Tag: Meateater

Carp-less in the Suburbs

On By ChazAaronCampIn Fishing, Outdoors2 Comments

The day started off well. 

Before the alarm had a chance to go off, I jumped out of bed and threw on comfortable clothes. I’d be wearing waders for at least eleven and a half hours of the day, so it was important to get that right. I had already pre-packed the car the night before, so there wasn’t any hold-up. It was still dark and I was on my way to the DuPage Fly Fishing Co. in Naperville, IL, a mere 5 miles from home, to check in for one of my favorite events of the year, The Midwest Golden Bones Carp Tournament. When I got there, I was customarily greeted with a ‘what’s up, dude?”, some black coffee, and a blueberry donut. 

It wasn’t long before the organizers of this tournament, guides Kurt Nelson and Bill Katzenberger, got down to business. No, they didn’t go over rules or hand out swag bags as the first matter of business. They started the important task of making fun of each other, any innocent bystanders in the room, and especially the guys who weren’t there yet. They do the important thing first at this event! I’ve always liked that about these guys and this tournament. It is personal and fun, and friendships form over the common passion we all share.

The crew looks a bit disheveled, which makes some sense out the analogy that fishing crystal-clear waters of the West is like a formal dance, but chasing carp and smallmouth in the Midwest is more akin to a bar fight. Steve Rinella said something like that, which we all know makes it true. We looked like a bunch of people who were down for a bar fight.

After gathering the first set of groggy stragglers together, they went over the rules. Most of us know them already – 6:00am start, no ponds or lakes, and you must use the provided measuring tool for reporting your catch. It’s a good chance to review the rules for new folks, and sometimes, depending on weather or river quality, additional waters are added.

It’s important to listen carefully year after year for another reason; Fly fishermen and women aren’t always known for punctuality, following rules, or details, so the reminder that “you must be at River’s Edge Bar and Grill, checked in, at 6:30 or YOUR DAY IS WASTED” was a good one for all to hear! Warning given, they dismissed us and after a little chatter to throw off our opponents and some exchanging of flies, we took off for a day in the water.

I arrived at my “Plan A” spot around 6:25am. You can stop trying to figure out where I was by that time frame. I’ll tell you. It was the West Branch of the Dupage. I don’t have a boat, so I planned to hoof it. The water looked great. The lighting was right. The temperature was a little cool, but I knew it was supposed to warm up. Surely, I didn’t need a “Plan B”, right? On paper, this was going to be a good day.

Except – related to catching carp – it actually wasn’t a good day.

I caught a smallmouth right off the bat, and that scored me a few points (half points on ‘smallies’ in this tournament). I caught about six river crappie too – some of them would be keepers any other day. I also caught one of the biggest green sunfish of my life. On a random Saturday, this would be more than I could ask for in skinny water like this. The problem lie in the fact that I did not catch a single carp. 

The author’s lone entry for this year’s tournament. A beautiful smallmouth.

I saw carp. Seeing wasn’t the issue. I saw lots of them, in fact. I crawled and crouched to watch them eat. I would meticulously cast a few feet ahead of at least a dozen fish throughout the day stripping the line in short bursts. But every fly had the same effect: FEAR.

I hadn’t seen this before. They were scared of the flies I was casting! ALL OF THEM! It’s one thing to be an ogre splashing around the river scaring off fish, but I honestly wasn’t. I wasn’t casting monstrous Lake Michigan-worthy carp flies or DD’s. I mostly threw small bug patterns, wooly’s, small carp flies, and egg patterns. Tiny guys. Natural colors, cray patterns; it didn’t matter. When the fly drifted to within a foot or two of the carp’s face, they peeled out leaving behind that trademark cloud of silt in the river.

Elsewhere, there were a few champion fishermen absolutely killing it. There are few possible answers to the question of why that happened. First, all the guys who placed are really good. Like, really good. Dave Kuntzelman, who would be crowned the winner of winners later that evening has the reputation of a carp superhero of sorts and may, in fact, speak carpish language though this is unconfirmed. His win was well earned.

I didn’t get a chance to meet Greg, who took 2nd, but I did hear him talking to a buddy about some tactics that made it clear that he and I were thinking on different levels; his level being intelligence and skill, mine being mostly guesswork and what worked last time.

Lastly, I’ll mention Josh Rock, the determined Ohioan who has the uncanny ability to almost will the results in his favor. I’m not sure anyone works harder. With the strategic help of his dad and a morale boost from his mom, The FinFeederFlies team secured third place.

So, was it the talent of these gentlemen that made the difference? No doubt! But it can’t be the only reason. I’ve had better years than this one. Years that I caught a few that I would not chalk up as mere flukes. Years that I not only saw, but also caught some. And the other carp anglers in this tournament are no slackers either – at least not when they fish.

I think the quality of the winning anglers explains why they did so well, but it doesn’t account for why other accomplished fly fisherman struggled to catch them in numbers though they saw a lot. For example, I met a guide from Denver named Chris on my “Plan A” waters, and he experienced the exact same thing I did – except in his case he did manage to land one. You can pin me as a local yokel and non-expert, but not him. He’s an experienced, professional fisherman. These fish were acting weird, at least at first glance.

The second possibility was the weather. At points, there were some torrential downpours of biblical proportions. We experienced what meteorologists, in technical terms, refer to as “raining like cats and dogs”. But I’m going to cut to the chase here and say that we all had the same weather. I’ve caught carp in less-than-ideal circumstances. We all have. It wasn’t that. 

So, what was it that made the day so hard? I think it was the most important factor of the whole tournament; the critical thing that brought us all together; the reason we were all there. It was the carp themselves. 

These fish are smart because, as fish go, they have big brains. They’re strong. They adapt quickly. They have huge eyes too! The kind of eyes with the capacity to distinguish between random floating debri and a larval insect passing them quickly in murky water. It’s what makes them worthy quarry. It’s why we obsess over them. It’s why we think, “Idiot.” when we hear someone refer to them as trash fish.

I think the fish I was chasing that day were educated. They were sick of getting their lips pierced, and who can blame them? Somehow they – in a moments notice – have learned to identify and avoid flies. Somehow, the mere presence of a human meant ‘stop eating’.

Will I give up on carp because my spot is compromised? No way. If anything, this makes me more excited about next year’s tournament! Do I like that they’ve figured me out? Of course not, but it’ll motivate me to get better at faking out fish! And, ultimately, was it really a bad day? Absolutely not! I didn’t catch any carp, but I did get to hang out with friends, eat barbecue and drink beer, and spend the whole day on the water doing what we all love to do; Throwing flies at some amazing creatures!

See everybody in 2020!

AC

Gateway: Helping others connect to the land

On By ChazAaronCampIn OutdoorsLeave a comment

What was your gateway into the outdoors?

Sadly, many people in this increasingly digital era just aren’t ‘into the outdoors’ at all! Some, no doubt, were raised by parents already awakened to the majesty of nature. Others were introduced to the natural world through a hobby they picked up or a move to a rural context.

My personal story of connection to the land came through what some call adult-onset hunting. I’d been fishing most of my life, but with little exposure to the wild side of this world as the majority of my fishing excursions took place at local ponds in the suburbs. Over time, exposure to hunter-conservation organizations like Backcountry Hunters & Anglers and voices like Charles Post and Steve Rinella helped me develop a more complex view of hunting that appreciated the process and purpose beyond just the kill. I began reading Aldo Leopold and Wendell Berry. I began frequenting rivers and forests of the American Midwest for less-consumptive reasons as well. Conservation was now on my radar! These organizations and men began to shape my mind to grasp the connection between my love for doing things on the land to my part in caring for the land!

To many, it seems obvious that outdoorsmen and women have an uphill battle for the heart and soul of American society and “land enthusiasm”. Knowledge of our public land system, methods of wildlife management, and environmental protection are lost on the average person. Also, many sportsmen and women who love the outdoors tend to feel that it is a very personal – maybe even private – thing, so it’s hard for them to envision bringing others along. Thirdly, there is an almost cliquish tendency in the outdoor world to cling closely with those most like us, and to steer clear of people outside of our immediate sphere.

I’d like to propose a few tactics to fight this uphill battle of land disconnection. I believe we can help others connect to the land in three ways: educational, experiential, and communal.

One of the best ways to protect the land is to educate people in how our land system works. I’m not talking about convincing someone to get a degree in Environmental Studies. I’m suggesting that when people understand the basics of ecology, our agricultural system, or wildlife management, they seem to develop a newfound respect for the land and interest in being involved. Educated people are then able to have meaningful conversations with others. When minds are opened up to the reality that there are philosophies, systems, and worldviews that underpin human relation to the land, a layer of depth develops around these topics.

This requires us to be informed enough to speak responsibly on these issues! It requires nature lovers to be up-to-date with solid, science-based solutions to ecological issues. It requires us to read books and blogs, listen to podcasts, and watch documentaries about the land and its use. It requires us to have compelling reasons to be listened to! We want to be measured in our pronouncements, not always doom and gloom. We also want to be winsome in our tone. Nothing is more annoying than being beaten over the head with information without context, so make sure to meet people where they are. Ask a lot of questions and be willing to find out the answer if you don’t know. Don’t fake it. If the reward for respectful, intelligent conversation is another soldier in the fight to care for the land, then we should all add this tool of education to our arsenals.

Another way for exposing others to the land is to help others actually experience it! No amount of flowery language or articulate explanation can match the experience of seeing a sunrise in person. Society values artists, poets, and photographers who capture a portion of the experience. How can we describe a wild experience to someone who really doesn’t have a meaningful definition of the wild? It’s not impossible for someone to grasp your definition, but it’s an incomplete one if they haven’t experienced it.

Helping others experience the land requires us to let go of viewing our outdoor life as something that is ‘just for us’. As I mentioned before, it’s far too easy for us to keep our wild places, activities, and acquired skills to ourselves. Does your heart still skip a beat when you’re surprised by a whitetail doe as she darts through the woods at an almost inexplicable pace? What about the sense of accomplishment when you’re dragging the raft out of the river? These things are intensely personal, but these experiences – and many more – have the ability to change someone else’s life as well. 

By introducing someone to the land in this way, you equip them to stop viewing the environment as a political topic because the places, animals, and experiences become deeply personal. By involving them in your experience, you give them a tool to remember smells, feel cool wind, and taste fire-grilled food when they hear people speak of the wild places. Give someone something to daydream about in their cubicle by taking them with you.

The final way I suggest to help provide a gateway to the land is inviting people into a healthy outdoor community. This requires the outdoor community to actually be a healthy community. It’s an unfortunate thing that we in the outdoor world have a real temptation to view each other as enemies rather than friends. Are there situations where one hobby’s activity annoys the other? Of course! Are there times when preservationists and conservationists aren’t going to agree on the best course of action to care for the land? Absolutely! Are hikers going to feel weird about gun season on public land? Yep. Will fishermen and women cringe when kayakers float through the pool they’re casting into? You bet. The problem is not disagreement or even a little conflict now and then. The problem is us versus them. We’re living in an era where all outdoor sportsmen and women, all foodies interested in agriculture (from hobbyist to professional), and all land-care advocates have the opportunity to unite rather than divide.

This is going to require people to connect and talk. When you’re afield, be cool. The other guy scouting for wild game is probably a good guy – you know you at least have one thing in common! After a few minutes of chatting, he’ll probably be less likely to mess with your trail cam too. If you see kayakers floating the river, recognize that the river is theirs too. You have the chance to ask them if they’re having a good time, and, while you’re at it, find out what the water is like upstream! You also may want to consider joining an advocacy group that stretches your views. If you’re a member of a political organization focused on environmental change, join a local conservation group to get a better view of your local land and water issues! If you’re part of a hunting and fishing organization, find an organization that specializes in protection of non-game animals. 

We have an opportunity to live out our ecological views. We can be different, yet unified in purpose. We have the chance to see the places where our views and activities interconnect. This isn’t mystical kumbaya mumbo-jumbo. I’m talking about mutual benefit. I’m talking about doing things that are good for you, good for others, and good for the land. If we can demonstrate these values, we become an attractive community, guiding those who need a connection to the land.

It won’t happen immediately. It’s not easy. If it’s working, you’ll begin to notice people around you looking for their gateway to experiencing the land. They may bring up something they saw in the news about water quality in your region, where their food comes from, or an interest in wildlife that wasn’t there before. People will start asking you questions. They may even ask if they can come with you.

Which tactic will you use to help someone find their gateway to the outdoors?

AC