When the Ice Melts Away the Carp Will Play

Written by Brian Shepherd

It was inevitable that at some point slow moving creeks, such as the one I where I target carp in the cold months, would succumb to the low temperatures and freeze over.  With the recent freeze of Big Dry Creek, my lone winter carp spot was rendered useless.  I had abandoned still water in October once the colder temperatures drove the carp out of sight and into the deep.  In late fall, Big Dry Creek became the last bastion of hope (close to home) and the carp took flies up to the week before Christmas.

Nothing precludes you from fly fishing for carp like 2 inches of ice on your favorite creek.

Then it got cold, really cold.  In the days of deep cold before the ice-over, the carp all but disappeared.  It seemed futile to even go out there when they would not even reveal themselves.  I knew in my heart it was over for a while.  I even considered hanging up the carp gear (and pride) for a few months and thought about shifting my focus to fly fishing midge hatches for browns and rainbows (which is always fun by the way).  Then we got a few days where the mercury got up to 40 degrees or just below.  Whatever it was, it was enough to melt off some of the ice.

Any veteran carp angler will tell you that there is always a chance of catching carp when you can actually see the carp.  I might add that open unfrozen water helps too.

Reason #457 why I love Colorado.

 

You talk about some seriously cold fingers after releasing these fish into water that is a touch above freezing.

The crap selfie...sometimes you get a good shot but more often than not it is a carp shoot.