Saturday Carp Flat Fishing Report

After having to cancel a guided trip for summer steelhead due to high water conditions, I had the day free, and decided to take advantage of the nice weather. What better fishing is there than carp fishing when it is sunny, bright, and the air is filled with high pressure? Smallmouth bass has been  plagued with high cold water, steelhead fishing has been high water right now, and trout could be good at a few locations, but I just got spoiled at the Deschutes during my stonefly hatch trip. I also wanted to test the power of a carp compared to a Deschutes rainbow trout. It turns out that a carp is way stronger than a rainbow trout. My friend and I discussed it, and I stated to him that a carp and trout of equal size and weight tied tail to tail together would result in a dead trout. I think a carp would drag a trout around until it would die. They are harder bodied and sturdier feeling than a trout. That being said, I would prefer to fish for them both, and it would be all about when to fish for what for me. If there is a hatch, it is overcast, and the water levels are good, then I am out trout fishing. If it is sunny, bright, hot, and high pressure, then you may find me carp fishing, or even bluegill fishing. Point is that I enjoy fly fishing ,and I like to target the species that would be the "most happening" for the given conditions of the day. 





Yesterday seemed like a perfect for carp flats fishing, but the reality was that it was tough out there. We were fishing to hundreds of fish, but they seemed more interested in other ventures. There were fish chasing each other around in spawning freakouts, and there were some cruising fish in search of what offerings may be abound. The problem is that they were ultra spooky, and it was simply not an easy day out there. You never know until you try though....