If you enjoy catching bonefish in the Florida Keys but you don’t have time for the trip south give the carp a try on the smallmouth rivers. For example, one evening after closing my fly shop I drove to the North Fork of the Shenandoah River at Edinburg. As I parked the car I spotted a 15# carp feeding 40 feet out in the river in water 3 feet deep. Circling well below him, I cautiously waded upstream within casting distance. I cast my Olive Marauder size 8 three feet upstream of him. It drifted along the stream bottom right to him and he tailed up and took it solidly. As he took off upstream I realized that I might need most of my 100 yards of backing to land this 15# carp.
In the crystal clear rivers this is a very exciting game. As you stalk these carp for years you become very proficient at spotting them, using a very cautious approach as you stalk them and then skillfully fighting them.
I use a 9ft. 7 weight rod, WF-7-F Line, 9ft 2X Leader. My favorite flies are the Murray’s Olive Marauder 8, Damselfly Nymph 10 and Murray’s Skunk Road Kill Nymph 8.
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