April Edition
odom wu
Our Angler of the Month for April is Odom Wu, from San Antonio, Texas! Seen here with a stunning scaly Mirror, Odom’s photos were featured in The American Carper Volume 4 ‘American Gold…A New Dawn’. A dedicated US ‘Carp on the Fly’ angler and one of Texas’s foremost advocates of the approach, he continues to push the barriers in his angling sessions…He is an excellent photographer with a very creative eye, who seems to capture the very best in the fish through the eye of the lens!
Odom was also kind enough, a few months back, to take some time with Sean for an interview on ‘The American Carper’ podcast, which is well worth a listen! (Link below). Shining a light on the species is something that he is clearly passionate about and sharing his experiences through the lens has definitely helped the profile of the species on social media.
Congratulations Odom on your journey so far…We know there will be more scaly monsters in your future!
Click HERE to listen to the American Carper Podcast with Odom Wu!
NOTABLE CAPTURES
We’re fortunate that we get to see the best Carpy pictures from all over the USA from our members and friends. These photos below certainly caught our attention in the month of March. Congratulations to everyone on the success of their angling sessions this past month! We appreciate all of your tags and mentions, and can’t wait to see what you guys and gals catch this coming Spring season! Don’t forget to tag us: #americancarpsociety #jointheguiltyones and tag us in your stories: @american_carp_society
every picture tells a story…
This last month we started a new series of posts…Our weekly ‘Monday Morning Inspiration’ posts titled ’Every Picture Tells a Story,’ that will document the US Carper’s journey through a series of pictures throughout the year. We wanted to shine a spotlight on our beloved species with just a simple quote and a shot. Don’t forget to to share these images on your social media with your friends and tag us with your shots #americancarpsociety for consideration as well!
CALLING ALL CARP ANGLERS!
As someone who is passionate about the sport of carp angling, we are reaching out to you personally for some help! The survey takes less than 5 minutes to complete and WILL HELP THE SPORT of Trophy catch and release Carp Angling here in the USA!
ALL ANGLERS - ALL STATES - PLEASE FILL OUT AND HELP US!
Thank you in advance!
The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is conducting a survey to determine angler behavior and opinions regarding recreational fishing for common carp.
The answers provided may be used to inform management decisions to help determine the feasibility and impacts of managing common carp for recreational fishing.
Participation in this survey is voluntary, anonymous, and appreciated. It is important that we receive answers from a wide array of people regardless of whether you fish for carp or not.
Find the survey online at
For questions about the survey, contact KDWP Fisheries Biologist, Nick Kramer.
785-246-4514.
In this month’s ‘Insider Tips’, Texas angler James King takes a look at what methods he uses to give him the confidence needed in his approach, when targeting big fish. Confidence, is one of the surest ways for an angler to hit their goals at the water’s edge and there are a number of actions that you can take to instill confidence for your individual situation…without it, you will be second guessing your every move…cast, rig, baits…the lot! There’s definitely something to it, as we have all felt the difference in our session when our confidence in our rigs, bait and set up is high….and when it’s not. It’s almost like the fish can feel it!
confidence - by: james king
For me personally, confidence is the most important aspect of my fishing for Carp and Smallmouth Buffalo. There’s nothing worse than sitting behind the rod(s), second guessing things, so I don’t leave anything I can control to chance.
My rig will be exactly the same for each session, sharpened pin point size 4 hook, with a neutrally balanced bait. The last couple of feet will have a heavy fluorocarbon leader covered by sinking tubing, to protect the fish from my mainline and to not get cut off by any muscles or rocks that are present.
The pack-bait recipe is always the same, to the gram, so I know exactly how it will react on the cast and in the water. I always put my hook into the pack-bait, so when I cast I know I won’t pick up weed or debris on the way down.
I try to spend a lot of time in a new swim before fishing it, using the sonar to find snags and a presentable bottom and then marking my line so I can be within a few feet of the same spot time after time. Once I know exactly where my rig will end up, the final piece of the puzzle is to pre-bait.
Even if it’s just a kilo of boilies and a few spods the night before, this is more than enough for me to be happy that any fish that moved in over night will likely be there in the morning. Once I have all of these elements in place, the only things that are against me are the elements, other people, and if the fish are in the area. I’m now confident to leave the rig until I get a run, recast after several hours, or go home. It’s the consistency with my process that really helps with the confidence!
Tight lines, wet nets.
Angler Spotlight
Luke Wilson will be sharing his passion for targeting Carp on the fly, through a series of articles in the Angler’s Insider over the coming months. A dedicated fly angler and steward of the species from New York, he starts off this month with ‘Nervous Water’….a wonderful piece that both traditional and fly anglers alike will enjoy, and can learn from…
nervous water - by: luke wilson
It was the concept of sight fishing that attracted me to the world of fly fishing for carp. It wasn’t your traditional fishing at all and I loved that. Of course, I’ve always been one to push boundaries, but the fact I could see the fish I’m casting to didn’t make it any easier. It was a common occurrence that by the time I had spotted them, they had seen me long before. I was left a speeding wake, and a trail of sediment mocking me…showing me exactly where the golden ghost had swam off to, yet unable to continue my chase. Being spotted isn’t the only way of spooking these exceptionally skittish fish. A poor cast, or poor placement can just as well send these fish off in panic. When I managed to get my fly in front of one's face it was purely by chance. Of all those chances I seldom ended with a fish on the line. But, there are a particular set of tools that helped me overcome their weary behavior. There are the obvious of course…Reliable gear, the fly you are tossing at them, its size and pattern. A great cast is essential. Polarized sunglasses to cut through the water are very effective with helping to spot the camouflaged carp. Even the color of clothing you wear can have an impact on the day. But above all, it comes down to your ability to read. Reading the water and reading the fish, that is. All the gear you may have acquired are only tools to aid you in that manner and from that point on. If you don’t take the time to gain literacy of nervous water, then targeting these fish becomes even harder than it already is.
Nervous water is what the trained eye looks for. Before approaching areas you intend to fish, take the time to read what the water’s are giving you. Scan the area slowly, and really analyze the text. Take mental observations of movements and objects out of the ordinary. Is there a change in the calmness of the surface or the position of objects on the bottom? Slight dimples, random turbulence, ripples, or even a cloud of mud. Sometimes there will even be a tail or two protruding out of the water, splashing around. These are more often than not the clues I look for before I even look for the fish. Regularly, we will be able to spot the disturbance of water before we spot the fish, meaning reading nervous water becomes the backbone of carp angling on the fly. Nervous water can also be crucial to identifying which fish to cast too amongst a crowd of tempting targets. A carp’s vision and mouth are both angled downward. This means when they feed they do so by rutting up the mud, or tossing over rocks in a slightly vertical manner. The feeding fish produces nervous water, and usually a cloud of mud. Identifying this will help you find the fish that is willing to take our ploy and narrows down those targets.
While observing this, I began to realize the time the fish is feeding can become a tool to the angler as well. With their heads down, and their stomachs in charge, it becomes a cover for the angler. The fish is preoccupied with hunger and becomes more focused on finding food. With a thick cloud of sediment around their watchful eyes we get a window. Within this window of opportunity we are able to position ourselves for a better cast and with less of a chance to spook the fish, but we have to do so cautiously nonetheless. An accurate cast is needed to catch one of these fish. But, do not underestimate their wariness. A great cast means nothing if the placement is off by even inches as this can still send the fish into a surprised panic. While reading the water we are able to determine the location of the fish. It gives the angler a specific target to aim for. By analyzing what we see, we may even see which way the water is pushing, or determine which way the mouth is facing and in turn this allows you to decide where to place that fly so it lands right past their feeding lane. Then with a slight drag, or strip, and a little bit of luck, the fight should be on. Our chase for these elusive and easily spooked fish should reflect a lioness crouching before her prey. Stalking, waiting for the perfect time to strike. Much like the lioness, if she jumps too early the hunt almost always ends in failure. The buildup of adrenaline is as dangerous as it is helpful. It is dire to assess, and read the nervous water before we let our excitement get the better of us and take an untimely cast, or stumble upon an unsuspecting fish only to spook the golden ghost away. Taking the time to assess the situation allows us to determine many crucial details, that otherwise excitement would therefore cause us to miss.
The carp have proved to be one of the more challenging fish to target on the fly. But the harder the task, the more rewarding the accomplishment becomes. They have quickly become my favorite species to target. On your next time out at the river, take your time to read the waters…and see what they have to say.
March was a busy month for us with many parts of the country waking up to the first signs of Spring! Our ‘Carp on the Fly’ brothers and sisters have already started their season in some parts of the USA and we are lucky enough to have added three new Official American Carp Society Guides to the Roster.
We would like to congratulate Tyson Vineyard of Utah, John Rogers of Vermont and Jeremy Edge who will be representing our North Carolina waters, as the latest sanctioned American Carp Society guides.
We look forward to seeing their catches on the feed this coming year!
TYSON VINEYARD - UTAH:
Born and raised around the swamps and reservoirs of Northern Utah, Tyson has had a passion for fishing that was instilled in him from a very young age. His dad taught him to fish on traditional tackle, with a little fly fishing sprinkled in. He has always appreciated Carp for their size and strength and has targeted Sturgeon, Muskie and Catfish as well as other species. He keeps coming back to Carp and has focused on them as a target species to the point of obsession. He is now the owner of Ogden Valley Fly Fitters Guide Service and enjoys helping others catch this incredible species.
“When I take people out I want to show them the beauty of these fish, how intelligent and strong they are… and how to appreciate and treat them. They're also a good fish to chase when the summer temperatures get too warm to chase trout, especially here in the west. They will test your angling abilities to the limit and try both your patience and tackle….I love ‘em!“
JOHN ROGERS - VERMONT:
John Rogers guides carp on the fly on his home waters in Southern Vermont and Eastern New York. While John has several small ponds and lakes in which to target Carp, his favorite fishery is slow-moving flats sections of large rivers in Eastern New York. Just as the trout fishing begins to slow down in late June the Carp fishing is hitting its prime. It’s not uncommon on a float trip to site 50-75 fish and have legitimate chances at 15-20 eaters.
A fourth-generation fly fisherman, John has called the banks of Vermont’s famed Battenkill River his home for the past 23 years. As a top executive for Orvis, he’s fly fished the world from European Chalk Streams to outer most stretches of New Zealand and Labrador. His fly fishing travels have been chronicled in American Angler and The Orvis News.
A day chasing Carp with John will make you a better fly fisher. You will learn specific carp tactics to hook and land these amazing fish plus great casting and line management fundamentals that apply to all fresh and saltwater species.
“Chasing these fish and watching them eat in 2-3 feet of water is such a rush. It’s such a wonderful contrast to trout fishing.”
Clients can expect an adventuresome day floating the rivers and lakes of Vermont. You’ll fish from John’s 14’ Smithfly Big Shoals raft, wading spots and just hooting and hollering as you target, chase and get a few of these wonderful fish to eat your fly.
JEREMY EDGE - North Carolina:
Jeremy Edge hails from the coastal waters of Beaufort, SC where he first got his feet wet before moving to Central Alabama. As a young man he spent his time fishing the rivers and lakes of Alabama. Bass, bluegill, carp, catfish, striper, gar and musky are what sparked the fishing flame in him and has continued to do so to this day. Finding WNC/East Tennessee in his twenties opened up the door to guiding all of the beautiful rivers and lakes this area has to offer.
Over the last 15 years he has spent countless hours on the surrounding watersheds fishing/guiding for all of these species. But none have brought him more joy and endless fun than carp on a fly rod.
“Carp are in almost every fishery here in the south east and get overlooked due to their ‘trash fish’ stereotype. I love showing clients there isn’t anything trashy about them! They are truly a trophy size fish that are more versatile and aggressive than most people think.”
A day on the water with Jeremy will include all gear, food, drinks, fish and good times you can handle. He can accommodate up to 2 anglers aboard his Hog Island 16 Drift boat. Fishing through the season can vary from river to lake and clients will have opportunities to sight fish for both common carp and grass carp.
Jeremy is the owner and head guide of Gateway Fly Fishing located outside Asheville, North Carolina.
Coming up this month on the podcast we have a wonderful interview with American Carp Society Member, Paul Cioca, of PrairieBanx fame.
‘PrairieBanx’ is undoubtedly the most professionally filmed piece of documentation on the sport of Carp fishing in North America and Canada to date. Raising the bar for us all both in terms of quality and content, it’s presence on YouTube last year shone a spotlight on the incredible angling opportunities in Canada. Paul Cioca has a design background and it is clearly evident in his work…During this two part interview, Sean and Paul discuss the PrairieBanx trip, the angling approach, preparation and documentation of the finished product…everything from the baiting campaign to the technical equipment that was used to shoot the film...Don’t miss this in-depth two part interview with Canada’s premier filmmaker on the subject!
THURSDAY 14th APRIL - PART ONE
THURSDAY 28th APRIL - PART TWO
barnaby’s revenge boilies
We have rolled some fresh Barnaby’s Revenge bottom baits…All flavors in 16 mm.
Asterbury Creme
Mandala Gold
Desert Fruit
We have a limited quantity of these that will be going live on the store TUESDAY APRIL 12th so PLEASE WATCH YOUR EMAIL AND THE FB private group for the next release. All handmade here in the USA!
new caps and hats for 2022
We have sourced some new caps and hats for the store for 2022, a few of which are shown below. These should be ready to go in a few weeks for everyone and we will keep you all in the loop via updates in the American Carp Society FB private group and through our email distribution list.
the future of the sport…acs & igfa
We’ll just leave this here…Suffice to say that we have been working diligently on a very important initiative over the past year here in the USA…More news when it is available for the public. You will be first to hear it!
KEEP FISH WET
Check out our friends from ‘Keep Fish Wet’…A wonderful organization advocating our catch and release philosophies for multi - species. Take a look at their site as they have some great photography tips for handling the fish.
We have a few items that can be discounted for our members this month…Grab these while they last!
The ACS Green Fleece Lined Floppy - $12.99 to $9.99
The ACS Red Fleece Lined Floppy - $12.99 to $9.99
The ACS Grey Fleece Lined Floppy - $12.99 to $9.99
The ACS Rod Protectors - $9.99 to $7.99