Carp 101

Henry Cowen, carp guide extraordinaire

Unicoi Outfitters is pleased to announce that we will be hosting "Carp 101 - How To Find 'em & How To Feed 'em".  You will be taught by one of the masters:  Henry Cowen.

John Cross is fond of referring to carp as "the fish of the new millenium" due to their unique ability to survive just about any environmental conditions including a nuclear holocaust.  Global warming, politicians gutting the Clean Water Act, increased angling pressure on our trout streams, whatever your viewpoint, there's no denying the growing popularity of chasing carp with a fly.

We do guarantee you'll fall in love with the sport of fly fishing for carp.  Consider the following:

• There isn't a more wary species swimming the face of the earth.  John says they know when you step into the river, regardless of how careful you may be.  
• They're actually very picky eaters, unlike their reputation for being lowly bottom feeders.  Small crustaceans and aquatic nymphs as well as seasonal fresh berries constitute the bulk of their diet.
• Pinpoint casts are required at just the right time else you'll either spook them or they'll never see your fly.
• Most situations require you to watch closely enough to actually see the fish suck in your fly; a true adrenalin moment.
• The hook set must be a strip set akin to redfishing or bonefishing; and most of us trout anglers can't seem to remember this in the moment.  Expect your hookup percentage to look like a batting average most days.
• If you love the sound of a good fly reel singing as line is smoking it across the water, look no further; you've found your fish.
• These are not wimpy fish.  Use a 7 or 8 wt. rod and expect tired muscles once a fish is landed.
• During the Dog Days of summer, you can find them almost anywhere across north Georgia in lakes and rivers near your home.
• On your first trip, you may consider fishing with a bag over your head but after that first fish, landed or not, you'll be bragging as you sip your Dos Equis in the neighborhood bar about the challenges you've faced going up against carp; some you've won, some you've lost.  Friends and strangers alike will gather round you, mouths agape in wonder at the tales you have to tell.  A carp tattoo may even be considered.

So, make plans to join us at our shop in Helen on August 31, 2013 at 10 am (if you're planning on attending, please let the guys at the shop know so they'll know how many chairs to put out, just give them a call at 706-878-3083).  It will probably change your fly-fishing life!

And if that isn't enough, all attendees at Carp 101 will receive a coupon worth 10% off non-sale merchandise at Unicoi Outfitters!

Fish of the New Millenium

Our friend and fellow Foothills TU member Bob Lux hails from up around Buffalo, NY and gets to go back fishing and hunting there fairly regularly.  Today he sent us this report:

So I headed out to the Tulpehocken Creek today outside of Reading, PA while on a visit to the inlaws for Christmas. The air temp was 28 degrees and the water was 34. Perfect for fools and trout. Little did I know that the trout would be taking the day off and the freshwater reds were on the move. I hooked this guy in a deep hole and fought him for close to ten minutes before I could see what I had on the line. It took almost twenty minutes using 5x to get this guy to the net. I guess they like leech patterns too. I got into 3 more of his brothers and 0 trout. At least the battle with this golden beauty warmed me up.

Fish of the New Millenium

As I drove south on GA 400 before sunup on Monday morning, I found myself wondering why in the world I let Henry Cowen talk me into this.  Traffic was beginning to build as I cruised closer and closer to the epicenter of that alter-universe commonly known as Atlanta.  Who drives into Atlanta to fish when they have the southern Appalachians right out their back door?  It was a conundrum; I had no answer.  But Henry's Brooklyn accent was obviously dialed up an octave or two when he called to invite me down to try "the most challenging flyfishing you'll ever see."  Though I pulled into our appointed meeting place 10 minutes early, Henry was already there, checking all the details on his G3 shallow water boat like an airline captain before takeoff.

With Fall officially still two days away, there was no mistaking that Summer was fully in charge this day and my long sleeve shirt seemed like a mistake as we pushed off from the boat launch at Azalea Drive on the Chattahoochee River.  But the cold water that originated in the bottom of Lake Lanier provided a chilly air conditioned zone that hovered above the water as we were enveloped by the dense fog of early morning.  Henry's fleece jacket felt pretty good, even on the short ride downstream.  Quietly, we slipped into one of the many oxbow lakes lining the channel of the river and began scanning the surface for our quarry, the golden ghosts of the mud flats and the object of unwarranted derision in the fly fishing world.  CARP!

If you've ever been bonefishing or cast a fly to trophy reds in the saltwater marshes of the southeastern coast, you've experienced one of flyfishing's most challenging quarry.  And while these species garner well deserved recognition for being among the most difficult fish to catch on a fly, the unpretentious carp finds honor difficult to come by and is more likely to be the object of ridicule than respect.  That's because the vast majority of the criticism comes from anglers who have never tried to hook and land one of these guys. A humble attitude should be the first thing you pack when heading out for carp.  Otherwise, you'll come home mumbling to yourself.

We immediately began to spot fish and within the first five minutes I had cast to three different fish... to no avail.  With Henry on the poling platform at the back of the boat, and my eyes straining to pick up movement in the shallow water surrounding us, there was almost never a period when we weren't stalking a fish as they rooted around, occasionally waving their huge tails in the air, looking for aquatic insects and crustaceans.  Henry's instructions to me were to be able to quickly cast to a target the size of a paper plate 40 feet away and, if I missed by more than 6 inches, to immediately pick up and cast again.  My 7'11" Ross Essence 8 wt. with Sharkskin line should have been up to the task.  The big question being, "Am I up to it?"

The next two hours were about as much of an adrenalin rush as I've ever experienced in flyfishing.  It's like a big game hunt where you're stalking your prey in hopes of being good enough to make the shot when the opportunity presents itself.  I probably cast to 30 or 35 fish and got one to eat.  And that one was worth my trip.  In less than 10 inches of water, the big fish picked my fly from the silty cloud, made a huge boil as it swirled against the pressure of my hookset and took of like a scalded dog on an 80 foot run.  I slowly worked the fish back to the boat but it was in no mood to let Henry grab it's bottom lip.  After running under the boat and out the other side three times, almost pulling the rod out of my hands on every surge, we finally landed it.  It was not an easy chore.  All the while Henry has a sly grin on his face that said, "See, I told you so."

Carpe Diem

From our pal Henry Cowen:

Since I recently (last fall) purchased a skinny water boat I decided to make good use out of it and take it down the Hooch to check out some serious site fishing to golden bonefish (carp that is!). I have caught them many years ago using a fly rod on the lakes back in the motherland (NYC). I even tried my hand some on it here in No GA on Lake Lanier. To pursue these fish on lakes and enticing them to eat the fly is similar to getting a republican to raise taxes (ahem….). In other words it is next to impossible to make these things eat! So I figured I would try to see if these river fish are a little more fly friendly. Bob Clouser  (the Clouser minnow guy) is a friend of mine and has been fishing these things for years on his home waters of the Susquehanna River. He has for years been telling me how much fun they can be to stalk in shallow water. Well Bob could not have been more right! These fish are an absolute hoot (yes……the Yankee said hoot!). Poling around in water from 6” to 3’ allows you to sneak up on these bruisers and fish them as you would redfish or bonefish. You can even get out of the boat on some of these hard bottomed flats and wade for them. All it takes is an accurate caster in the bow and a willingness to pole someone around. I told my good buddy Gary Lowe Jr about it and he said let’s give it a shot. We poled around the area of Bull Sluice (above Morgan Falls Dam) and proceeded to find many happy fish tailing, cruising and EATING! This is a fishery I would recommend to anyone who is into hunting for their quarry. For tackle I would suggest a 7 or 8 wt rod w/floating line and 10 or 12lb tippet fluorocarbon leaders. Flies can range from swimming nymphs (a Clouser favorite) to egg patterns, wooly buggers and San Juan worms. You will not catch many of these river carp BUT the satisfaction of searching, finding, casting and finally feeding one of these fish will have you hooked on a totally new game fish…….The Chattahoochee carp. Seize the day!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

North Georgia Bonefish!

We got this in from Ben VanDevender (you may know him as "benvan" over at NGTO) today and thought we'd share. Ben's been going after grass carp recently and may have figured them out:

OK I think I have this grass carp thing down to a science, or maybe just plain luck...

I hit the pond yesterday afternoon around 6 with the young one. This time I was going to target the carp so I brought my 8wt and only my 8wt....I had her with an Orvis 0x striper leader fixed to Cortland444 8 wf line. I pulled out a selection of egg patterns again and got rejected on pink and orange but found the ticket to be a size 12 yellow yarn egg. The fish were feeding at the surface as I could see their mouths popping like a goldfish causing ripples in the water. I cast out with the new pattern about six feet in lead of a cruiser. Next thing I know the line goes taught and I pull back to insure a good hook set. Now my drag begins to sing as I am quickly into backing with no sight of turning the fish anytime soon. Well for some reason she changes direction and starts heading straight to me. I pull in as much line as I can to keep up with her, and just as that happens she runs parallel along the bank. Now I really try to use the backbone of my rod and tire her. After another couple of runs I finally get her beached in the shallows of the bank. Not as big as my first one but still a real humdinger at 35 inches long. My lil one was so excited. I managed to land two more and broke off one bruiser before we headed home. Both tired from fishing, me from big carp and her from big panfish on the barbie poll.

I plan to try the pattern out again next week to see if I can justify my results. The main thing I have learned though is how critical it is to lead these fish. They are extremely finnicky and any disturbance in the water too close can run them off. This time I did not have the camera but with the bruiser I have my sights set on next time I shall surely have it.

The carp in the picture was 45 inches long and caught on my 6wt. Quite a fight.

Yes Ben, carp are definitely spooky fish, but a ton of fun as you can attest. Keep us posted on that Big Boy!