Hobby Sports

Sage VPS Light 3 weight with quite the bend

This morning I had no intention of fishing as I had some business to take care of but when I finished at just before 10, I saw that the air was absolutely still and changed my mind. Normally by this time its about time to stop fishing as the winds start to pick up making spotting fish almost impossible.

Because Ive pretty much have these fish dialed in, Ive decided to make things a bit more challenging by what Im calling "stepping down the ladder." Every time I catch a carp, the next outing Ill go down a weight. Ideally you should go down a line weight but since I began fishing these waters with a 7 weight (Scott S3S), then I moved down to a 5 weight (Sage XP). Today I brought out the 3 weight. Its a Sage VPS Light that I built years ago, together with a Galvan OB2, this was my arsenal for today. So Im skipping every other weight or just the even numbers for now.

Although I was fortunate when I began to have no wind, I did have to make do without any sunshine for a while. Ill take windless over sunless any day carping. I had fished for hours, blowing several good opportunities to catch a carp until just about when I was about to give up, when the wind began to pick up, I finally hooked a lone feeder. It took much longer (obviously with a lighter rod) to land and for the first two attempt just when I tried to land it, it ran giving my Sage rod quite a bend. After a few minutes to gave in and let me grab him. I remembered to boga this one. It weighed in at an even six pounds. With the wind really affecting my casts I decided that was enough fun for today. With my "stepping down the ladder" theme, the next time I go out Ill be taking my 1 weight to see if I can land one on such a dinky rod.



Six pound carp on a 3 weight

When I awoke this morning at around 7, I looked out the window to find that it was already breezy outside. I had intended to try my luck at carp with the one weight but with the wind starting early and with no sun in sight I thought Id better try that another time with more optimal conditions. Having received the package of Gyotaku material I order a week or so ago, I took the carp I caught and kept out of the freezer last night. I figured Id try my Gyotaku prints this morning instead. After a quick breakfast I decided what the hell and changed my mind, Id give the one weight a go. By this time it was about 9 and when I reached the water it was about 15 after.

Within the first 10 minutes, I saw a pod of about three feeding. I casted several times until one took. My J. Austin Forbes reel screamed as the carp ran. I worried that the carp was about to spool me. That reel only has maybe 20 yards of backing in addition to the fly line. Eventually it stopped its run, I tried to gather line by reeling as fast as I could but with a diameter of maybe 2 inches, it was a bit pointless. The fish continued to come toward me as I tried to keep the line tight. After about a 10 minute fight, the fly flew out of the water toward my direction. Spit the hook out. Note to self dont bother with the reel, its pointless. It doesnt even have a drag. Ill hand line the next one if I can get one.

With the wind picking up, it became more and more difficult to spot a carp let alone cast to one. Id see one or a group and try to throw a cast that would go absolutely nowhere near where I was aiming. One weight in even the slightest breeze is amost impossible to cast more than a few feet. As time and fish passed, I found a lone feeder, and made a few casts. The carp took the fly and ran and continued to run. The reel zinged like crazy, one of the best sounds in the world. Although this was a smaller fish than the first hook up, I still worried that Id get spooled. Eventually the fish tired and I tried to make up line. Again I used the reel and reeled in as fast as I could but it was worthless, I remembered to just hand line the fish in. It ran a few times but I managed to hand line him in. With the boga I weighed the fish. A four pound carp on a one weight in a breezy sunless conditions. Talk about making things difficult for oneself.

After being skunked on my last two outings, the local carp waters are back!This afternoon I managed to go carping and normally when you catch a fish over 9lbs on a five weight, it generally is a time for celebration. But Im pissed. Im pissed because I did not get it on film. I thought I did but apparently I did not have my Contour on at the time. I could have sworn I did. At least I did take some pictures of it but nonetheless Im still peeved about it. I did managed to get my first fish on film, a 5lber and lost two others.

The 9lber was lazy, he barely fought. It just sat there and only moved slightly when I pulled on my 5 weight. The 5lber on the other hand had no quit in him. Im so disappointed that I did not capture it.

I started fishing at around 2:30. The wind had already picked up but not as bad as when Chul and I fished it a couple weeks ago. One of the first things I noticed when
I reached the water is that the river has receded. This makes a huge difference in spotting fish. Firstly you can see them in the shallows now. Secondly you can actually reach them so you can make a decent cast at them. Even with the breeze chopping up the water these two factors made it so much easier.

It took several casts and at least an hour before I was able to hook up with any carp. The fish kept refusing my Prince Aggravator, which in the past has always been my go-to fly. I switched to what I call the Prince Harry Aggravator which in essence is the exact fly except it has a black tail and beadhead. (I named it after Prince Harry because hes the black sheep in the Royal family). For whatever reason this fly generally works well when the original version seems to fail. Today I used size 10.

I managed my first fish only a couple feet from shore. He took the fly hard and ran like mad. After I landed him a few feet upstream I managed to hook up a real fighter that ended up spitting the hook. I have no ideal how big he was but he was a feisty Mo-Fo. I was pissed I didnt quite get a good hook set on him; he hit the fly so hard and ran so fast I figured he set the hook himself. I was wrong.

After some cursing, I made my way to a pod of carp. Seeing a tailer in front of me I made several casts to him. Eventually it took and I set the hook and it made a poor attempt at a run. The more I pulled the less the fish would react. I thought I might have foul hooked it since it barely reacted to my pressure. It gave a few weak attempts to escape but in realty it just sat there. I basically pulled him in after a few short runs. I just beached him and he sat there. When I could see him I was shocked at his size. He weight in at over 9lbs just under the 9.5 mark on my boga. I took a picture of it against my leg and it reached just below my inseam. After releasing him I finished the day missing my last fish.

My five pounder just before release.

With my morning appointment cancelled, I decide to hit the waters to try and get a carp on my four weight. I managed this fish just after an hour on the water. Weighing in at 4.5 pounds, this fish when initially hooked simply sat in place while I pulled. Eventually fed up with the constant pressure, it decided to run and rip line out of reel. Using a click and prawl reel, the drag was esssentially useless. After several runs this carp finally gave in and let me land him. He took a new fly I tied last night. Now I need to come up with a name for it.

I fished for another hour until 11 when I decide to call it a day. The winds had picked up making it difficult to spot fish. Also my 4 weight is loaded with a DT line and shooting line was not a option.

With this fish I have now caught carp with a 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 weights. Since I dont own a 2 weight, I need to find someone who does so I can borrow it and complete the line up.