Gotta love good ol’ rubber-lips
The last issue of Angling Trade received many positive comments from readers (thank you), but no topic stirred quite as much interest and response as my short column on carp fishing tournaments. You can check out that story in the August issue, but the basic premise was that if we (the fly fishing industry) are interested in a competition-based platform for generating exposure and adding new wrinkles to the sport, it should revolve around carp. They’re everywhere. They can stand the pressure. They present unique angling challenges. And there are a number of great, local carp tournaments in place throughout the country, and that number is growing.
In fact, last weekend marked the sixth annual South Platte River Pro-Am Carp Slam, which generated thousands of dollars for Denver Trout Unlimited, as well as significant media exposure for the event and the South Platte River.
The opportunity, in my mind is to look toward a national event or series. At the Carp Slam in Denver, I met with David Moore, who has coordinated the major Euro-style carp tournaments in the Unites States in the past several years. He is interested and willing to help fly fishing create a carp series.
Here’s what we’re going to do: We’re going to coordinate five regional carp tournaments (existing events or otherwise) to be qualifiers for a national event with prize money, etc.
If you or your company want to be involved with this… if you are involved with a carp tournament that you think might benefit from being one of the “regionals”… if you want to be part of the dialogue that establishes a national carp series on the fly… please E-mail [email protected], and we will include you in the development process.
4 Comments
Great idea Kirk! We’ve been a proud sponsor of the South Platte River Pro-Am Carp Slam for the past 6 years, and have been amazed at the level of competition and exposure this event has given carp fishing, and the South Platte River through Denver. Count us in!
Carp are the next wave in this sport, no question. Saltwater scale fish that eat small flies in shallow water — whaddaya want! They have been considered high sport in Europe for some time. Back in 2000, I participated in a TU carp tournament in the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado. There were at least two anglers from Europe in attendance, one telling me that he had come all the way to America to see Carp that would eat a fly, because he didn’t believe it was possible.
Of course, one of the most satisfying things about Carping has been how badly it torques off old-school dry fly trout fisherman, but that’s changing too…
Considering the current warming trend, growing demand for water and political rejection of clean water, we had best get used to the idea of fishing for carp, as they may be the only fish surviving.
I think this is a great idea.
If/when my girlfriend finally gets fed up with my antics & constant travel, I can get a camper shell & hit the carp tour.