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Wendy Berrell

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Posts posted by Wendy Berrell

    Evangelical Approach

    in Carp on the Fly

    Posted

    Congrats on the fish - glad to see a new guy holding a carp.

    What is the setting there? It looks like high water in the background, but hard to tell.

    Regarding the battles of many minutes - here is what I have found: having a net makes a big difference. If you have one, and you are fishing 1x or 2x so as to avoid the necessity of being overly gentle, you should be able to land pretty much any carp in 10 minutes or fewer. This also presupposes that you are not fighting a fish in strong current.

    If you do not have a net, it seems like battles can stretch to 10-15 minutes. That run of four fish in the mid-high teens a few weeks ago was a good case study - they were all big, and all very strong. I had not net, and I was fishing in still water. I really wanted to land them pretty quickly... and I was using 1x or 2x so I was able to horse a bit... and the longest bout there was ~12-14 minutes I'd say. I was being somewhat careful with that one, as I thought it may have been the carp contest winner and I didn't want to lose her (it tied for the longest fish and therefore did not win). It's hard to imagine 30 minutes of battle, unles extremely light gear were in play, or one was dealing with very heavy current. Heck, even the micro carp was landed in 10-12 minutes. That was a fish caught in current, on a 36 inch rod.

    Sunning Carp Report

    in Carp on the Fly

    Posted · Edited by Wendy Berrell

    Some success. Subtle flies and patient placement/dapping on the fish from above has been the only way I've been able to hook them. Carp wooley is good. That last one took a pretty small nymph (tip from 9 wt to try a scud).

    I'd say that being above them and being able to watch closely and place the fly delicately is very key, as you have to put it on them repeatedly. If a guy had to cast from water level to sunning fish, I think you'd be pretty well hosed.

    Fortunately I've found some feeding fish...

    It's amazing how much weight mood/position has in the world of carp fishing. 100 casts/daps to sunning fish >> 1 connection. 1 cast to a feeding fish >> 1 connection.

    Floods are great for fly fishing for carp

    in Carp on the Fly

    Posted

    This is still sight fishing. I am seeing something that I am targeting. I very rarely just blind cast with no target. For me it is a waste of my time. I would do better hunting for the movement that I am keying in on and then fishing for them.

    My ways aren't the only ways, there are many ways to catch carp. For me it just gives me that chance to play with my fly fishing equipment some more and develop those skills that will be important when targeting other species like the steelhead. You just can't practice handling big fish that run and take you into your backing by fishing for gills.

    Keep in mind Rick, that this is in fact the "Carp on the Fly Forum." Most folks here know what it is to sight fish. Also, your post implies that "other species" are targets more worthy than our noble Cyprinus carpio... and it says explicity that when you handle big carp you are "practicing."

    WB

    Floods are great for fly fishing for carp

    in Carp on the Fly

    Posted

    I finally found a bunch of about two or three dozen fish schooled up tight in the shallows and appeared to be clooping, but were not actively taking anything off of the surface, possibly algae. There were a few occasional jumpers and the spawners, but no fish that I could actively see feeding, expect for an occasional random plume of silt in the water.

    9wt - I have encountered fish exhibiting this behavior (recall this report: dapping report). If you can get above them, and look down, I recommend just patiently placing a carp wooley right on noses. They will probably eat it if they don't have to move or think about it much. Sounds like vis is tough, but if you can see them opening and closing mouths, that should be enough to dap on those dudes. If you see a silt plume, put a fly like this on it, count seconds in your head as it sinks to the bottom, and just guess on the hookset. You'll miss a lot, but that does work... and when it does, it feels pretty darn good baby.

    If you can't get above the fish, and you can barely see the fish, and they are not feeding.... you're screwed, IMHO.

    What are you waving?

    in Carp on the Fly

    Posted · Edited by Wendy Berrell

    For a long time I used a St. Croix Avid 4 wt, 8.5' four piece. That was great for battling and getting your clock cleaned... but for bigger fish it took forever to land them.

    Last year I broke my Avid 8 wt on a 20-21 lb buffalo. As John Montana mentioned, he shattered my Redington Wayfarer 7 wt on a carp too... I also broke my trusty 5/6 wt Pro Graphite that was handed down to me from J Montana... pretty good year indeed. They've all been replaced or repaired.

    I'm trying to work out which I like best now... probably go with the 5/6 Pro Graphite - seems to be right size. I do use the 7 wt though, for right now.

    carp fly swap

    in Carp on the Fly

    Posted

    Got my flies too - they are great - thanks everyone. I have a reference set that I don't really fish, and many of these will end up there. Thanks Mike for hosting. I stiffed you on the postage (sorry again), but I did include an extra fly if I remember right.

    swap flies in action

    in Carp on the Fly

    Posted

    It was almost 7pm, but the wind was down. I walked up and stood high up on a rock embankment and saw maybe 6 carp right up on the shore in about 1 foot of water. I put my rod together, tied on the fly. First cast first fish! I'm stoked. first sight cast of the season and a fish. Not big, but eager.

    I let the pool rest and blind fished nearby. I was getting takes, but no hook ups. After a while I climbed up again for a peek and they were back. Another sight cast fish. The second straightened the hook a little when I was unhooking it, so it's retired until I tie some.

    Anyone else got one wet yet?

    I am feeling like I know where you were fishing, although I can't be sure. Can you tell us what DNR major watershed delineation you were within? If not, maybe I'll get some PMs going here... I"m having a revelation that may lead to me heading to this joint some time soon.

    swap flies in action

    in Carp on the Fly

    Posted

    Wendy, I think it was your fly that found its way onto my tippet. I am not totally sure who's flies came from whom, but I think it's yours (small brass dumbell eyes, brown segmented body, silli legs).

    Anyone else got one wet yet?

    #1: YES, that is the STALASS fly (Shakin That Ass Like A Salt Shaker me boy!). Glad to see that it go you some action.

    #2: DUDE, #$#@$# BLEEP YOU, #$@$@ SUMMOFA@#$#, MAN! I am just dying to see some fish to cast to and your posts are killing me!

    #3: Nice job nicking a carp - keep up the good work.

    WB

    VERY BAD TRADGEDY!!

    in Pictures, Stories & Video

    Posted

    your right wendy. me and jake are just the best of best friends and it is kinda how it makes me feel. i mean. the driver was probably a nice guy who had a stroke of bad luck and drank to much. but when something like this happens to someone so close to you it makes you think different. i dont like hearing of every anyone dying. but stuff like this it just gets you angry. sorry about that :D it was a very bad thing to say. i would never wish that on anyone. anger just go to me i guess :D

    I understand man - I thought more about this after my post and I determined that it was too much for someone like me on the outside to expect a completely rational response from someone who just had his guy smacked in a car accident.

    I'm glad he's okay. You're a good friend to CMJake.

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