A Day to Remember

So last Saturday, I called Charles for some afternoon and evening fly fishing at location X.  Things started well.  My jig bugger drew a strike on the first cast, but afterwards I switched to Flyfishfood's Low Fat Minnow.  We caught some nice fish.  The biggest went about three pounds.

Of course, after a while the fishing slowed, and we had noticed some bluegill bedding on the other side of the pond.  We sat down with some beadhead nymphs and a bag of deer jerky Charles got from Texas.  Each fish seemed to have a different color.

Then again, the fishing slowed...  We went back to bass fishing, both using a new fly shown to us by a guide friend of mine that works at the local fly shop.  We had fished all the way around the pond with nothing, then suddenly we cast into a school of bass.  One peeled off of the school to grab Charles' fly, while another came all the way from the bank for mine!!  Both fish were over 4 pounds and it was the second best double up we've ever had.

I went back to the bank to retie and change to some topwater flies when Charles yelled.  "Carp!!"  I immediately knew it was the large orange koi that we could never get to eat anything.  He yelled at the perfect moment and I wasted no time getting a backstabber on my line.  I crept to the water, knowing I would only get about three chances at the fish.  On the first two, he swerved past the fly.  On my third drop in front of him, he sprinted away from the bank.  I felt my line tighten, and as the fish hooked himself on my fly, I felt the true power of carp on the fly.  

The fish never got out past fifty feet, but every time I worked him to within 15, he would charge back to the open water.  After about five minutes of fighting this fish on my trusty TFO 6-weight, Charles pulled off his shoes and socks and hopped into the pond.  Five full minutes later, the fish was tired enough to grab and Charlie did it first try!!  I never would have gotten this fish without him!!!

I was able to get some "hero" shots with my fish and then Charles released him back into the pond.  Three years of chasing this fish and I did it on the fly!!!

The best day of fly fishing I've ever experienced at my pond, right here in my own backyard, would have been a sad "one that got away" story if not for my friend, who was willing to jump into a pond for me.

UPDATE:

We recently saw this fish swimming around on a nest, so the long fight and photo session we had was fine.  He is still swimming!!