carp on the fly

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John Agricola grew up fly fishing for bream and bass on Lake Guntersville. After trying some saltwater species he really started to hone his craft. He spent three years on trout streams such as the North Platte River and Laramie River. He is an excellent teacher having worked for several years teaching in schools and in fishing clinics. These skills have inflected his pursuit of the “golden ghost” on the Coosa River chain. 

The upper Coosa chain of lakes have some wonderful backwaters that form "flats". These flats are where anglers can stalk carp as they eat. This is very similar (and some would say more challenging) to fishing saltwater flats.  Carp fishing should be taken on as a challenge of the serious angler. It is not for the faint of heart as bigger fish will take you into your backing several times. That said, the conditions have to be right. 

Agricola’s boat is a super nimble and stealthy flats boat that you would see used on saltwater. John will pole you around the flats to find and stalk feeding fish. Finding  fish willing to eat can be subject to slight changes in barometric pressure. If they are not standing on their heads with tails flashing they may not eat. Carp fishing is about strategy as you don’t always cast to the cruisers. It’s about picking your best fish because bad shots sometimes have consequences... still reading?.... fly fishing for carp might be for you!