PAT COHEN RECOMMENDS NATURAL-COLORED [TACTICS]


THE WORLD ACCORDING TO CARP


“M


FLIES THAT IMITATE LOCAL FORAGE. PHOTO: BEN DUCHESNEY


GIANT GOLDFISH ARE A GATEWAY DRUG FOR KAYAK FLY FISHERMEN BY BEN DUCHESNEY


eet me behind the U-Haul trucks,” Pat Cohen told me over the phone, “and make sure your car doors are locked before we launch.” Driving into a seedy part of upstate New York, I felt like I was making a drug deal; instead I was getting my first


taste of carp fishing addiction. Cohen is a professional fly-tier (www.rusuperfly.com) and self-diagnosed carp junkie who has been chasing the poor man’s trophy fish from his kayak for years. Cohen’s secret carp hole is an unassuming section of river beside a busy road. Carp are the most widely distributed species of freshwater fish and anglers target them on every continent except Antarctica. Since carp are capable of living in dirty water with low oxygen, they are often found in bodies of water that most anglers overlook. To find carp, Cohen recommends looking for muddy banks where the fish feed and spawn. “Carp can often be spot- ted patrolling the shallows or leaving mud-boils,” Cohen says. Look for a silver shadow moving across a sandy flat or along a weed bank. If you have trouble spotting carp, Cohen advises climbing a high bank, hill or even a tree to search the water for fish and boils. We weren’t on the water long before Cohen stood up in his kayak and started looking for fish. Since slow-moving carp have a light bite, if you don’t see the take, chances are you’ll miss the hook-up. Cohen told me to make slow, quiet paddle strokes. “Any noise could easily spook every fish in 50 yards,” he warned. Carp are an omnivorous scavenger, which means they will eat almost anything including fallen fruits, crustaceans,


fish and shellfish. “Fly selection is less important than presentation,” says Cohen. “Stick to natural colors and weighted patterns.” He recommends starting with imitations that match local forage such as crayfish or small baitfish. It wasn’t long before Cohen spotted his first target in the muddy water. He made a perfect cast that landed the fly a couple feet ahead of a grazing silver bison. Once his fly settled on the bottom, Cohen twitched the rod tip to get the carp’s attention. When he saw the fish slurp up the fly, Cohen used a strong strip set to drive the hook into the carp’s rubbery lips.


As soon as Cohen set the hook, the carp’s gentle giant image evaporated. Carp can grow over 40 inches and weigh


up to 40 pounds. It takes an eight-weight fly rod with a sturdy drag and plenty of braided backing to stop a raging bull carp. Cohen was tied into a solid 20-pounder that put up a hard run and bull-dog fight taking him into the backing three times.


Since there is no good place to grab a slippery carp, Cohen used a sturdy landing net to lift the fish into his kayak. After I stole a quick photo of the angler and his trophy, the fish was released to its muddy home. The giant carp splashed a healthy goodbye and left a trail of stinky slime in Cohen’s kayak. After spending the day chasing these armored warriors, I was addicted. As soon as I returned home, I searched out


my own local carp hole. Before long, I was converting my fishing buddies into carp-aholics. Cohen says he never gets tired of chasing carp. “These fish not only change the rules, they change my fly-fishing game,” he says.


DIGITAL EXTRA: Click here to watch Pat Cohen tie his favorite carp fly.


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STRINGS ATTACHED S


THIS BEEFED UP STRINGER WILL BRING HOME THE BACON BY SHANE COOVERT


alvage a three- to four-foot length of rubber-coated cord−telephone or Ethernet cord works well. Use a pair of pliers to remove the poker from an old stringer. Cut the connector off the cord and insert the end into the poker. Use pliers


to snug the poker to the cord, add a shot of Super Glue and wrap with electrical tape. Next, drill an one-eighth-inch hole two inches deep in one end of a crab-pot float. Run the free end of the cord through the float and insert into the drill hole. Secure with Super Glue or marine adhesive. The new cable is stronger than braided nylon, and it doesn’t snag or hang up.


For sending in his super fish stringer, Shane Coovert wins a SOG Bladelight fillet knife. Send your tips for making kayak fishing safer, easier and more fun to editor@kayakanglermag.com.


www.kayakanglermag.com…33


PHOTO: SHANE COOVERT


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