Finally felt the rod bucking.

I feel for my mates in Vic who are not allowed to even solitary fish , crazy. Up here we are allowed to fish locally.
I have done a few trips close to town looking for Carp(anything really) with out much success, it seems even the carp are hiding from the virus. But decided to do a short trip to a little high altitude lake i love and most people hate lol.
Now the success rate here for me is less then 50% of trips, the carp are extremely fat and well feed, spooky and fussy.
As i arrived i was shocked to see how low it was about 1.2m below the spillway. It is only 6hc when full. I walked up around the back on the flats and found some mud rising from feeding fish but could not pinpoint one.
Walked right around the back and down the far side when i spot some mud rising in a corner of a small bay, then i spot a tail waving but he is in the middle of weed. I was using a dark woolly worm with a metal bead and kept casting to the near side of the weed bed hoping he would poke his head out. Then I realised he had moved to the far side of the weed bed. Every now and again i could just see a tail moving. On about the 3rd cast I thought i was snagged on weed but then the rod bucked( O what a feeling) and i was on, first i thought a small fish of maybe 6 to 8lb but this fish was a bit like a bull dozer and has hard to turn. But eventually i slid a superb fat 73cm carp over the weed that pulled the scales down to 11lb.
Well satisfied i walked around to my turn around piont, then retraced my steps , when i got to the area where i had seen stired up mud i was extra carefull and spent 5 min getting into position. Once there i could see no obvious signs of fish , but put a cast out in the general area, and came up tight. I was quite astounded really as i did not expect this. While expecting a smaller fish this one was heavier and stronger then the last one. After following her along the bank i eventually slid a superb fish of 77cm and 15lb up the bank. Not bad on a 6wt fly rod.
Geoff or kev there are some pics on fb tacklebox if you would be good enough to drag them accross for me.
Cheers Pete

 

Thanks for that Jeff, those big fat carp goes as hard as Barra I have been told with a lot more endurance. The carp in this lake are the best looking carp I have come accross. The redfin , odd trout and odd golden must keep them culled , as they have not over populated and if any thing seem to be getting bigger( maybe I am the main culler lol)
Pete

 

I have had ones in shallow water smassh through the surface, but granted i have never had one tail walk . But the real attraction for me is the sight fishing. Inn some areas they are that easy to catch it it is not a challange and can become boring, but they are equally as smart as brown trout or Golden Perch and soon learn once they have been fished to a few times. The ones that live in the Macquarie at Bathurst you are doing well to get with in 50 yards of them, but i still try to hone my skills. Plus if i am needed at work I can be there in 20 mins lol.
Pete

 

Actually doubling it back makes the fly a lot more durable. The bottom fly is a good mudeye representation. Don't forget you can still dub a bit more on to the head if you want.
Also keep and eye out for possums that have been hit my cars, you only need the tail. Normally I take the lot and dispose of the body and keep the tail. You can never have enough possum tails.
Pete

 

We used kangaroo many years ago, and they worked ok of a night, but rabbit is better for the day time, much softer with better movement, and possum will work better then roo on rough dark nights. I use to have a copper mate let me know where he seen road kills possums while on duty. I just had to give him a few flies which was fair enough. His work mates apparently use to have a chuckle about our body recoveries , lol.
Pete

 

LOL, no not my mate, he is as straight as . But it was very handy having first hand info on where they where lying.
Pete

 

Blair one of the most effective day time flies in Euc and indeed most lakes is a Tom Jones, tied with a green stiffish fur. I quickly subed a green rabbit fur .
Pete

 

Best not to tie them to big, about size 10 , is good.