Hit the carp waters yesterday and I have to say I hate fishing for them when it is overcast.  Trying to see them in the muddy water is hard enough but now add to that a gray overcast sky and well, sight fishing is tough.  And that was my intent for the day.  I catch a lot of them by dipping but I got the bug for some sight casting.  The first chance came along what I call the jungle because of the heavy foliage/ground cover. A carp was laid up along the bank, sort of just laying there doing nothing so I really had no choice but to dip the fly down near it. The carp went from doing nothing to bolting the three inches and inhaling the fly.  This carp reminded me that I need a new net, that is a longer one. I had to just about fall in to get it in the net and up the bank.
 

 
The next one came on a 20 foot cast and a soft landing of the fly. It worked perfectly and carp #2 was on.  I didn't want to net it so I got it close to the bank and removed the fly. Hence the pictures of the carp in the water.
 

 
The Third one was cruising the opposite bank under the soft rush I finally made a great cast, just in front of it and not in the rushes.  I mention this because I tossed three consecutive casts into them and lost three flies.  You can see the fly magnets in the background.
 

 
The forth one was mid canal with what looked like 4 other carp so I tossed the fly in front and past them, figured at least one of them should go for it.  I didn't think I had anything on but when I moved the leader, carp on!  Had fun keeping him from breaking me off on the drainage pipe.
 

 
I used a 6lb leader so I had to baby them a lot more then if I had used my normal 8lb leader.  I normally use a 8lb leader because of the canal banks are covered with twigs/branches and debris.  Both the olive and the brown swimming nymph worked.  I had to go to the brown after losing three olive ones in the rushes while trying to thread the needle so to speak..
 
 
I took a small video, still working out the kinks but filming and landing is tough to do.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTJk2pYSXmQ
 
 

Lee - I have a "river" here in San Jose (a former fishery that at one time supported Steelhead and King Salmon runs - but has been raped to little more than an irrigation canal  ) within 10mins of my house which I've been scouting, & have found several hang-outs, and I am hoping to land my first carp.  Water is never more than 6' deep anywhere, and about 25' wide at the widest points, usually much narrower than that.  Banks vary from grassy/rocky to full on briars and jungle...  What flies and line setup do you suggest I begin with?
 
best-
Bobby V

Bob, got get'm.  This new adventure will keep you occupied.  I wish I could find some small canals or ponds in the area but I've grown acustom to fishing big waters like Millerton lake and a few other impoundments.   It's a little different when fishing the lake.  You do a lot of scouting, moving and rowing.  I use a push pole to manuver my pram around, water is much cleaner so the fish are a little spookier.
I use a long leader tapered down to 6lb's most of the time and a 7 wt rod.  I've been told of an irrigation canal not far from the house that's suppose to have some BRUTE carp.  But right now, I'm too dang busy working on the next video that we hope to get on the market by the end of the year or early next year, maybe in time for the Pleasanton show.   I'm also tying up some flies for my October baja trip for Yellow Fin Tuna, dorado and Marlin.
 
darn, Lee I wish I could fish 300 days, I did a personal best this year in Baja.  I got in 38 days of fishing on my own, no clients.   A couple months ago, I was fishing 5 days a week.  I don't fish on weekends, my day off.   I'm also working on a carp video that I hope to finish before I leave this world
 
Lee, we gotta get together for a day or two along US Hwy 101.....  Bob, I might be heading your way in a couple weeks.
 
Jay

Not yet.  I heard he's somewhere up in the mountains fishing.  I've been to the area that
he was talking about but not to fish, just to observe.
 
Jay

Jay-
 
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