land carp on a 4 weight, But I break my rod on a stupid snag? I felt sick to my stomach! To make it worse, it was a new custom built rod I've only had since March and this was the second time I used it. The rod came with a lifetime guarantee, so I hope I'll be able to get it fixed. It was a horrible way to end what was a great day of fishing.

My First Channel Catfish on a fly!

The Purple woolly bugger was loved by all... except the white bass.

24" and 26" Carp landed on a 4 weight rod.

Not the way I wanted to end the day! I could punch myself right now!

100 Fish Day

That's right, Utah Lake produced a 100 fish day for me today! Actually it was 161 total in four hours of fishing. The weather was perfect today and no wind to speak of. Except for a couple of ski boats that thought they had to fly by me within casting distance, It was a perfect day! All the white bass were caught on clouser minnows and wolly buggers, and it was insane! Many times I didn't even have to cast. I would simply drop my fly from the end of my rod and they would smack it. I even had a fish take off with my wolly bugger while it was dangling in the water while I took a picture. I've never seen anything like this.
On the way back to the marina, I noticed a school of carp, so I pulled out the 8 weight, and after a few casts had a carp on. It fought for a few minutes before coming to the net. It's interesting netting a fish when your net already has 10 fish in it. I took the last 10 white bass I caught along with the carp for some catfish bait. I'm planning on night fishing a few nights this week. Hopefully the kitties will be as fast fishing as the white bass. We will soon find out...

Clouser minnow pattern

Clouser minnow pattern

There's room for everyone!

Future catfish bait.

My First Carp On A Fly

As I said in my last post, I was waiting for a day on Utah Lake that wasn't windy so I could try my hand at hooking into a carp with my fly rod. Well, I didn't have to wait long. Today was perfect with no wind so I headed back to the marina. I took my eight weight fly rod and spinning rod in case the wind picked up. I headed out from the marina and it didn't take long before I saw a few carp gulping on the top. I figured since they were on the top I would try a dry fly to see if I could get lucky. I tied on a swishers PMX peacock #8 (thank you fly guys at Cabelas), and started casting towards them. My goal was to cast past them and slowly strip into them. It took several casts before I had it down and even then, my accuracy was sketchy at best. I did this approach several times throughout the first hour I was there without a single hit.

 I would cruise from school to school continually messing the cast up or getting to close and spooking them. I soon came upon a decent school and I finally got the cast I wanted. I slowly stripped my fly into them and all at once my line was tight and my reel started singing as the carp made a hard run to the shore. I fought him back and had him on for another few minutes before he swam close to shore and broke me off around a piece of cement. What a rush! I've never had a fresh water fish give me a fight like that.  

An hour or so past from the excitement of hooking into my first carp, when I got my second chance to land one. This time when I set the hook, The fish didn't run at first. I figured I would take this chance to slowly kick my way out into deeper water and away from the shore where all the cement boulders were. I was not going to lose another fish! I kept the line tight as I kicked, and luckily the fish didn't make a run until I put the pressure on. Once he realized he was caught, He tore into my drag as he made one hard run after another. This carp pulled me along in my pontoon for about 10 minutes until I finally wore him out and got him to the net. YES!

Not only did I land my first carp on a fly, I got him on a dry fly! That's a double bonus in my book, and on top of that, the carp was also the biggest one I've ever landed on any rod, measuring out to 34". I kept him in the net and cruised back to the marina where a gentleman was nice enough to take some pictures for me. Of all the fish I have ever caught, This lowly carp ranks near the top of my list of fishing memories. I'm starting to see why my oldest brother only takes his fly rod on our adventures. I'm definitely going to be taking mine a lot more often.

My first ever carp on a fly and a new personal best for this species!

Right in the kisser!

Ya... This will be making more trips!

Carp Fest On Utah Lake

I made a quick trip to Utah Lake today to go after the carp that are schooling up right now. Although they are considered by many as a trash fish, there is not a fish in the lake that can rival the fight that a carp will give you. I used my Renegade to troll around site fishing for the schools hanging on top. I would get to within about ten yards and pitch my bait over them and slowly reel until I was right on them. It didn't take long until my reel was singing and I had a carp tearing away from me. They pull so hard that they actually pull me in my pontoon! It is such a blast to have one on the end of your line. I caught several today before the wind picked up and I headed back to the marina.

If I can get a day with no wind, I'm going to try my hand at getting one on a fly. I can only imagine how fun it would be to catch one on a fly rod. I also had success catching them a few days ago and the last picture is from that trip. I had just netted one when I saw a school pop up real close, so I cast out and soon had another. I landed the second fish with the first carp still in the net. On Utah Lake, you are encouraged to kill all the carp you catch in an attempt to rid the lake of this species. People use them for fertilizer as well as bait, while others claim they are good eating. I haven't tried eating any myself but I give mine to some of the fisherman there that like eating them. For now, I'm just hoping for a day without wind so I can pull out the fly rod!