July 2, 2012
Flow: 169
Water Temp: 61
Welcome to the jungle. A trip fell through Sunday so I took the opportunity to explore the river. At 7:00 AM there were 6 people casting over each other at the gauging station and the rest of the river was open. Where I ended up was an entirely different matter. The morning was cool and being alone I had the opportunity to explore and run between spots without worrying about anyone else. So I hit the bottom mile of our urban setting. The kayak park is helping oxygenate the water and the trout are thriving. Fish the wide runs where the water slows and you might be surprised. Pods of carp were plentiful which brings me to the lesson of the day. Just because you see a thirty pound carp doesn’t mean you should necessarily cast to it with a 5 weight. I pitched an egg with no weight in the pod and waited a few minutes for then to calm down. Of the dozen carp in the school it was the leviathan that sucked my egg. I set the hook and four seconds later it slammed into the levy on the north side of the river at what seemed thirty knots leaving a big slimy spot on the wall. I actually herd the thump.  There was a pause while it regained it senses before it decided to try going downstream.  If I had any drag set on my reel I’d be telling the tale of a broken rod.  I didn’t literally mess my britches but I’m sure I was crowning. We had another two minutes of fight but there was no doubt who was in control. All I was left with was a frayed line. Most the monsters you see us report on are on a five weight but there are limitations. The good news is I know where it lives and I’ll be back with the proper gear.
Tight lines,
Ben