Carp Camp 2013 Beaver Island, MI: The Results

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.



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.




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.


Redemption.

Carp Camp 2013 Beaver Island, MI: The Delivery

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 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.


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.


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

Carp Camp 2013 Beaver Island, MI: The Setup

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.



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.


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.


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.



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.


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

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!


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.

Carp Camp 2013

Please join me and four other guests July 11th through 16th, 2013, on a hosted trip to Beaver Island, Michigan, home of carpzilla. Located offshore of Lake Michigan approximately 32 miles northeast of Charlevoix, Beaver Island is only accessible by air or sea. Air service to Beaver Island is provided by local carriers from Charlevoix or Traverse City, as well as daily ferry service departing from Charlevoix.

Get welcomed to Carp Camp 2013 your first night on the island with a Meet and Greet barbecue with all of the guests and guides, food and beverage provided by your host. Kick back and relax in the evenings, sitting in on fly tying demos with your guides and host, picking their brains for advice and tactics, or enjoying a pint on one of the island's several pubs. Enjoy five nights lodging at The Fisherman's House, a fully restored turn of the century home, fully equipped with a modern kitchen, washer/dryer, TV, enclosed porch, and open deck with grill.

Spend the days exploring the endless flats of Lake Michigan and the Beaver Island archipelago, sight fishing to monster carp in crystal clear water, with four and a half days of guided fly fishing provided by Indigo Guide Service. Fly rods, reels, leaders, tippet, and flies are provided by the guides, of course, you are more than welcome to bring your own. 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. Don’t be afraid to stock up and bring along your favorite patterns though!

Breakfast and lunch are provided by the Dalwhinnie Bakery & Deli each day, as well as bottled water provided by the guides while on the water. Dinners are on your own after the first night. You are more than welcome to join the guides and me for dinner, visit one of the island's restaurants, or cook at the house. McDonough's Market should have just about anything you need while on the island. Enjoy your last day on the island with a half day of fishing before packing up in the afternoon and travelling back to the mainland.

The guides and myself know you will enjoy yourself and have an amazing time on Beaver Island. If the sheer numbers of mammoth carp and smallmouth don't impress you, the raw beauty of the emerald green and blue water and never ending flats will. Be prepared to be blown away.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

• Five nights lodging at The Fisherman's House
• Four and one half days of guided fly fishing with Indigo Guide Service
• Breakfast each morning at Dalwhinnie Bakery & Deli
• Lunch from Dalwhinnie Bakery & Deli
• Bottled water provided by the guides
• Day 1 ‘Meet and Greet BBQ’ with all participants and guides
• Evening fly tying demos with your guides and host
• Unlimited pre-trip advice and individual assistance on the island
• Fly rod, reels, leader, tippet , flies (guides have it all, but bring your own if you prefer)
• Roughfisher Fly Fishing will be providing all guests with a Beaver Island custom fly assortment (don’t be afraid to stock up and bring along your favorite patterns though!)

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED

• Transportation to and from Beaver Island, Michigan
• Michigan fishing license
• Waders and boots
• Rain gear
• Polarized sunglasses (a MUST for sight fishing!)
• Gratuities
• Alcoholic beverages
• Dinners (except for Day 1)

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:

MORE INFORMATION
For a further taste of the Beaver Island experience check out these posts from roughfisher.com:

Beaver Island Land of the Carp Flats

The Badasses of Beaver Island

Flats of the Third Coast (video)

Lake Michigan feature article, Money Shot, CarpPro magazine Issue 1


BEAVER ISLAND INFO:
Beaver Island Chamber of Commerce

Transportation options to and from Beaver Island:
Beaver Island Boat Company

Fresh Air Aviation

Island Airways

2013 TFM Beaver Island Carp Trip

Announcing the 2013 TFM hosted trip to Beaver Island, Michigan.


Our friend Cameron of The Fiberglass Manifesto fame is hosting a trip to Beaver Island, MI this summer, home of monster smallmouth and carpzilla! The trip includes 3 full guided days of fishing provided by Kevin, Steve, and Austin of Indigo Guide Service, 4 nights lodging, and breakfast and lunch included. The trip runs July 7-11 and is priced at $900; spots are filling fast so if you're interested in attending act fast! Visit the TFM page or Carptrip.com for more information about this trip.


Details about my upcoming hosted trip to Beaver Island this July are coming soon. Stay tuned!

Christmas Wishes

Merry Christmas from the roughfisher!


Wishing everyone out there a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! If anyone wishes to catch 30 pound plus fish on the fly like like the fish seen in the photo above, put in a good word to Santa. I will be hosting a trip to the mystical flats of Beaver Island and the land of giant carp July 12-16 of 2013. Check out carptrip.com for some preliminary info. More details will follow soon after the new year.

Only Santa knows if you've been naughty or nice. Hopefully you've been good!

Creatures From the Brown Lagoon

You saw the trailer, now catch the rest of the video from uprising fly fishing:

Local residents in Atomic City, Idaho (near the world's first nuclear accident site) have become possessed by freakishly aggressive carp. These carp will pound flies in skinny water, then jump out of the water and cartwheel when hooked. Mortals can not resist their atomic tug power.
More carp action at uprisingflyfishing.com

Maybe this should be on the next F3T?

Flats of the Third Coast

Flats of the Third Coast from FP Media on Vimeo.

Check out the new Beaver Island video from Caleb of fishpornfix.com. You might even catch my ugly mug if you look close. Makes me want to go back and cruise the flats again.

Beaver Island - Land of the Carp Flats

The ride in on the ferry from Charlevoix is surreal. Midnight blue water surrounds you in every direction as far as the eye can see. As you near the main island of the Archipelago, Beaver Island, those dark shades of blue transform into hues of turquoise and aquamarine, like something out of the South Pacific. Even in eighty feet of water, you can see clear through the gin clear water to the bottom. As you pull in to the main harbor on Beaver Island, Saint James Harbor, you realize that you have arrived someplace magical.


The fine folks at the Beaver Island Chamber of Commerce and the Beaver Island Lodge were so kind as to put us up for the weekend. I cannot say enough about the warmth and hospitality these folks shared with us upon our arrival. I've traveled a fair amount across the globe and have to say that these guys are some of the friendliest and most gracious hosts I've ever met. You gotta love the charm of the Upper Midwest.



First glance at the archipelago and you'd think you in the Carribean. Crystal clear water encompasses the vast number of rocky shoals and reefs, lined with fine sugar sand. The only giveaways are the vegetation on shore of the larger islands, cedars, pines and spruces, and the missing taste of salt on your lips. While the majority of northern Lake Michigan is still left unspoiled, I can't hardly suspect that the ultra clear water isn't partly due to the presence of zebra mussels, unintentionally introduced to the Great Lakes from the ballast water of ocean going vessels. Untold miles of shoreline on Lake Michigan are lined with the washed up shells of dead zebra mussels. Even in paradise, the impact of man can still be observed.






The real heroes of Beaver Island are Captains Kevin Morlock and Steve Martinez of Indigo Guide Service. These guys put up with half a dozen scurvy Prima donnas from fly fishing's seedy underbelly, the media. Not only did they deal with us assembling to roll call way past reveille, and fumbling casts as some of us were still under the influence of the prior evening's activities, they managed to put us on fish under adverse conditions of a late spring. These guys must be part time saints. I'm not saying that we were all obnoxious by any means, but the pressure is on for any guide leading some of fly fishing's elite, filled with the high expectations of catching some of those Beaver Island behemoths, the common carp.



I came prepared for Beaver Island, sporting a seven weight Ross Rx with a Ross F1 reel, and a Ross Essence FW in a nine weight matched with a Ross Momentum LT for heavy duty work. The seven weight was spooled up with Scientific Anglers Coldwater Redfish Line, which casted wonderfully in the cool Michigan Tropics. The nine weight was spooled with SA's Textured GPX, a perfect fit for tough duty in stiff winds. While I was hoping to test the mettle of both setups to their breaking points, both combos fished flawlessly and had nary a hiccup in the line of duty. While I didn't get to see an F1 blow up or an Rx crack under pressure, I did get to see how easily the combo subdued a thirty pound carp, especially after getting into the backing twice on that fish. Even with over four hundred feet of line and backing out of the guides, My gear never wavered, and I was able to get the fish back to the boat to land.





I'll be back. Even though I didn't get into the quantity of fish that I thought I would, cool water temps resulting from a later spring helped subdue large numbers of fish from coming up into the shallows to feed. Perhaps a visit later in June or early July would be more favorable for high numbers of fish. Regardless, the quality of the fishery is outstanding, and the average size of carp caught had to be pushing twenty pounds. Throw away everything you know about fishing for carp, and head to Beaver Island. Beaver Island will redefine what you think about fly fishing for carp, skewing your baseline and possibly spoiling you for life. Welcome to without a doubt, some of the finest flats fishing in North America.

I'll be back allright, and next time Steve, I'll be bringing the kimchi.

Money Shot

Photo used by permission from Michael Gracie © 2010

A big thanks to Michael Gracie for not leaving me out to die after a severe bout with "altitude sickness".


Stay tuned for the full recap on the DSP.

Gung Ho

Brothers John Montana and Wendy Berrell tore it up last weekend on the Mighty Columbia. Pictured is Wendy holding an impressive twenty pound mirror carp. Looks like they bitch slapped the competition. Check out their exploits over at Carp on the Fly.

Note: No fish were disrespected during this massacre.