58 NEBRASKAland • APRIL 2017
a plentiful and challenging gamefish.
While carp do not jump like a bass
and cannot be caught in numbers like
bluegill or crappie, they are the only
freshwater fish that will put a fly angler
into their backing on nearly every
hookup. The 37-inch carp fought nearly
20 minutes and took me into my
backing four times before I brought it
to the net. Fighting it was like trying to
slow down a bulldozer in low gear. In
fact, carp might be the only freshwater
fish that presents the average angler
with a consistent shot of catching a fish
over 10 pounds.
Many anglers that discover fly
fishing for carp compare it to saltwater
flats fishing, arguing the carp's skittish
nature and shallow-water habitat are
not far removed from pursuing tropical
species such as permit, bonefish and
tarpon. Unlike those species though, an
angler does not have to spend a fortune
on plane tickets and destination lodges.
Chances are your local farm pond,
golf course water hazard or municipal
reservoir has a healthy population of
carp.
Besides your local waters, Nebraska
has a wide array of carp fishing
destinations such as Branched Oak
Lake, the Fremont State Lakes
Recreation Area, Glenn Cunningham
Reservoir, and Wehrspann Lake, not
to mention the Missouri and Platte
rivers. The beauty of fly fishing for
carp is they are everywhere, making
carp fishing accessible to anyone who
has the ambition to start. The Nebraska
Game and Parks Commission also
holds an annual Carp-O-Rama for like-
mind carp-oholics to get together and
celebrate their favorite species while
introducing beginners to the sport.
Stealthy Hunting
Carp fishing begins either early in
the morning or towards the end of
the day at dusk. Low light conditions
make carp feel comfortable feeding
in shallow water where they will root
and wallow in mud bottoms to unearth
their next meal. Carp feeding in groups
often create a muddy cloud in the
water, which is a great way to locate
active fish. Find feeding fish in shallow
water and its game on. In shallow
water, carp will often "tail" or expose
their tail above the water as they tip to
feed. In bodies of water that are dark or
stained, mud slicks, small air bubbles,
and tailing fish are often the only
indications that carp are present. Don't
be discouraged if your local waters are
"In fact, carp might be the only freshwater fish
that presents the average angler with a consistent
shot of catching a fish over 10
pounds."
"Head down, tail up" is a sure sign of a feeding fish.
PHOTO
BY
RYAN
SPARKS
PHOTO
BY
JEFF
KURRUS
