On being wrong

Written by Brian Shepherd

The 2015 season started for me on a warm breezy day in mid-April.  I was concerned that perhaps I was a bit too eager and that my attempts would be in vain because it was just too early for carp.  As with many other times of my life, I was just wrong.  There were not many carp to be found that day but I found one – and that is the one that mattered.  I did not spend too much time considering my fly of choice; rather opting for my go-to pattern based on previous success: the McLuvin.  I gently dapped the fly right in front of the head-down feeding fish and he pounced on it like a fumbled football.  The carp were ready and I did not mind being wrong.

First carp of 2015 - looking a bit surprised.

This is the first year that I began the season feeling 100% prepared: I had read everything there is to read on presentation, casting, approach, fighting, landing, and fly selection.  I also started the season with preconceived and soon-to-be-realized erroneous notions: you can only catch carp when they are head-down, you can only catch carp with heavily-weighted larger flies, carp will run into your backing every time, you can never assert your authority with a carp, battles will always be 6+ minutes, and on and on.  Again, I am very happy to proclaim that I was dead wrong on every single one.  I have learned a lot this season and even after 80+ carp, I am still learning.