December 30, 2013

Do It Yourself


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"DIY dubbing #flytying #dubbing #harvest #rollyourown #igmilitia #squirrel"

December 9, 2013

Carpicide 2014 - Twin Cities, Minnesota

Carpicide 2014
Announcing Carpicide 2014, hosted in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, June 20th through 21st, 2014. Details are still being finalized at this point, with more events and info to follow. Here is what the fellows at Isthmus Fly Fishing, co sponsors of the event along with CarpPro, have to say so far:
What: Carp Fly Fishing Tournament to benefit Trout Unlimited
Where? Lake Hiawatha, Lake Nokomis, Lake Harriet, Lake Calhoun, Lake of the Isles, Cedar Lake, The Mississippi River from 8th Ave down to the 35E bridge and Minnehaha Creek. Any small ponds, tributaries, drainage ditches and other carp holding water within site of these bodies of water are also fair game.
Event Schedule:
June 20th, 7pm – Kickoff meeting – TBD
Registration and payment can be made at the kickoff, or before the start of the tournament on Saturday morning at 8am. There will be a presentation by Dan Frasier of CarpPro magazine and also a talk by Trout Unlimited on Friday night.
June 21st, 8am – Tournament Start. Anglers MUST be present at Lake Hiawatha Beach on Saturday morning in order to get their numbers and tournament packets.
June 21st 6pm – Tournament Ends. Anglers must be present at the Hexagon Bar at 6pm sharp in order for their fish to be included.
General Info:
Cost per participant is $25 (pay on Friday Night or Saturday morning, all proceeds go to Trout Unlimited)
Fly Fishing Only!
Every man, woman, and child for themselves!
Barbless Hooks Only
Boats are permitted
Each angler will get a number in their tournament packets on Saturday morning. When a fish is landed, the angler must take a picture of the fish with the number present in the picture, measure and weigh the fish.
Anglers must provide their own digital camera and scale. If a scale is not available a tape measure of the length and girth of the fish must be taken to estimate the weight of the fish.
These rules and regulations were developed very hastily and may change by June 21st 2014.
Please call Jared @ 608-335-8837 with questions.

I will be there, will you?

December 4, 2013

Fly Tyer Winter 2013

"Check out the "12 Dependable Carp Flies" article by Peter Elkins in the Winter 2013 Issue of Fly Tyer for a glimpse of some #carpcrack in print. #carpfood #carppro #flytying #artisanflies"

November 27, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving


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"While we're all feasting on turkey tomorrow, just think, carp could be feasting on this! #carpfood #carponthefly #carppro #turkeyday #flytying "

September 21, 2013

CarpPro Issue 5

CarpPro Issue 5
CarpPro magazine Issue 5 is live. As always, plenty of great carpy info to read and get caught up on what's happening across the country in the carp scene. Plenty of tourney action recapped in Issue 5. If you can't wait, turn to page 113 for my feature on tactical fly fishing.

August 23, 2013

welcome to the instagram show

instagram
Finally joined the party and hopped on the instagram train. Plenty of eye candy and fish porn to go around. Check us out and follow at instagram.com/roughfisher. Here's a teaser.

August 12, 2013

Carp Camp 2013 Beaver Island, MI: The Results

BI Carp
I'm not gonna lie, the fishing during Carp Camp was tough. Extremely tough. Like dragging a fly across a carp's nose without a reaction tough. Make no mistake, we had plenty of shots at fish, and as far as numbers go, I was happy with the amount of fish we saw for the time of year. But the fish were off and not interested in taking flies. Frustrating.

BI Carp
BI Carp
We all managed to catch some fish, and most importantly carp. Unlike the TFM trip, there were more than two carp caught total. Everyone at Carp Camp tallied at least two carp a piece, with a couple fish breaking twenty pounds. I was lucky enough to capture the big fish of the trip with a twenty-three pound post-spawn carp. If that fish had been holding eggs it definitely would have broken the thirty pound mark.

Photo courtesy of Mike Wolford
Photo courtesy of Mike Wolford
Photo courtesy of Mike Wolford
I was sweating bullets most of the trip. I was lucky to brush off the carp skunk on Day Two, but I was haunted by the lack of takes. I'm not gonna sit here and bullshit you into thinking that I was Mr. Perfect out on the flats. I'm not. I'm an average angler from my perception and feel that my only advantage is from intuitiveness and adaptation rather than pure skill and raw talent. But I was throwing down some pretty solid casts and had flawless presentations on a few. There was something more to it than just being at the right place at the right time. These fish were off, and after four solid days of fishing (and two weeks of guiding by Indigo) it was apparent that these fish were just plain stuffed. They couldn't fit another bite into their corpulent little mouths after gorging on hex and drake mayflies. It was like the equivalent of going to a Vegas all you can eat buffet after staying up all night eating cheesy poofs and bonbons, swilling them down with coke and mountain dew. These fish were full. They were in a food coma. Some of them were seemingly punch drunk, not even flinching as we're bouncing lead eyed flies right off their mustached mouths. It wasn't until I lobbed a heavy sculpin pattern out in front of a pod of carp where I saw a healthy sized fish take the leap of faith and lunge forward a couple feet to swoop down and suck in that fly. Not only did I get the approach, the presentation, and the visual of the hook up, but it was a plus twenty fish. I got the fish. Just as I was about ready to write off Beaver Island, this carp comes in and saves the trip on the last full day at Carp Camp.

BI Carp
Redemption.

August 5, 2013

3 Rivers Carp Cup August 17, 2013

3 Rivers Carp Cup
Don’t miss out on the fun, the bragging rights, the great prizes, and the chance to hook the biggest, ugliest fish you’ve ever caught on the fly at the 3 Rivers Carp Cup in Knoxville, TN.

This year’s 3 Rivers Carp Cup (3RCC) is to be held on Saturday, August 17th on the French Broad, Holston,
and Tennessee Rivers located throughout the greater Knoxville area. The 3 Rivers Carp Cup is a one day
fly fishing only tournament to benefit the Legacy Parks Foundation.
Legacy Parks Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization which works to assure that our community
enjoys exceptional recreational opportunities, natural beauty and open spaces, and that those assets
exist for generations to come. One of the primary areas of focus of Legacy Parks is to maintain the health
of and access to our local waterways.

Knoxville's history and growth is tied to our waterways and our rivers continue to define much of our
region. The 3RCC is a fundraiser to support the continued development of recreational opportunities
along the Holston and French Broad Rivers located below Cherokee and Douglas Dams respectively. At
present, access along the French Broad Blueway is adequate but incomplete while public access along
the Holston River is extremely limited and as a result this unique outdoor asset is currently underutilized
by a variety of users. All proceeds from the 3 Rivers Carp Cup will go to support increased access
opportunities on both rivers for a variety of users including fishermen, recreational paddlers, and wildlife
enthusiasts.

The 3RCC allows anglers to fish for the elusive carp along some of East Tennessee’s most scenic
waterways. The carp may be the most difficult fish to take on a fly and provides real challenges to the fly
angler. Last year’s tournament saw 44 anglers from all over the United States chasing carp in support of
the Legacy Parks Foundation. The momentum and enthusiasm for the 3 Rivers Carp Cup is building and
we expect to have an even larger contention this year with participation from as far away as France.

• Registration Fee: $50 (includes an official Carp Cup fishing shirt, drinks, and hors d’oevres.
• Dates: Meet and Greet: August 16, 2013 6-8pm. Tournament: August 17, 2013, 8am-6pm.
• For more information visit 3riverscarpcup.com
• To register call Allen Gillespie (3RCC Tournament Director) at 865-200-5271
or email: allen@3riversangler.com.

July 29, 2013

Carp Camp 2013 Beaver Island, MI: The Delivery

gear
Getting rigged up proper for Beaver Island can be a challenge to the average freshwater angler. Unless you fish the salt, much of the gear you have for Great Lakes carp is probably under powered for the task at hand. My last visit out to the island, I got spooled by an ornery young buck carp in the midst of the spawn. All 200 yards of my backing was out for the world to see and I didn't have anything to show for it. That was when I was fishing a Ross F1 #4, mated with a Ross RX 9 weight. This time around, I brought in the big guns, putting aside my Ross Momentum for the F1 #5. I spooled up that badboy with 300 yards of backing and a Scientific Anglers Grand Slam textured taper flyline, designed by Bruce Chard. There is no way I was gonna get spooled this time! While I sat at the house rigging up my rods and reels, I had discovered on Facebook that Chard's Gland Slam taper I just spooled up had just won the Best Saltwater Fly Line award at IFTD earlier that day. Yahtzee!

fly porn
fly porn
Fly selection for carp is different on Lake Michigan than anywhere else. Think big. I always bring my kit with me when traveling to fish. It is most unwise to show up at a joint unprepared. Even with research, fly selection can change like the wind and the hell if I'm gonna get caught with my pants down. Bringing my tying kit with allows me to match the current forage, see what kind of flies the guides are fishing and tying, and also provides for some entertainment during our downtime at the house. This go round, the guides were downsizing a bit, so the big beefy, burly stuff that I had tied and brought with were probably gonna be a bit super sized for this trip. See? I would have been screwed if I didn't bring my kit. I ended up tying up some large swimming nymphs as an insurance policy, in efforts to mimic the hex mayfly nymphs that were abundantly present. And it would eventually pay off.

fly porn
Water temps were pushing seventy degrees near shore. That, coupled with boat time casting from the front deck, meant that it was time for wet wading. I left the waders at the house and geared up in my flats boots, neoprene booties/gaiters, and my Mountain Khaki Granite Creek pants. I've exclusively worn these MK pants when fishing for the last three years now. Not only are they comfortable and quick drying, but the SPF 50 rated material is key to keep my legs from getting burned. Some folks like to sport shorts, not I. I like pants not only for the UV protection, but from shore hazards like stinging nettles, thorns, and stinging insects. I donned my CarpPro MK Granite Creek Windshirt for an upper. This was a wise decision. I wasn't concerned with my core temp from the winds since air temps were ranging from the low 60s in the morning to mid 70s in the afternoon, so the wind proof aspect of the shirt was a crucial advantage to me on this outing. On the boat rides in and out, however, this shirt kept me dry from all the surf spray. Unlike the other campers who had to don jackets in order to stay dry, I was able maintain preparedness without having to change clothes and still maintain my level of comfort. Winning.

the fight
I was definitely equipped with the right gear; so how'd I do? Find out soon when Part 3 concludes the Carp Camp recap.

July 25, 2013

Carp Camp 2013 Beaver Island, MI: The Setup

the Emerald Isle
The two hour ferry ride over to Beaver Island from Charlevoix is always a pleasant experience. It gives me an opportunity to clear my head, anticipate my arrival, as well as get myself into the right frame of mind and acclimate myself to island time. Beaver Island Boat Company provides the ferry service, and just a week or so prior to my arrival, word of a failed port engine on the Emerald Isle posted on Facebook, putting she ship out of service indefinitely. The Emerald Isle is BIBCO's flagship boat, the bigger, younger ship in the company's fleet. Service was to resume on the Beaver Islander, a ship I've yet had the pleasure of cruising on. The ferry ride over was nochalant, with little difference between the two ships apart from capacity and vending options, a true testament to the professionalism of BIBCO and their staff. Upon our entrance to St James harbor on the island, we were surprisingly greeted by a biplane, cruising around the island at a low altitude. The familiar sights of the harbor and the bright red roof of the Central Michigan University boathouse brought back pleasant memories of my last visit to the island. It was like visiting an old friend.

Biplane
St. James Harbor
Upon arrival, we made our way off the dock and over to the Fisherman's House where we were to make home for the next five nights. I had caught wind of the terrible conditions that plagued Cameron's TFM hosted trip. A few of the guests from TFM's trip stayed back a bit longer and fished an unscheduled day in hopes of breaking the funk now that the weather had cleared up considerably. After meeting and chatting with a few of the carryover guests, I walked over and met Cameron at the boat landing as he was coming in on Kevin's boat. A fine day on the water, but no carp. Hard to believe that between threes boats, six anglers, and four days out, only two carp were landed. Brutal. Although brief, it was nice to chat and catch up with Cameron before he headed off to the air strip to catch his flight out.

The Fisherman's House
I made my way back to the house and unpacked, settling in before all of the campers arrived. There were many thoughts running through my head, wondering about how the fishing was going to be over the next several days. We were slated to have a nice stretch of stable weather, though we were unsure how long it would hold out past three days. Conditions were certainly better than for the TFM group, but was weather the only factor at play regarding the tough carp bite? Photos of hex and large drake mayflies started popping up on social media a few weeks prior to Carp Camp. Hex popping around the end of June/early July was common so there wasn't much cause for alarm. On the boat ride over, the ship was covered with hex spinners, still wasn't worried. As I sat down to a grilled dinner with the campers, we chatted and speculated throughout the evening of what was to come of the fishing. Much anticipation.

Hexguide house
Day one started with a great breakfast courtesy of the Dalwhinnie. We met up with the Indigo guides and constructed a game plan for the day. We were going to follow the wind and the warm water, fishing the windward sides of the islands and the cups and bays that would catch and hold the warm surface water as it blew in to shore. I had my fly selection picked out and my rods rigged and ready. We grabbed our lunches from the deli, and I saddled up with Sweet Chili Martinez for my first day. We launched the boat and made our way out of the harbor, headed to the west. What we would find when we got to the flats we did not know. The plan was to fish from the boat as much as possible, allowing us to sneak up to the fish as close as we could. This isn't always the easiest tactic. Drifting boats, the wind, weary, deep carp changing course as you cast to them, and water currents, this can all be a challenge. At one point I had done a complete 360 from a fish I was targetting from when I had started my backcast to when the fly was delivered. Disorienting to say the least.

da boat
shoreline
Over the following four days we covered a lot of water and saw a lot of fish. We all hauled a lot of line, got our boots wet, and casted plenty of flies. Sometimes we found ourselves in a complete cluster of tangled line and knotted leader, other times, in a perfect zen like trance of enlightenment, fishing to a pod of fish circling in a pool of bathroom temp water. I would be hard pressed to say that we didn't fish hard. We were thorough. We were complete. We had brought our A game.

scanning
To see how the fishing went, stay tuned for Parts Two and Three.

July 24, 2013

CarpPro Issue 4

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Issue 4 of CarpPro magazine went live while I was on Beaver Island. Peruse it if you haven't already.

July 23, 2013

Who says carp live in ugly places?

beach front
reef
bay
Whoever said carp live in ugly places is full of shit.

landscape
Full report of Carp Camp 2013 on Beaver Island to come.

July 10, 2013

Departure: RFX > CVX > SJX

The meat train has left the building.

Midnight Meat Trains
Departing The Roughfisher Command Post (RFX) for Charlevoix, MI (CVX) then St James, Beaver Island (SJX).
ETA St James Harbor 1030 07/11/2013

Image Courtesy of Third Coast Fly
Recent word from Indigo Guide Service is that the pigs have arrived, with plenty of 30# class fish being caught and landed. Even more impressive are the post spawn females weighing in at over thirty pounds.

Let Carp Camp 2013 Commence.

July 8, 2013

chum bucket

The carp of Beaver Island and Lake Michigan are unlike any other, they prefer meat and plenty of it. Out on the expansive flats of BI, I want to use any advantage I can get to help separate my fly from the abundantly plentiful round gobies and sculpins that the carp feed on. I tied up the Chum Bucket utilizing materials exhibiting visibility in the ultraviolet spectrum. UV visibility always adds an edge in cloudy weather, deeper water, or low light conditions. Even in bright sunlight, UV visibility can make your fly stand out on the flats.

chum bucket
When looking for UV materials to tie with, don't just go by the labels on the materials. Just because an item is marked UV doesn't mean it will show up in the UV spectrum. Sometimes it just gives off a purple UV like appearance instead of actual UV luminescence. Do yourself a favor and pick up a small UV light. I have a keychain sized UV light from Loon that was originally designed to cure their UV epoxies, adhesives, and paints, but now serves as a compact useful tool to bring along to fly shops and craft stores to help identify UV products.

Toss out the Chum Bucket and see what follows.

July 7, 2013

articulation

articulated Midnight Meat
articulation [ahr-tik-yuh-ley-shuhn]

From Old French articulacion, from Medieval Latin articulatio

Noun: articulation (plural articulations)
A joint or the collection of joints at which something is articulated, or hinged, for bending.

Articulation
Who's fishing articulated flies to carp? That's what I thought. Some fodder for the apex predators of Beaver Island.

July 5, 2013

Fly Fishing for Roughfish on the Ottertail River

Fly Fishing for Roughfish on the Ottertail River
Join me and Doug Harthan of Front 20 Outfitters, LLC to learn some of the finer points of Fly Fishing the Ottertail River. We are offering a guided fly fishing trip on July 26 for 6 anglers. We will be fishing the Ottertail River for rough fish and anything else that may come our way. That is a great opportunity and price for an opportunity to learn some techniques for fishing for our abundant rough fish, these fish are great fun on a fly rod and challenging as well. The Ottertail River is a great fishery and is definitely underutilized by fly anglers. Don't miss out, give Doug a call or email or use the contact form to reserve your spot! We have 6 spots and the cost is only $50.00 per angler for a day of fishing & learning.

Cost: $50.00 per Angler
Date(s): July 26, 2013

July 3, 2013

Orvis presents Carp Central

The secret is out, Orvis loves carp!
Orvis Carp Central
Well maybe it's not such a secret anymore, but it is true, Orvis gets it when it comes to fishing for carp on the fly. And now they want to help you get it too, with the help of CarpPro and their Pro Staffers Carp on the Fly, Fly-Carpin, Mr. P, and many others. Carp Central is full of instructionals and how-to's when it comes to carp on the fly. Check out what The Orvis Company has been doing with carp. This is a great site to lean on, it's definitely worth the look folks.

June 27, 2013

The Midnight Meat Train

Midnight Meat Train
Some meaty morsels for Beaver Island. I have a feeling that the carp of Lake Michigan will enjoy feasting on these slabs of meat. Pass the bbq and hot sauce.

Midnight Meat Train

Midnight Meat Train
Still some room left for Carp Camp on Beaver Island. Rock Bottom Pricing: $1300 (Referral deal not eligible). Visit the Carp Camp page and use the contact form to book. Hard to believe it's only a couple weeks away.

June 21, 2013

Why Roughfish Don't Suck

Reason number nine thousand nine hundred and ninety nine why redhorse are beautiful.

shorty
Male Shorthead Redhorse in full spawning regalia, complete with tubercles.

Hot Deal - Beaver Island Carp Camp Referral Bonus

Hey folks! Just a few more weeks until Carp Camp 2013 kicks off on Beaver Island, MI. Hard to believe but the first of the hosted trips with Indigo Guide Service is getting under way today! Check out the latest trip reports on Third Coast Fly.

release
Even harder to believe is that I still have a couple spots left for Carp Camp. The nitty gritty: July 11 through 16 on Beaver Island, Michigan. Four and a half days guided fishing and five nights lodging, breakfast and lunch included, along with plenty of swag and freebies. All for just $1499. Here's the deal, I want to keep the guides at Indigo happy, and that means them working putting us on big great lakes carp! So here's my deal for you:

Get a buddy to sign up and book a spot with me at Carp Camp 2013 and I'll cut you $150. Better yet, you and a friend both book a spot and you'll both get $150 knocked off your trips, that's a 10% discount!.

Maybe you need to check out this video to help seal the deal and get you pumped up for sumo carp!

Flats of the Third Coast from FP Media on Vimeo.


Contact me via the Carp Camp 2013 page or any other method you know how and mention the referral deal. Once your buddy books and pays their deposit, I'll pass along your referral bonus. If both of you participate in the referal plan, I'll just deduct your bonus from the overall cost of the trip.

Sound like a deal? I hope so!

May 28, 2013

Last Call - Carp Camp 2013

Just recently, a couple of spots have opened back up for Carp Camp 2013, due to a scheduling conflict with some of the guests' prior obligations. Believe me when I say this, I think it was harder for those folks to have to give up their spot at Carp Camp than it was for me to have to put these spots back up for sale.

Their loss is your gain. As easy as it would have been to give these spots over to some good 'ol boys behind the scenes and have the trip immediately booked up full again, that is counter to what Carp Camp is all about. I am going to do what's fair and put these spots back up for sale to the general public, specifically the viewers and fans of the Roughfish Nation. I don't want Carp Camp 2013 to be filled up with a bunch of pros. While that would be fun in its own right, I want to give the average angler a shot at the big time and see what it's like to fish to monster trophy carp, and see what it's like to "live the life" for a week. So all you folks out there will get first pick at one of these coveted spots. I can guarantee you that these remaining spots will book up quick, so act fast!

Carp Camp 2013
Just in case you are on the fence and not quite sure what all entails the camper at Carp Camp, here are a few of the details:


Carp Camp 2013 runs from July 11th through 16th, 2013, on Beaver Island, Michigan.
Camp barbeque provided by your host and guides on the evening of your arrival.
Five nights lodging at The Fisherman's House, fully equipped with a modern kitchen, washer/dryer, TV, enclosed porch, and open deck with grill.
Four and a half days of guided fly fishing provided by Indigo Guide Service, sight fishing to monster carp in crystal clear water on the flats of the Beaver Island archipelago.
Breakfast and lunch are provided by the Dalwhinnie Bakery & Deli daily, dinners are on your own after the first night.
Roughfisher Fly Fishing will be providing all guests with a custom assortment or flies tied specifically for Beaver Island, including patterns like the Mustache Ride and Landing Strip. Feather Craft will be providing a Meat Locker to house all that meaty goodness!
Countless of other swag and goodies to be handed out to each camper, graciously donated by my sponsors. I don't want to let the cat out of the bag just yet, but the goodies alone being handed out during camp retail at over $300.


Carp Camp 2013 hosted by roughfisher.com is priced at $1499 per person with a $500 deposit to be paid at the time of reservation. Balance is due upon arrival on Beaver Island. If you have any questions or would like to be part of this trip please fill out the form below:

For more information about Carp Camp 2013, please check out the Carp Camp 2013 page.

May 22, 2013

GreenFish Friday Giveaways

GreenFish Friday Giveaways
It's as easy as it looks, Like the GreenFish Facebook Page, check in on the page every Friday, and share the Friday Giveaway post for you chance to win some GreenFish swag.

FACEBOOK PAGE
MAILING LIST SIGNUP

May 6, 2013

CarpPro Issue 3

CarpPro Issue 3 is live!

CarpPro Issue 3
As always, tons of carp on the fly content in this issue. Check out CarpPro for all your carp fishing needs.

April 24, 2013

Life Untucked Bahamas Angler Sweepstakes

Mountain Khakis™ & Bair's Lodge Present the Life Untucked Bahamas Angler Sweepstakes

One (1) grand prize winner plus guest will win a 4-day/3-night stay at the legendary Bair's Lodge on Abaco Island, Bahamas. Known as the Bonefish Capital of the World, the winner and guest will be treated to 3 days of guided bonefishing on the flats of South Andros.

Prize Main Package Details:
Bair's Lodge, Andros Island, Bahamas: 4-day/3-night stay for 2 people including meals, 3 days guided bonefishing, and equipment as needed.
Mountain Khakis: Two (2) head-to-toe Mountain Khakis Coastal apparel outfits and coastal lifestyle accessories.
Thomas & Thomas Fine Fly Rods: Two (2) exclusive, custom T&T, 4 piece, 9' #8 saltwater fly rods.
YETI Coolers: One (1) YETI Mountain Khakis Tundra 45 and two (2) YETI Accessories Packs.
Chaco Sandals: Two (2) $110 cash cards to Chacos.com and two (2) Chaco T-shirts.
Costa Optics: Two (2) sunglasses and two (2) backpacks with C-Line retainers, clarity kits and hats.
American Expedition Vehicles (AEV): Two (2) schwag kits.

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*Winner will be notified Monday, June 24th, 2013 and announced thereafter. Grand prize winner & guest responsible for all travel arrangements & costs. FL & NY residents not eligible to participate.