WARM WATER WONDERS!!!
By Montana Grant

Posted: July 31, 2021

CARP are a great sportfish. Especially now, as our waters are warmer and lower, you can locate huge schools of these strong fighters. Fly Fishermen call carp the Poor Man’s Bonefish. They seek out low water areas and sight fish these voracious feeders, using crayfish, insect, and corn-colored flies. At times, you may also get a Bugle Mouth Bass to slurp in a dry fly.

Carp can be wonderful table fare when made into fish cakes or smoked. The key is to rinse them thoroughly. Once the meat is poached, it flakes nicely and looks white and clean. Pretend it is crabmeat and make your favorite dish.

As a kid, we often hunted Carp. A recurve bow and a fiberglass fish arrow were our weapon of choice. Once we located a carp, we aimed slightly under the fish, and shot. A pass through meant the battle was on. A 20 plus pound carp was common and a ferocious fighter. The arrow was attached to the rod and a reel was attached to the bow.

When we weren’t shooting carp, we often used long cane poles to tackle them. Old bed springs made great rod holders. We lined up the rods and Spey cast the corn, liver, or doughball baits. Big Carp often swam close to shore, in between our rods, and legs. We often used boots to place the bed springs deeper.

Near one of our favorite Carpin spots, there was an old outhouse, near the waters edge. After a rainstorm, the water was up a good bit, but Carp often bit better in the dirty water. Their keen sense of smell helped them locate tasty treats.

This Old Outhouse was a 4 holer! The high water meant that we needed to wear our boots to go into the shanty. While contemplating life in the submerged outhouse, I kept hearing slurping sounds. When I looked down into the hole, several carp were feasting away!

This Carp Fishing Day ended in a pinch. The cane poles came in, and we went home grossed out!

Since then, rod caught carp have been returned to the water. Carp was only an interchanged letter or two away from, well you guessed it!

Montana Grant

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