Frogs are worse for your heart than bacon

When walking the flats for carp, beware of frogs. They wait until the time is right (usually mid-stalk and deep in concentration) to squeel and jump into the water mere inches from your legs.

It usually is a surprise and an unwelcome jolt out of a concentrated carp trance. Just ask Jay Zimmerman.

Side note: Bacon is great for the soul...which is basically your heart.

Scales, Tail, and Whiskers

Scales

Tail

Whiskers

Not cat whiskers. Cats are the worst. Carp on the other hand....

After plying the urban waters of Denver on the warmer winter days in search of carp, I finally found some that were cruising, mudding, and eating. After missing two hooksets on some slightly larger carp, I finally connected with a 4 to 5 pound common carp. After a couple smaller runs, it found it's way into my Nomad. The next one will be 20 pounds....

Lip AIDS - A DSP Staple

On the lookout for Lip AIDS (photo credit: SchnitzerPHOTO)

By no means am I an experienced carper. I caught one on the Missouri. But, I am embracing the pursuit for the golden ghost, unlike some of Chum's commenters. Denver and it's hinterland have some great carp water including the misunderstood and often polluted South Platte through Denver. This month, Russell Schnitzer (of SchnitzerPHOTO) and I have tried our hand at catching the often invisible January Denver-South Platte (DSP) carp. While we haven't connected with a winter carp yet, we have experienced everything else that DSP has to offer, including a valuable life lesson (AKA Pro Tip).

Pre Lip AIDS - the good old days (photo credit: SchnitzerPHOTO)

DSP Pro Tip - Don't use textured fly lines while fishing for carp on the DSP. Textured fly lines have a habit of "grabbing" water. When double hauling textured fly line that is coated with the clear waters of the DSP, water shoots off the line and flies onto your lips and provides your lips with a burning sensation I like to call Lip AIDS.

Chemical makeup of DSP - Water, Steel Reserve, and Lip AIDS (photo credit: SchnitzerPHOTO)

DSP Pro Tip - Listen to the homeless. As we headed north towards Florida Avenue, a homeless man on the banks enjoying a taste told us "You're walking the wrong way, all the fish are south." We thanked him for his advice and continued north. We were wrong. He was right.

Winter Carping. (photo credit: SchnitzerPHOTO)

Check out SchnitzerPHOTO on facebook and instagram. Believe it or not, he takes amazing photos of things other than me.

holding on to what's GOLDEN

As some of you may know, last weekend, I caught my first carp on a fly rod. I was floating the Missouri River with guide Jared Edens and owner John "Scumliner" Arnold of Headhunters Fly Shop looking for some it's trouts rising for the buffet of bugs (Mother's Day Caddis, March Browns, Blue Winged Olives, and some weird Trico-ey mayfly) that were hatching. Around 3, the high sun started to take it's toll and the bugs weren't coming off well. In the start of the float, John had mentioned that we would potentially have a shot at carp during the float. He asked if I would be interested. Being a sugar lips virgin, I said "Yes." Fast forward to 3 o'clock in the afternoon, John double checked with me and asked, "Are you serious about this carp?" I replied, "Yes."

So, we took an hour break from catching gaggles of trout on the Missouri to stalk some backwater carp. The carp has it's fair share of haters, but, they are worthy fish on the fly. Sore forearms, folded six weights, purring reels, and gold. During my five plus minute fight with my carp, Jared made it a double. A carp double. No footage to verify that. Just yelling. It happened. Trust me, I am a fly fishing blogger. After our carp break, we resumed hunting rising fish on the Missouri. The dry fly eating trout of the Missouri will grace the next YGF video. For now, enjoy fly fishing for Missouri River carp in HD.

Music: Jurassic 5 "What's Golden?"

Sugar Lips: 1st Carp on the Fly

This weekend, a float on the Missouri with Headhunters looking for rising trout was interrupted by a backwater filled with schools of cruising carp. Scumliner did a little recon and our short leash nymph rigs were quickly switched out for unweighted leech patterns. Five casts in...I saw a cruiser. I cast to him. He turned on it. Strip set. Now, two days later. My forearm is still sore. I like carp.

Like me, they look better in person.

Unlike my continued unsuccessful quest for pike, I can now cross off carp from my list. I thought it would different.