ISSUE 6 by CarpPro Magazine

FLY BAIT INNOVATE

TOPTIPS

Hutchy Hints Austin Anderson

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Featuring Evan Bull Tomas Kutschy Miguel Ruiz Travis Hammond Ty Goodwin Jared Hinckley

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360 Rig Tie > Alarming! > Urban Pursuits >

FEEDER FRENZY

52 | RazorPoint Review - Tomas Kutschy 58 | City Carp - Jared Hinkley

ISSUE 6

Cover: Miguel Ruiz with a rare Californian Linear. Image courtesy of Wayne Boon ACS

Editorial

Team

TONY Cartlidge - Feature Editor Tony Cartlidge is a writer, editor, journalist, blogger and marketing specialist who started fishing as a kid in the city parks of Liverpool, England. He caught his first carp at age 12 and has been hooked since. Having lived in the US for almost two decades, Tony moved to Texas in 2008 and now targets smallmouth buffalo just as much as carp

DAN Frasier - Editor Raised in South Dakota, Dan was introduced to fly fishing on a family trip to Breckenridge Co. Coming home to South Dakota, he knew he wanted to fly fish but the only obvious species was carp. Dan taught himself to fly fish on those carp over the course of a decade. In the process he began to blog about his exploits and became friends with some of the most influential fly fishermen for carp in the game. Dan found the CarpPro.net forum and quickly became integrated as part of the team. When CarpPro began looking for an editor specifically geared for the Fly Fishing niche, Dan was brought in to fill that role.

DAVID Smith - Layout & Design After founding USCARPPROmagazine David soon realized that fly fishermen were targeting carp. He made every effort to connect with this branch of the sport through regular articles, even making the long trek to MI from his home in California to meet David McCool and wade the freezing cold flats of an early spring Traverse City. A bait angler for over 30 years he understands the rise of the sport and the passion carp anglers develop for their quarry.

A HOME TACTICS & TACKLE MEDIA

NEWS

EASY ACCESS STYLE

REVIEW

BUY! Picture courtesy of Austin Anderson

Never one to shy away from a debate, CarpPros lead editor Tony Cartlidge continues his review of our developing scene

Culture SHOCK We don't know how to catch carp here in America. Or at least, not with modern methods. You know, hair rigs. Unhooking mats. Bite alarms. Rose petal massages and a kiss on the noggin before releasing the newly-christened fish back into the lake. Apparently we're all harpooning them, netting them, or blowing them out of the lake with tactical drone strikes. Or at least that's the impression you'd get if you read some of the European carp fishing press. Despite numerous other larger carp being recorded, one French angler has proclaimed himself the new US record holder because, well, because he says so. And, it is a record because, he asserts, it was caught using "modern" methods

and because it was released again afterwards. Using this logic invalidates some of the landmark UK records. Bob Richards displayed his record fish with a meat hook through the lip. Dick Walker's Ravioli/Clarissa wasn't released, it was put in a zoo. And Chris Yates' record for "The Bishop"—arguably the fish that kick-started the modern carp boom —gets bashed because he used sweetcorn and a split cane rod. No modern methods, therefore no record fish. To put it into perspective for the non-Euro-stylers among us, Tony Crawford's big buff doesn't count as a record because an unhooking mat wasn't used. And listen up all

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you fly guys, unless you tie hairrigged flies, your fish don't count. Humor aside, there are some good

catch and release anglers don't register those records. This is why we have half a dozen different "national" records and everyone

A modern carp angler? For his generation, time and place, absolutely!

points raised about national recordkeeping and the varying rules for recording and validating large fish from state to state. Some states' processes would require that a fish be dead before being recorded, so

knows of a fish that would be a record but the angler didn't claim it.Â Then there's the attention that bow fishing gets in the US. It's shocking for a European carp angler to see

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that, although right now in many parts of Eastern Europe there are carp swimming in bathtubs ready to be cooked as a traditional Christmas delicacy. The shock and horror expressed from abroad at

Carp care. Absolutely. Carp protected as sport fish in all states? Definitely. A national, independent record-keeping body with standard rules and a process that would require catch and release. We're

Here they are called trash fish or river rats? Perhaps River Turkey is a better description at this time of year!

the fact that some people kill carp in the US ignores the cultural differences that still exist in Europe, allegedly a much more mature carp fishing scene. It also assumes that we aspire to be European in our carp fishing attitudes. I'm not sure we do.

getting there.Â But do we want to be in the same position as the UK right now, where you probably need to know someone before you can get on some decent fish? Or pay $1,500 or more a year for a syndicate water with a few known, hook-shy fish? And to have anglers fishing bivvy to bivvy while they save up for a week

Editorial ⚖ CARPPRO

in France for some "proper" fishing? I'm pretty sure the US carp boom would die overnight if we all thought that was where it was headed. Quite frankly, I think we all appreciate the free or cheap access we have to so much virgin water holding so many large, wild, hard-

consummate catch and release carp and buffalo angler. He blazed a trail in American carp angling and he will be missed enormously. He was around at the advent of "modern" carp angling in the UK and brought his ethical approach to the US. But he also adapted. He became a

The American vision of Carp fishing fighting carp and buffalo. The reason Rapala trusts CarpPro is because we understand that, and are committed to promoting the American vision of carp fishing. As I write this, I have on my desk the program to Richard Somerville's Memorial Service. Ironically, (because he was British) he was a model of what the modern American carp angler is. He was an outdoorsman, a hunter, a keen observer of nature around him, an angling pioneer, and, of course, a

convert to paylake style pack baits, which might seem unusual for such an icon of the US-based, Euromodern angler. He adapted his styles to techniques that have been used in the Carolinas for more than 60 years. The US paylake scene pre-dates "modern" Euro carp angling—paylakes originated in the 1940s. Paylaking pre-dates Bob Richards and Dick Walker. It certainly pre-dates Chris Yates, the hair rig and the advent of carp cradles. And while we would be the first to admit that paylaking has little

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Passing the Baton Austin Anderson recently celebrated his 18th birthday, so it was with great pleasure that we were able to offer him, and he accepted, a slot as a senior CarpPro prostaffer. Austin was very fortunate to be mentored by the late Richard Somerville, and Richard spoke in glowing terms of his growing skills and huge potential. It seems as though Austin has been around for years, such is the impact he has had on Texas carp and buffalo angling, but we expect even more from him in the coming years. Along with new prostaffers, Jon Eisen and Josef Raguro, we have a formidable Texas team and we are expecting great things from them in the coming years as they promote the sport, log the miles,

and put the hours on the bank in pursuit of bigger and better fish.Â What this means, of course, is that Haley McPeak is our only remaining junior prostaffer. Haley is also very fortunate to have some of the best mentors available to her, with Barry McPeak, and David and Donald Moon her regular fishing partners. Haley is a determined young angler that already puts adult anglers in the shade in the very competitive paylake circuit of the Carolinas. Haley qualified twice for the CarpReport Finale in 2013. She'll be aiming to do it again next year. We don't have any specific slots for junior prostaffers, and junior prostaffers must fish under the

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guidance of a mentor, adult anglers play an important role in bringing new anglers into this sport. Rick Wilson has been an important part of CarpPro's success in Texas. While he is an accomplished angler, he prefers to remain out of the

spotlight while he encourages other young anglers into the sport. His son Ricky wants to be a junior prostaffer one day and thanks in no small part to a recent cold snap and Rod Hutchinson HAHL (High Alcohol, High Leakage) Mulberry

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Florentine flavor, he is upping his personal best at an alarming rate. Also under Rick's tutelage is Joey Arevelo. Joey has only been fishing for carp and buffalo for a few months but he is already a Hutchy

and CarpPro convert. Joey, Rick and Lil Ricky have logged some special sessions already this year and will continue fishing hard into the new year.

Joey

Lilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Rick

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of the Euro-sensibilities about it, it was practicing catch and release carp fishing before the UK knew what that was. Some modern anglers in Europe now suggest that, unless you are claiming records, fish are better off never leaving the water. Unhook them there and then, a quick mugshot, and away you go. Fly carpers here have been doing that for years! So you can understand why we challenge the perceptions when a Euro-angler repeats misinformation about the American scene. We may not have invented the hair rig but we were catching and releasing carp while Europeans were still stuffing them and putting them on walls. That's pretty rapid progress for a country that first introduced carp just 140 years ago as a food fish. We are seeing many anglers growing up in the sport of carp angling and the anglers running WCC groups must take a lot of credit for bringing them in and teaching them. We now see many young anglers who have never targeted any other species. We have junior pro-staffer Haley McPeak competing against adult anglers in CarpReport tournaments. Richard's protege, Austin Anderson,

who this year graduated from the junior pro-staff ranks, fishes "Euro" style but he has also fished in the Carolinas and is equally adept with bait casters and packbait. He also fly fishes for carp and ties his own flies. We are eager to see more and more Haleys and Austins coming up through the junior CarpPro ranks. We need to continue this rapid progress into 2014. iCast 2013 was huge for the sport. iCast 2014 will be even bigger. CarpPro's continued partnership with Rapala will be even stronger next year. And as we grow, and as we grow the market, we'll continue to work to improve the lot of carp, buffalo and American rough fish, and promote the sport of North American carp fishing. Happy Holidays and Tight Lines, Dan, Dave, Karl, Keith & Tony

Remembrance contributions may be made for the education of Richard's daughters, Katharine, 8, and Arden, 4, via the Richard Somerville Memorial Fund at the Community Bank, 201 East Kaufman, Rockwall, Texas 75087. If you want to donate anonymously, please contact us and we will arrange that for you.

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✼

Have Carp Will Travel # John “Montana” Bartlett http://carponthefly.blogspot.com

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Comment ✤ CARPPRO ❤ 2013

Wow, how far have we come, all of us crazy carpers? Years ago mentioning the idea of flying or traveling somewhere to catch carp on a fly rod would have doubled over fellow anglers into fits of laughter. Now, carp hotspots are openly talked about as destination

US. Here's to getting out there and finding it!

fisheries with places like Beaver Island, the Denver South Platte, Lake Henshaw and my beloved Columbia River not only on people's minds, but within anglers reach. The carp are out there, and the odds are that we still don't know the best destination for fly rod carping in the

home while searching for the best waters in your local area apply when on the road, and there are things you can do to help find success. Here are few things I have kept in mind as I have traveled and caught carp in various places around the US (including my personal favorite...the pond at the

But where does one start? While guides are prevalent in a few areas, and popping up in others, there is still a large component of do it yourself to fly rod carp traveling. Fortunately, the lessons learned at

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entrance to the TPC Sawgrass golf resort. I got quite a few looks that day!)

Keep it Simple

likely looking shallow, warm areas. When I am flying somewhere for work and know I will have a little fly rod time, I spend a few hours digging around on Google Earth looking for places that, at a minimum, are worth a second look on foot. I search ponds and rivers

It seems obvious, but despite how varied a carp's diet can be from water to water and place to place they all basically want the same thing. Our job as a traveling or scouting angler is to identify what they want and then find it. In short, they want warm, shallow water in which to feed. Granted when you add bait to the mix or can pre-bait or chum carp and bring the fish to you this might be a step you are able skip. But for the artificial fly rod angler, we need to find the fish, and we need to find them feeding where we can see them. Item number one on my agenda when traveling is to find shallow, warm water. Find that and the odds are you will find carp.

Google Earth So you know what they want, but how do you find it? Google Earth is your friend. Shallows are easy to spot. You can pre-scout an area the size of Texas in minutes on Google Earth and find at least a handful of

and sloughs and lakes, reservoirs and office complexes with manmade fountains, anything that shows some shallows where I know the water will be a few degrees warmer and the carp are likely to show. These invariably end up on my list. One thing to keep in mind is

Comment ✤ CARPPRO ❤ 2013

that Google Earth is a static picture and you are bound to head to a shallow area only to find the photo was taken at low water and the shallows are gone. Well, nothing is perfect.

Forums and Fishing Boards

Most of us carp on the fly guys are remarkably secretive and, honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way. Those that join me to fish my waters do so under strict photo rules and an old school "show not tell" mantra that I grew up with in Montana. But here is a news flash…There are millions upon millions of bass fishermen in the United States. Bass are the most sought after fish and guys that chase them, from weekend warriors to tournament

anglers, abound on forums and chat rooms around the web. So…I read their boards. Bass and carp use very similar habitat (especially in the spring) and you can frequently read about "disappointed" bass anglers that couldn't fish a bass flat due to all of the carp that had moved in. When traveling, many times I have narrowed down my Google Earth list with the help of the local bass boards and their (often) disdain for carp. Fair warning…a ten pound

carp looks pretty big to your average weekend angler. I have chased a lot of ghosts.

Go and Do I frequently say "good things happen when your boots are in the water" and that is the absolute bottom line when traveling or scouting for carp. Go and do. Put your boots in the water and walk;

Comment ✤ CARPPRO ❤ 2013

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see what you can find. On our first foray into the legendary carp waters of Lake Michigan, we walked miles from 7 am to 7 pm for 4 days. In those hours we spotted one carp. 4 years later, countless miles and myths explored, debunked, or exalted and we had an epic trip that netted roughly 135 carp to hand between two anglers. The truth about carp is that they are not forgiving; dues must be paid, homage must be made. One must go and do. Keep your boots wet and your legs sore and your belly rumbling. Do that and at some point something magical will happen. And it will all be worthwhile. We are all fortunate to be present now, while carp on the fly is emerging, while new methods are being developed, while new locations are being found. The time for us is now...get out there and explore. Who knows what is really around that next bend.

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CarpPro Gets Rough With David Graham

Multi-species specialist, writer, blogger joins pro-staďŹ&#x20AC;, writing team CarpPro is proud to announce the addition of multi-species specialist, David Graham to the pro team. David is a keen rough fish angler, writer, and blogger and has been published in Field and Stream and Fishing Headquarters, with stories about carp, buffalo, gar, catfish, and even padding after shark. David will be CarpPro's rough fishing correspondent. David bumped into Keith Cisney at Pineyside while writing an article about carp, buffalo and paylaking, and immediately made the connection between David and CarpPro's broader goals of promoting rough fish angling in North America. "He's a really nice guy and a great all-round angler," said Keith Cisney. "We were on a trip recently and

fishing for buffs and things were a bit slow. David set off in search of something else and before long he was catching bowfin! He's going to be a great member of the team." We'll let David introduce himself: I have been an indiscriminate, multispecies advocate for more than half of my lifetime. The ideals by which I have developed my passion for multi-species fishing in a boundless manner are in direct parallel with my philosophy on what it means to be the "complete angler." I believe the complete angler is he who chooses to pursue all fish, not restricting that pursuit with personal belief, superstition, or bias. As great a biodiversity as the aquatic ecosystem sustains, an angler's method of capture should be expected to reflect that.

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Editorial ✍ CARPPRO

I have collected lasting memories expanding hours on the water chasing a variety of species as a resident of South Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Now living in South Carolina, I was fortunate enough to cross paths with Keith Cisney. I believe as a carp and buffalo enthusiast living in South Carolina, it was only a matter of time before our paths crossed. We have bounced ideas and information off of one another and Keith has already been instrumental in a spike in my own success and knowledge of carp and buffalo species. I’ve been fueled since youth to chase fish for little more reason than the thrill of catching something big. There is a particular pride to be taken from the conquest of a greater variety of species that operate in every imaginable way. Considering that there are somewhere in the range of 32,000 fish species, becoming a complete angler is virtually impossible, but it is an incredibly satisfying quest. Oddly enough, in my time as an angler I have found that the fish scorned most by the mainstream fishing community are often-times

the bigger, more challenging fish to capture. I have found extreme difficulty over the years finding sources of information on species like gar, bowfin, suckers, and carp from an angler's perspective. Thanks to outlets such as CarpPro magazine, some of those fish are gaining proper exposure, but there is much ground to be made in the fight for those “rough fish” species. ! ! I think it is the responsibility of any angler that genuinely enjoys the lifestyle of an outdoorsman and fishing enthusiast to pass down the fundamentals of such a timeless passion to the young and lesser informed. Because of that, I have found a particular joy in spreading information on those 'other' fish through social media and blogging, live radio, E-magazine articles, and published magazines such as Field and Stream. It is my distinct honor to join the Pro-Staff of CarpPro in such a capacity as to represent those species outside of carp and buffalo which encompass the same ring of finned outlaws classified as “rough fish.” Please join us in giving David a very warm welcome to the CarpPro team.

︎ 2013

Feeder Fishing

101

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Zoltan Marton is the manager of the US Freshwater Fishing Federation national feeder fishing team and owns and runs MTM Tackle. His partner at MTM is Peter Milkivics, a world champion feeder fishing world champion from Hungary. Feeder fishing shares so many similarities to the way many anglers fish in the US, and CarpPro has been fortunate to witness professional feeder anglers from Hungary take apart venues in the US with their techniques. Hungary won with the silver medal at this year's feeder fishing world championships in South Africa. Here, Zoltan gives us a run down of the basics of feeder fishing.

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Back to Basics Fishing for carp in Eastern Washington is getting bigger each season. If you fly fish for carp, you must have read stories from the Columbia River, Banks Lake or maybe Moses Lake. There are some excellent carp out here, no doubt. Banks Lake is a particularly hot spot: it is a man-made reservoir with an enormous quantity of water. This picturesque Eastern Washington Lake offers great spots to fish from the bank or from

boat. The dramatic scenery, clear water and good fishing attracts fishermen of all kinds, and among them are the newly-emerging bank based feeder-fishing sub-group. Almost all year round, you can spot somebody casting from the bank. Fishing from the shore can be very productive for catching bass, trout, walleye, perch, carp, and more. Worms continue to be the favored, universal bait for most, as it reliably catches just about everything. Some try their luck with corn or pellets, while baiting with method mixes or boilies is almost unheard of. On a lake with these characteristics, a feeder rod is perfect for any bank angler. The location for our session was at the cove just before Steamboat Mountain Rock Park. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a long-

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time favorite amongst bank fishermen, providing a long stretch of continuous shallow, sandy bottom with occasional weeds and rock features.

The

Bait Having been extremely successful with worms in the past—catching a variety of species—my plan was to single out carp on this trip. I chose corn (canned) with a base feed of four bags of Dynamite Baits, Swim Stim Method Mix. I prepared two batches of ground bait each time with two bags and a small can of corn. I wanted to make sure my mix did not contain too much corn, as that was my choice for hook bait. My idea was to intercept the carp that were already in the cove and arouse their interest in feeding. The ground bait was intended to attract attention, but not enough food value to satisfy them—just a couple of kernels here and there until they find the hook bait. The simpler the better, I thought. If this were to be successful, it would open other opportunities with baiting choices for future sessions.

I have found that in places where carp are not used to looking for a certain bait, you have to try long and hard to get results. The mix was the simplest possible, without any flavors or additives. I mixed the ground bait with lake water, as per the instructions on the bag, and mixed the can of corn in. Simple as that.

2013

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The

Spot I chose the spot closest and most accessible to me. It was right next

to a weed bed standing tall from the water, so I hoped the carp could be intercepted as they turned in from the edge. Then I got the plumbing rig and casted out. Knowing the water

depth and bottom type is vital if you want to present your bait in the best possible way. My chosen spot measured 5-6 feet deep, with a couple of inches of silt on the bottom. I casted a few times into surrounding water to make sure the bottom was consistent. One of my concerns was the weed bed; since it was a little too close, I

moved out to the left to ensure enough space to fight the fish. Any hooked fish will target areas where they think they can get away, so any bottom features or nearby weeds can be potential targets for them by instinct. A tangled line and

2013

pring! this s

a lost fish can be discouraging, so I was sure to avoid that hazard. Because of the silty bottom, I had to make sure my hook bait would not sink into it, so I decided to add a pop-up fake corn for just enough buoyancy to present the whole hook bait on top of the silt. After settling on the spot, I made small catapult sized balls from half of the ground bait mix. I left the other half for keeping my spot baited during the session, which is very important to holding fish there and consequently for consistent results. After catapulting some 8-10 balls around the marker float, I started to set up the rods knowing the base mix would need time to start attracting fish.

The

Rig The rig was very simple: an inline feeder and a short hook link. The short hook link keeps the rig tangle free and positions the hook bait close to the ground bait. There is one unconventional addition to

the setup, and that is the power gum. Power gum is a tough, slightly elastic line widely used to give your setup that extra fighting power. The power gum should be 1 to 2 feet long andâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; should be tied from the main line, through the feeder, and onto the hook-link swivel. The power gum acts as an extra buffer when fighting fish, making the runs much smoother and more controllable. The elastic will manage the fish and absorb some of the shock from sudden explosive runs, making it possible to catch larger fish on a smaller rig. My personal choice was an 8lb setup all the way through to the hook. It would provide enough play without being too bulky. Boilie anglers use much heavier gear that can feel a little excessive when going for quantity on a shorter session. After setting up the rods, I decided to keep the 360 MH (approx. 12 foot, medium heavy) rod on inline lead with a 12-inch hook link, baited with worms, on my far right. The 390H (approx. 13 foot, heavy) rod was on my left with feeder and corn.

TACTICS ◉ CARPPRO

2013

The

Session I baited up and casted to the spot. As soon as the feeder landed, I immediately catapulted a couple ground bait balls around the hook bait. The corn setup was ready, so I got the worm into the water, too. I then positioned both rods and waited. Before long, the right rod started moving. I immediately guessed it was smaller guy, and sure enough, it was a small bass. I re-baited and casted back to my spot. Little time went by before BOOM! the left rod started screaming. A fish was hooked and the line started spooling off. Big carp on the corn, I thought--this couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be any more perfect. The power gum was working perfectly, cushioning those runs as I carefully reeled in and played the fish. It felt like a good sized fish for my light set-up and I had to play it for a couple of minutes before I was able to net it. 6.2 pounds, and a good fish, and even better fight. With the setup I was using it was exactly what I was going for. Excited over my catch, I baited and casted again, with a few catapults

of ground bait immediately following. I baited the spot frequently every 10 to 15 minutes or so with the catapult. A couple of

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minutes later I caught another bass on the worm which brought me up to 7 bass during the session, with biggest being around 10 or 11 inches. I had no action on the corn for a while, so I continued using the catapult, working through most of my ground bait in an hour or so. I left just enough for a couple of feeder casts. My attention to detail paid off, and the rod started moving again. Judging by the abrupt tip movement, the take was without hesitation (this is the part when a bite indicator would start screaming). I felt it had to be a bigger carp than the last one. Fighting the fish was just like the previous one; smooth with a couple runs that I had to let go so as not to lose the carp. I was thrilled when I netted my catch: a beautiful, 9.7lb wild carp, and the best catch of the day. Catching the second carp was enough for me to end the session and pack up. Fishing for 4 hours and landing a couple of nice carp and half a dozen bass on the feeder makes for a pretty good pastime I’ll take any day. The simplicity of the bait and the choice of setup made this session a prime example of how productive feeder fishing can be. It is easy to get lost in flavorings and different

feeder techniques, but at least this time it was back to the basics, and the session couldn’t have been more rewarding.

2013

FINALLY YOU’VE MET YOUR MATCH! MTM Tackle is your match, feeder and Float-Fishing Headquarters At MTM Tackle you’ll find the highest quality fishing tackle for a variety of classic and cutting edge angling techniques. Whether it’s for float fishing, match fishing or feeder fishing. MTMTackle supplies all the specialized tackle you need to land carp or any other freshwater fish MTM Tackle “Vario Match” Float The 14 gram Vario Match is designed for versatility, making it a great piece of equipment for the ultimate float-angling experience. With it’s unique, elongated design, the Vario is suitable for all conditions and situations. Added weight makes accurate casting easy, even with little or no additional weight. The detachable copper lamellas at the bottom of the float give total control to the angler - if the setup or bait turns out to be a bit heavy, simply counter the weight by removing a couple of the lamellas. The peacock-colored, waterproof stem is compatible with a variety of weather conditions and antenna choices. Antennas are available in red and yellow, with new options available in the MTMA3 pack. Situational versatility and all season capabilities makes this float the perfect go to piece on any day!

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December 12, 2013

Tony Forte Programs Director 331-551-USF3 (8733) www.usf3.org tony.forte@usf3.org

USAngling is looking for America’s best coarse and carp anglers! USAngling, the fishing sports division of the United States Freshwater Fishing Federation (USF3), is looking for America’s best coarse and carp anglers to represent the United States in future World Championship Sport Fishing events. We are currently assembling teams to compete for the Feeder Championships to be held in Ireland, July 2014, and the Coarse Championships to be held in Croatia, August 2014. Feeder angling consists of two 5 hour heats, held on the bank, with sliding feeder/cage and natural baits, for all species. The 5-person teams fish for the most total weight. Carp are at a premium due to their bulk and abundance worldwide. However, other species often come in to play depending on the venue. Coarse angling consists of two 4 hour heats, held on the bank, float/bobber required and natural baits, for all species. Again, each 5-person team is fishing for the highest total weight to win. These championships differ from many other events that draw a worldwide audience. Nations are allowed only one national team per country and the championships are sanctioned by the International Sport Fishing Confederation (CIPS) http://www.cip-fips.com Anglers interested in more information on qualification for these teams can contact Tony Forte at tony.forte@usf3.org, I will then forward your information request to the appropriate program manager; Zoltan Marton for the Feeder team and Mark Green for the Coarse team. Also, please visit our facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/USAngling for updates on our teams. We are a 501c3 charitable organization, so don’t forget to “like” the page, as this will help our organization attract potential sponsors. Our website, http://www.usf3.org, also has information regarding our organization and a “donate” link for any individuals or organizations that would like to support our teams as they compete for Gold! Thank you in advance for your support of our national fishing teams. Tony Forte Program Director USAngling – United States Freshwater Fishing Federation (USF3)

TACTICS ☁ CARPPRO

Dragging & Dropping the Fly (How to Get More Hook-Ups)

Jim “MrP” Pankiewicz

2013

Fly fishing for carp is easy. I go out when the sky is blue, there is a small amount of wind and the water is clear. It’s easy. The sun is hot so I’m wet wading. Ahhhh… it’s so nice. AND, there are tailing fish in sight. I am alert and engaged; I’m a hunter stalking carefully. I cast the fly on or very near the carp’s dinner plate and BAM! I get a hook up. I

Sometimes the wind blows too much. Okay. Carp fishing is still easy.

do it over and over again and it is simply wonderful. Actually, it is more like magical. I get video of lots of cool takes. The fish are “hot”; they run like hell when I set the hook. Lordy, I love carp fishing! Like I said, it’s easy.

I know that the river can be too high, or it can be too low, but so what, carp fishing is still not all that difficult.

Some of the fish aren’t hot; they are more like big slugs. I set the hook and they slosh around for a little while and that’s it. They just roll over and they come in. It’s not all that fun, but it is still easy though.

Even if the carp are feeding actively they may make my fly as a fake right away and all that I get is a

TACTICS ☁ CARPPRO

casual refusal. Whatever. Carp fishing is still not terribly hard. The water can be so cloudy that I don’t see the carp until they are very close to me. Okay, that makes it a little tougher. The devil clouds can be dancing around the sky looking for every

the real thing but they are so full they just turn the other way with the indifference of a house cat bored with human conversation. Maybe carp fishing is challenging after all. Oh hell, fly fishing for carp isn’t easy; it’s technical and it’s difficult. Let’s not kid ourselves. Fishing for carp with any kind of tackle isn’t easy. Still, when I have an extremely good day I am all too happy to go right ahead and blithely kid myself. One magical day and I think every day is going to be a great day. I go out the very next day and work like heck to get just a few fish. Whatever you want to call it; I get slapped in the face, bonked on the nose or I get my butt kicked; it’s all the same. So many things come together to make carp fishing difficult. On top of that carp are smart and wary.

possible chance to block the sun wherever it is. I swear they come together like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle and conspire to make carp fishing difficult. I don’t like the clouds! The fat carp may be feeding very actively. They may think my fly is

When the wind, the water level, the clouds, the water clarity, and the smart fish are working together to make carp fishing seem almost impossible for you there a few things you can do to improve your chances of success. There are some techniques that the fly rod carper can use to help turn a frustrating day into a good one. Occasionally these techniques may

2013

even help you transform a good day into a magical one. Dragging and dropping are very effective techniques to add to your arsenal for days when the water or the sky are cloudy. I drag and drop the fly when I am fairly close to the fish. It works best when I’m too far away to just drop the fly but too close to cast and shoot line. The drag and drop is set up with what I call plopping the fly. A plop is a short cast where I am shooting little

In January 2012 I listed these techniques in my YouTube video, Episode #2 of “Lessons from the Carp Lodge.” Considering how often conditions are not perfect here in Washington and Oregon it is accurate to say that there have been a good many fish that I would not have caught were it not for the drag and drop technique. Episode #4 of “Lessons from the Carp Lodge” has some introduction and reflection about

Drag & Drop to no line. The fly is sort of lobbed; it comes over the top and lands on the water before the line does. It plops when it hits the water. A plop is not particularly accuracy dependent like some casts need to be. You just need to get the fly in generally the correct area somewhere past the fish. You lift the rod and drag the fly across the water, you stop the drag and let the fly drop either on the dinner plate of a feeding carp or in the path of a carp that is shopping or cruising. The drag is very much accuracydependent and is the key part of combining these techniques successfully.

the joys and frustrations of fly fishing for carp. There is also video to show the joy and the frustration. In this episode there is a very clear demonstration of plopping then dragging and dropping to a shopping/prowling carp. The fish is clear and the techniques are clear. God bless that wonderful mirror carp; he took the fly so perfectly and you can see it in the video! I watch that video and it gets me started thinking that carp fishing is easy. Then I remember; fly fishing for carp is rarely easy. Again, it is technical and difficult. Conditions

TACTICS ☁ CARPPRO

make it difficult and these fish are smart. Dragging and dropping the fly is a specific technique that helps me be successful; it won’t help you

catch every fish you see but it will definitely help you get more hook ups.

2013

ACE Razor Point and Camo Core review Tomas Kutschy with

Review â&#x2DC;Ż CARPPRO â&#x2122;&#x2019; 2013

I've never been one to skimp on quality hooks. After all, they are the first thing in the long line of potential weak links that connect you to a potential new PB fish! A good hook and the right pattern can nail the fish of a lifetime. A bad hook and you might as well take up knitting. The new ACE Razor Point hooks have me hooked. You often hear that products are designed to catch anglers and not fish, and the packaging on the ACE hooks are certainly well designed. With all that laser etched labeling and each individual hook snugly

snapped into place in the box and not jangling around getting blunt, they are definitely eyecatching. But we often see good packaging and bad products so you have to put them to the test. I was nailed soon as I opened the packet. Ouch! Beware! They really are "Razor" sharp! Since using them I've noticed that I have not had to change rigs/hooks as often. I check my rig after every cast and some of the swims I fish are rocky or have mussel beds. Bad hooks do not last long but I was impressed that the ACE hooks coped so well. They are megadurable and really seem to keep that sticky-sharp point. The Long Shanks are by far my favorite

Review â&#x2DC;Ż CARPPRO â&#x2122;&#x2019; 2013

pattern and have produced some great captures for me this year. On a slightly separate note, I'm not a huge user of coated braids but the ACE Camo Core is so quick and easy to work with I find myself using it more and more. I really can't fault the stuff

and the knot strength is excellent. It really is really confidence inspiring and the number of quality captures on the ACE hooks and Camo Core are beginning to pile up. Tight Lines! Tomas

www.wildcarpcompanies.com

Dirty. Ask a hundred self respecting men, how they feel about getting dirty and 90 will give you some macho bullshit about how they love working hard, rolling up their sleeves and getting the job done. When you ask a hundred self respecting men that consider themselves outdoorsmen that number is closer to 100. Getting wet, dirty, slimy or even bloody are not just unavoidable parts of being an outdoorsmen; they are relished. That same sentiment doesn't seem to apply when it comes to flyfishing. Proper sporting gentlemen in tweed jackets with guides to tie on their

CITY CARP

JARED with HINKLEY

TACTICS ☀ CARPPRO ★ 2013

flies don’t get dirty. It’s unbecoming. I blame Brad Pitt. Luckily, carp flyfishermen don’t shadow cast. City carp fishing is dirty. If you just want to keep your hands clean and pluck beautiful trout from a stream then maybe you shouldn't attempt it. Sure, there are places where carp live in clean water in beautiful settings. But we are talking hardcore urban fishing here. An angler would be hard pressed to find water in a modern American city that isn’t jacked up in some way. This is a dirty, edgy, public way

people complaining all the time about how "its too hot to trout fish" or "the bass are down deep" and other excuses to stay inside and get fat. We work our asses off in some office and daydream about flats fishing for bones and permit and then go home and wish our once a year trip would come early. Until carp, That was our only choice. We didn’t realize that on our commute with the air conditioner or heat blasting full power (this is the midwest, its either hot as hell or cold as shit) we pass up water

THE BASS ARE DOWN DEEP to catch tough, strong and difficult fish. The faint of heart need not apply. The problem is that even for those flyfishermen that aren’t afraid of a little muck, living in a city has traditionally meant flyfishing was reserved for the occasional vacation. Blue ribbon trout streams, or large productive bonefish flats just don’t exist where 3 million humans do. It’s sorta how it works. Thus, most of us city dwelling fishermen live a good distance from our ideal fishing spot. We hear

that's full of 5-15 lb fish. That those fish would love to take your fly, make a 50 yard run and wrap your leader around the nearest submerged stolen shopping cart. That some of the most difficult and rewarding flyfishing in the world was available to us everyday. So, for the nearly converted who are still reading this and wondering how to get dirty on the way home from your shitty job, just take a look out your window. See that pond? There are probably carp in there, and after you get out of that traffic

TACTICS ☀ CARPPRO ★ 2013

you'll probably pass a little creek or two and more than likely, there are carp there also. As a matter of fact, I don't know a body of water around the Twin Cities that doesn't hold carp. The hard part is finding what area of any given body of water is their favorite chill spot, and what time of day they like to hang out there. Don't get discouraged if you go down to the Mississippi a couple

of times and don't' see any fish. There might be a nice flat muddy area that looks like it should hold fish that is empty one minute, and full of fish 10 minutes later. The trick is simple, if the body of water holds carp, find the areas shallow enough that if they hold fish youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be able to see them. These are the places to start.

TACTICS ☀ CARPPRO ★ 2013

Once you know where the carp are, what's the next step? If you think the answer is, "go fish it" you're wrong. First you have to get rid of that little voice in your head that's saying, "dude, you can't fish there, everyone is gonna laugh at you". ok now you can go fish it… as soon as you're geared up.

like an adams in sizes 14-18 (yeah we said dry flies, did you think we were just a bunch of unsophisticated assholes?) for when the carp are clooping. A few small buggy patterns that look vaguely like crayfish are good to have too. Stay small with these patterns; 6’s 8’s and 10’s generally.

I don't want to get into a long discussion on carp flies. There are other articles that cover that much better than I ever could, but I will make a few general remarks.

What might be more important that an exact pattern or color is a fly that is properly weighted for the depth and speed of water you're fishing. If you're a trout nympher then you know about having a nice drag free drift. You also know the importance of getting the fly right in front of that fish's face that's sitting 10 feet down stream from you under that log. Carp want that fly presented in a

Carp can be picky eaters and the local carp diner is probably serving up something specific in your neck of the woods. That said, there are a few general patterns that are great

DUDE YOU CAN’T FISH THERE places to start on your first few outings. In Minneapolis and surrounding areas, you should always have a San Juan Worm, in either pink or flesh color, some glo bugs, (pink works good), and some smaller nymphs like hares ears and pheasant tails. These patterns are pretty likely to carry over to your water in any urban setting. Always have some generic dry fly patterns

similar way. They will move for a fly, but more often than not, you're going to want to put the fly within a couple inches of their gaping hole. Don't worry, it’s easier than it sounds, but it might take a little practice. CarpPro recently posted an awesome video on the "drag and drop" presentation that is used in close quarters. It’s a very typical

AND FOR GODS SAKE DON’T HOOK A BABY IN A STROLLER......

TACTICS ☀ CARPPRO ★ 2013

technique used in the brushy city carp spots. Another consideration is tippet size and leader length. We like to use 12lb tippet with a total leader length of about 7-10 ft. It’s strong enough

to land any of the fish you're going to encounter and to break most weeds or twigs you get your fly wrapped around. I haven't seen any fish getting leader shy using 12lb line. The water we fish tends to be a little cloudy anyway. Of course you may need to go down a few sizes if you're fishing the dries. A perfect rod for city carpin' is a 10 foot 7 weight but I actually use a 9' 6 weight most of the time simply because I don't own a 10 ft 7 weight. Why such a long rod? Because more often than not you're going to be sticking that long rod out over the bank and making very close presentations. The more reach with the rod, the better. Now, don't run out and buy a new rod just to go carp fishing. Fishing for carp is dirty and part of the fun is making due with what you have. If all you own is an old fiberglass 5 weight, string it up and see if you can put a bend in it. If it takes you forever to land a fish on it you're gonna have a hell of a crowd watching by the end of the fight! Now you're ready to hit that murky water under that bridge down by the HWY 94 overpass. Or will it be that little lake surrounded by houses that looks private but you're gonna take a chance and ask for forgiveness? Both look fishy and

TACTICS ☀ CARPPRO ★ 2013

targeting carp has open up so much more fishable water to you; don’t be surprised if it’s hard to know where to start. People will walk up to you and ask what the hell you're doing with that fly rod. Most likely they'll tell you, "there aint shit it there but carp". When you tell them that's what you're fishing for, they'll do one of two things. Either they will ask you why the hell you want to catch carp, and tell you they're no good for eating. Or they’ll spout off about where they saw a bunch of carp in some other spot that you probably haven't fished. Listen to them. Free tips on good fishing spots are rare in anything other than carp fishing. These people aren’t going to lie about spots to throw you off. It won’t be like this forever, take advantage of it. Here in Minnesota almost everyone is interested in fishing. They love to see someone reel in their catch. Be prepared to demonstrate your fish landing skills and to have kids want to see and touch your fish. Also, don't be surprised if you’re carefully stalking a pod of feeding fish and someone clumsily walks up and spooks every fish within half a mile. After your blood pressure goes back down, try to say something nice to them and make a friend. You never know who you're gonna meet and hell, they might be able to tell

you about your next awesome carp hole. And for God’s sake don’t hook a baby in a stroller on your backcast. No other activity does more to open up the heart of the city to you than stalking the urban carp that live there. Carp will lead you under overpasses, behind industrial parks and through the manicured lawns of mansion. They’ll take you through parks, around dog walkers and under bike paths. You will stumble upon teenager’s favorite make out spots, a graffiti artist tagging up a nice freshly painted wall, and a stash of stolen bikes (you can ride these from spot to spot if you're really hardcore). It will infuse you with the mud and grit and smells of the city in a way few others will ever see. Best of all, it will leave you wanting to do it every damn day.

Picture courtesy of Jim Mcfarlane.

MARIO DAMIAN MIGUEL RUIZ

TACTICS ★ CARPPRO ♠ 2013

QUICK TIPS CarpPro caught up with carping cousins and pro-staffers Miguel Ruiz and Mario Damian on the banks of a crazy, but prolific, SoCal impound for some quick tips. The boys came good and showed us how its done Cali winter style!

MIGUEL RUIZ: GO TO COMBI RIG W/ EASY TIE HAIR

KISS Strip a few inches

Cut a length of your favorite coated braid

TACTICS ★ CARPPRO ♠ 2013

A short length of 1mm silicon tube

Grab an ACE Razor

Pull a loop of the stripped braid through the silicon and then thread on the hook

MARIO DAMIAN: GLUG THEM HOOKBAITS IN OILY FLAVORS

Knotless knot with six turns

Back through the eye of the hook and tighten down

TACTICS ★ CARPPRO ♠ 2013

A simple overhand loop is all that’s needed to finish the rig

Select a bottom bait, trim to help release flavor Thread on and go. The tag end of the hair can be pulled to adjust the hair perfectly

PACK

DIP SPRAY

CATCH

TACTICS ★ CARPPRO ♠ 2013

MARIO DAMIAN: Small, bright, smelly and single works for Mario. Hook baits that is, not his women!!

DONT MISS ANOTHER PROTIP IT’S FREE!!

Boat

Control

Techniques

Carp Fly Fishing for

Captain

Travis Hammond

Tactics â&#x153;&#x2021; CARPPRO â&#x153;? 2013

ave you ever gazed across your favorite foot access flats to those out-of-reach waters where carp are raising hell and seemingly taunting you? Did you say to yourself If I only had a boat I could get flies on those fish and would be putting a whooping on them? Well, two things are true about this situation. For one, using a boat can definitely put you in a situation to have more shots at fish and second, controlling the boat to best position yourself for those shots is key.

and is a good platform for fly casting. I fly fish for carp using two watercraft including a homemade pirogue and a 15-foot aluminum Jon boat. The particular water I choose to fish on any given day will dictate which boat I will be in.

You can cover a lot more water with a boat than by wading. By using the elements of sun, wind and current combined with a good trolling motor, poling and anchoring skills, anglers can attain a stealthy advantage in casting opportunities at carp that would normally be unreachable by wading. What is the ideal carp boat you may ask? Basically it is one that you can control easily, drafts shallow enough to slowly work shallow flats

because it is easy to paddle (or pole) standing up which allows for a better vantage point for spotting carp. And not to mention standing is a way better casting position than sitting down in my opinion. But pirogues are tippy so I use a set of adjustable outrigger pontoons for stabilization. My pirogue is 14-feet long with a 33-inch beam and 10inch sideboards. When solo I place my cooler and gear ahead of the beam towards the bow. This way I

For smaller, tighter water where there is no boat launch, I use the pirogue. No explanation of pirogues is needed for those hailing from Louisiana but for everyone else it is basically a flat bottomed canoe with slight rocker. I like the design

have all the back half of the boat free and encumbered so my line won’t get tangled on things lying around on the floor. I have used the pirogue with two anglers before but you have to watch the weight and watch your casting so you and your buddy don’t hook each other in the face. Basically, the pirogue works best as a single angler craft.

Lets

Guide flats boat but I haven’t gotten that sponsored TV spot yet. So in the meantime I use a 15.5-foot aluminum jon boat powered by a 25 horsepower outboard. My boat is equipped with a bowmounted, footcontrolled electric trolling motor and has an open elevated foredeck, ideal for fly casting. A quickdeploying anchoring system such as a Power Pole or Talon shallow water anchor by Minn Kota would be optimal but I’m still saving my pennies for one of those.

Talk Control

In a pirogue your range is limited to as far as you can paddle or pole in your allowed amount of time, so for bigger water I use a bigger boat. I would prefer a sweet Hell’s Bay

Tactics ✇ CARPPRO ✐ 2013

So now that you’ve got your boat equipped, let’s talk control. As I stated earlier the key is to use the sun, wind and current. The best way to use these elements is to position the boat so you have the wind at your back and the bow of the boat into the current. This will keep you from overrunning your target while using the trolling motor. One of the easiest ways to master this is keeping the bow facing into the current. It is much easier to keep the boat properly positioned this way. Approach your target from downstream and ease the boat up to it. If you drift backwards, you won't ruin your target by drifting over it. This will allow you to use the current and wind to push the boat so you can use the trolling motor to fine tune your position for casting. You can also reverse the trolling motor to slow your approach so you won’t spook your target. The sun should be behind you (if possible) during all this. This will keep your shadow from drifting close to the fish and it will help you get the best view with the least amount of glare. Getting into this position at the spur of the moment is very difficult so try to spot fish early so you will have ample time to set up your approach. As we all know the stars don’t always align and conditions are

usually not ideal. For example, if you must have the sun in your face, approach the target straight on into the sun to minimize your profile. This will cast your shadow straight behind you in the opposite direction of the fish. If the current is pushing the boat harder than the wind go against the current and vice versa. This makes it easier to control the boat and will keep you from drifting over your target. Again, as in any situation, try to use the sun in a manner as to not cast a shadow over the fish and to reduce glare. If you have a shallow water anchoring system, try to deploy it just as you get into casting range. This way you will be less likely to spook the fish while simultaneously allowing yourself a little more room for error. For example, if you are too far or the fish moves away you can take up the anchor for a second and still have time to get back into casting position. I’ve explained these techniques from the standpoint of a solo angler but if you have two anglers adept in boat control the whole process becomes a lot smoother. The basic positioning techniques using the sun, wind and current are described above for motor boats but they also apply to canoes and pirogues. The main difference is that you’ll have to use a good ole

Tactics ✇ CARPPRO ✐ 2013

roped anchor to stop yourself when you are in casting range. This more often than not causes a missed shot because you have to take your eyes off of the fish while you fiddle

Avoid excess noise by adjusting the depth of your trolling motor in shallow water. If you want to spook every carp in a country-mile radius, just bang your trolling motor on

with anchor and anchor line. So it is best to use canoes and pirogues in areas where there is minimal current and wind.

rocks/sand/mud. Banging your trolling motor on the bottom not only produces unnatural sounds, but creates a visual clue to your

Tactics ✇ CARPPRO ✐ 2013

presence. And try to pack light. There is nothing that causes more noise in a boat than stumbling over a bunch of clutter. And we all know how sensitive carp are to thuds and other sudden loud bonks. Boats are inherently noisy so keep tight tabs on your noise making factors. Being observant of your speed, the wind and sun directions and the distance to your target will go a long way in flattening the learning curve of good boat control. Taking your time and getting a good set up to your approach will more often than not allow the angler a chance to put a fly in the money zone of that huge carp you wouldn’t have been able to get close to by wading.

Besides being a mobile casting platform, a boat can also open up a lot of water for wading. I use my boat to access flats of remote archipelagoes in the middle of the Columbia River where I have all of the water to myself. Boats also make great bases of operation too. It is so nice to pop open a cold beer for a nice break on the water between carp flats. Boating is a lot of fun and can be great for getting to the fish but please be responsible. Always follow safety rules and all boating regulations to get the maximum amount of enjoyment out of your carp fly fishing boating adventures.

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360

Type to enter text

The 360ยบ Rig >

Evan Bull

RIG ➤ CARPPRO

2013

Start by sliding on a small rig swivel

Long curve shanked hooks are perfect for this pop- up presentation. The rig is designed to spin and nail the bottom lip every time!

Then comes a small rubber rig stop

360

RIG â&#x17E;¤ CARPPRO

2013

Evan prefers an ACE bait screw to the usual ring and hair arrangement

A second rig stop and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready for a short stiff hook link

Mono or coated braid, your choice!

Screw on a pop-up and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game on

Evan likes the putty to balance the rig around the swivel, but makes sure the swivel can spin freely

RIG â&#x17E;¤ CARPPRO

2013

Paylakers, you gave us packbait, consider this pay back. This rig will nail them all day long!!

360

PACK & PLAY

CLICK & LISTEN

FREE FLY CARPING PODCASTS!!

REVIEW

CARPPRO

Alarm

with

Tomas Kutschy

2013

Not long after switching over to these alarms I had an amazing session which Included a new personal best. They had a good workout and took a beating without complaint or hiccough! Much has been said about the ACE alarm, and it's definitely right up there with the Delkims and toprange Fox alarms in terms of features and quality. Have you ever turned off your alarm to make adjustments on of your setup or add more tension in the line? And then forgot to turn it back on?! whats the point of an alarm if it's been OFF half the session? Better yet, there's your fishing mate, fast asleep in his chair, dreaming of big carp, and you've just re-cast and are busy messing with your alarm, unaware of the coronary event he's suffering as you wake him up with a false one-tone take. And also completely unaware of the shoe coming at your head at 50 miles per hour (eh, Fritz?) One of the features I like about these alarms is the mute function on

the left side of the buzzer. The button cancels out sound on both the alarm and the alarm's channel on the RX-One remote receiver for around 30 seconds. This makes line and indicator adjustments completely incognito so you don't have alarms beeping unnecessarily. It might seem like a small feature, but it's indicative of the amount of

REVIEW

thought that has gone into the design. While we're talking about discretion, you can turn the volume off on the alarm unit and adjust it independently on the receiver to make takes really discreet. Nice! Another ideal feature that got my attention was the choice switching

CARPPRO

between roller or vibration sensor adjustable by the knobs on the right hand side of the unit marked "R" and "VS". They seem to give limitless sensitivity when you need it and precise adjustment to conditions. Again, a lot of thought has gone into the design and you really do get the best of both worlds with the i-3.

2013

REVIEW

The LEDs are switchable through 6 different colors right there on the bankside. Simply hold in that mute button on the left side then turn the knob on the top left clockwise and watch it change before your eyes. You can choose to set the LEDs to red, yellow, green, blue, white and even purple that Delkim charges extra for. Now you don't have to choose whether you're an all-purple alarm tart or in the mood for red, white and blue! The RX-One receiver will also change automatically to reflect the LED color on the alarm unit. There's so many features on the i-3 and I really could go on. There's a night light setting and low battery warning light that keeps you on top

CARPPRO

of things. There's even a range tester for the RX-One Receiver to check the strength of your signal. Don't let all the extra features put you off, though. There's always the manual to refer to, but I doubt you'll need it. The i-3 alarm system is very easy to learn and adapt it to your own fishing. If you're in the market for new alarms and you are stuck deciding between a Delkim TXi and a Fox NTXr, the ACE i-3 definitely gives you an alternative. It's right up there in quality and features and, at $173.50 for each alarm and just $136.50 for the receiver, you'll save a bunch of money too.

2013

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05/02/2013 11:56

Travel ♦ CARPPRO

2013

Lake Michigan, Georgia, and the secret to fly fishing for carp. @ large with

Ty Goodwin

As far as it goes, Lake Michigan meets the requirements. A lake, according to Webster’s, is a considerable inland body of standing water. At 22,300 square surface miles and an average depth of 279 feet, Lake Michigan is by all accounts “considerable”.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yes, I can be intense as hell about this but good grief man, we are after all only fishing here.â&#x20AC;?

Travel ♦ CARPPRO

I guess it’s the “body of standing water” part that bothers me. Standing water brings to mind puddles in the street after a hard rain or maybe a small pond in a pasture, not a massive freshwater sea that borders four states and boasts over 1600 miles of shoreline. Lake? Well ok, but that seems a little inadequate when the water lapping around your knees extends to the horizon in every direction. We’re into our second day on Lake Michigan and have netted exactly one carp. These dismal results are not due to lack of effort. We’ve done the work and then some in the form of many miles slogged and acres of water explored. Nor is it that we’ve come into this thing unprepared. Research was done, maps closely studied, surreptitious phone calls made and questions asked. Even the timing of the trip itself was carefully calculated. The problem of course lies solely with the carp. Our paltry maps and schedules don’t mean much when the time and place information that really matters is hard-wired into the fish themselves. No matter how much we prepared, the only cards we really had in our hand were educated guesses and hoping for

the best. So far the house was kicking our collective ass. This had no discernible effect on Miles and Trevor, who bounded along with relentless good cheer, continually convinced that the next flat would be teeming with carp even if the previous fifty were not. I probably should not have been surprised by this. If fly anglers in general are the Allied forces, then the carp guys tend to be Hogan’s Heroes – serious about the business at hand but prone to hilarity and not likely to get grim when things don’t go as planned. I suspect that’s part of the hardcore carp angler’s psyche and maybe the thing that separates him from the dabblers and the merely curious. Yes, I can be intense as hell about this but good grief man, we are after all only fishing here. In other words, the kind of person that can take the beatings that carp tend to deliver and still find a way to enjoy himself. Still, we came to Lake Michigan to catch the legendary carp that live there. I wondered if the laughs would continue over the next few days if our current course held. Would we eventually cut our losses and head home early? I pictured a long drive back to Georgia.

2013

But the prospect of packing it in is rarely an option with those who take their fishing seriously because, well, you never know. A trouter gets blanked all day and then the yellow sallies or cinnamon caddis or whatever come off and forgettable morphs into epic. On cast one thousand and one, a salmon angler finally gets a bump. The bump. The grind suddenly becomes glorious and later he’s buying a round for everyone at the pub, waders still dripping. That’s fishing. Days, even entire trips, often turn on the proverbial dime and make the short leap from awful to awesome. So you slog on. You never know. Miles saw it first. Or rather we all saw it, but Trevor and I were too stunned to speak. It was brief but unmistakable. As we sat in the truck gazing out over yet another blank slate of Lake Michigan blue, a bright dagger of gold suddenly appeared above the surface, hovering for just an instant and then disappearing again with a large splash, maybe a hundred yards out. “Did you see that?” Miles said. Yes, we saw it. Maybe. After two days of staring intently at flat after empty flat, stalking large carp that

turned out to be only large rocks and otherwise going slowly insane, trusting our eyes was suddenly a difficult thing to do. Finally Trevor broke the silence. “Holy crap, a hell-raiser. Gotta be a bunch of fish out there.” It was true. We had found them.

“Holy crap, a hellraiser. Gotta be a bunch of fish out there.”

Just like that. A vast network of flats where packs of carp roamed like wolves in a field. Forgettable to epic. Grind to glorious. We picked up our dime, waded out and caught them. Just like that. I could at this point give you the play by play for the next few days.

Travel ♦ CARPPRO

The carp cruising, the carp caught. Trevor’s 34.5 pound beast. Miles’ 29 pounder. The 22 pound average that held for awhile before we finally got into some “small” midteens fish. I could tell you all of that, but writing this I realize that’s not really what I mean to say here. This is a story about unexpected familiarity in a strange place. This is about applying well-learned lessons that I didn’t even realize had long ago taken solid root in my brain. The reservoir where I chase carp in Georgia is small, less than 500 acres. A relative drop in the bucket compared to most lakes, Great and otherwise. This single system of flats that we found on Lake Michigan was likely not much smaller than that entire reservoir when considered in toto. And the water there was excruciatingly clear, unlike in Georgia where the water rinses the thick gooey clay of that region and stains to a deep reddish-brown most days. Lake Michigan was in all respects another world. But I knew this place. Or maybe it’s better to say I knew this kind of place. Yes, I’ve been here before. Only it was somewhere else. If that makes sense.

2013

What I mean to say is that I knew exactly what to do. I was surprised at the absolute automaticity of this. A carp cruised into view. I made the cast and caught him. This was Michigan.

This was Georgia. This was shallow water full of feeding carp and I knew what to do because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done it before. Hundreds of times. All of those long hours spent on the flats of Georgia were paying off with considerable interest here in Michigan. I think that I can speak for Trevor and Miles too and say that they felt the same way. None

of us were lost. We had individually followed these paths before in our own ways and together knew the steps by heart. An experienced carp angler can detect the subtleties of the take in

the same way that a good hitter can differentiate between a fastball and a curve by recognizing the spin on the ball. Note that: An experienced carp angler. And that is truly what this boils down to; experience. Repetition. Success. Failure. Maybe even especially failure. Multiple failures that eventually lead

Travel ♦ CARPPRO

to patterns of success. There are no shortcuts to this deal and the price of admission is steep. Take notes. Keep a journal. Put in your time on the water.

I find there is no middle ground here. There are no casual carp anglers. It’s all in or it’s nothing. The hard-core carp angler knows the work. He knows that the secret of fly fishing for carp is that there is no secret. No magic fly. No sure-

There are two types of anglers who

“There are no casual carp anglers.”

fly fish for carp. The first type tries it and gives up almost immediately. It’s simply too difficult. The second type tries it and becomes consumed. It’s simply too difficult… too difficult to ignore. An angling gauntlet thrown down emphatically, a continuing challenge that cannot be left alone.

fire technique. It’s exactly like anything else worth pursuing. It’s work. It’s practice. It’s taking the worst days in stride, marking them as dues paid. It’s understanding that failure is an essential piece of the equation. It’s following a narrow path that eventually takes you to a familiar place, no matter where you are.

2013

EDGE ALERT //////// When Pro-staffer Austin Anderson decides to share some flavor secrets its a good time to listen

Hutchinson flavors have scored big in the last year and we have all seen some incredible results from flavors such as Monster Crab, Megaspice and Chocolate Malt. Some paylakes have even tried to ban it itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so good! But when everyone else gets on your go-to flavor, you can get that extra edge by creating your own carpy cocktails and concocting super-blends that will get the fish back on your bait!

Bait ♨ CARPPRO

2013

//////////////

Get Savvy with Savay and Scopex //////// I add Savay Cream to literally everything. It’s a good flavor to mellow everything out in other flavors. Same with Scopex. Both of these flavors come into their own when added with other Hutchy flavors.

Common Sense Appeal ///////// I also add Regular Sense Appeal to most of my baits. It just adds that extra bit of amino that really gets the fish going. I’m not sure what it is but it works wonders, especially when they don’t seem to be having it. Also, when I float fish I use simple canned corn with only one tweak; I put in a capful of Sense Appeal. I have been able to tell that it has impacted my catch rate in the short time that I’ve been doing it.

///////////////////////////

Bait ♨ CARPPRO

2013

/////////////////////////// The Supremes ///////// Pineapple Supreme and Banana Supreme are two classics that are just meant to go together. I use these two almost exclusively through the summer. It’s one of my favorite combos all over Texas especially for buffalo. Add in Savay Cream just to mellow it a bit and you’re just asking for a run.

The Boss has been blending and reaping the rewards!

///////////////////////////

Recent Pro Staff recruit Jon Eisen is already a Hutchy Mixologist

Bait ♨ CARPPRO

2013

Carp and Apple Pie ////////// Here’s another fantastic blend. Mix Fruit Frenzy, Savay Cream, and Scopex together. Then add in a dash of cinnamon and you’ve got bait that smells almost exactly like apple pie. It’s unbelievably effective during the fall and spring.

Tuttiberry /////////// Hutchinson’s Mega Tutti and Strawberry go very well together. I used this combo quite a bit during the early spring and caught very well on it. As is Tutti and Scopex. Well…Scopex kind of goes with everything.

A Florentine Flourish //////////// Mulberry Florentine is simply an awesome bait additive. I’m not sure what it is about it but that super strong fruit blast really attracts their attention when they aren’t feeding super heavily. Add in a bit of Savay Cream to mellow this one out a bit as well. Original Scopex is another great flavor to mix with Florentine. It’s not super strong but that mellow scent representative of Scopex just works well alongside a strong fruity one.

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Chocolate Malt Assault /////////

Nouvelle Cuisine //////////

I’ve gotten in a habit lately of spraying Chocolate Malt on the outside of most of my packbaits. It’s a flavor that goes with almost everything you couple it with, much like Megaspice. I’ve caught a lot of fish just by putting 2 sprays of chocolate on then topping it off with a couple different CarpPro flavors.

Nouvelle Fizz is a crazy flavor, it’s hard to describe it, but the buffalo sure seem to like it for some reason. Goes well with, once again, Savay Cream or Scopex. (What the hell! Why not use them both!) Nouvelle is one of Hutchy’s flavors that seems to have some sort of preservative in it, because I made some soybean pack almost 2 months ago and it’s still not sour yet!

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Bait â&#x2122;¨ CARPPRO

2013

/////////////////////////// Hutchy blends dominated on Lake Fork last year

Bait â&#x2122;¨ CARPPRO

2013

/////////////////////////// The Go-To Glug ////////// Pineapple Supreme and Savay Cream mixed together are what I glug almost all of my artificials in regardless of what bait Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m putting out with it. Strawberry Cream and Savay cream also work extremely well for this.

Sweet Pops ///////// Use pop ups? A capful of intense sweetener in a jar of pop ups will bring them back to life and give you a completely different bait. That little extra bit of sweet can score big during the winter.

Getting it done!!!!

These flavors have set the Paylaking world alight. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss out, we simply canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t keep it in stock!!!!!!

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