Located 41 miles North of my hometown, Vernal Utah, Flaming Gorge reservoir was created in 1964 to impound the Green River.  Nearly 90 miles long, "The Gorge" is best known for trophy Lake Trout.  Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Smallmouth Bass and Channel Cats are also taken regularly.

But in September of 2001 I came here to catch Carp.  I had fished the Gorge many times over the years and had seen the giant Carp rolling on the surface and actually rising to insects on the surface.

This was to be my first trip intentionally fishing for Carp using the European methods I had been reading about on the web.  I set up on the bank about 2 miles North of the Antelope Flats boat ramp in a section known as Jug Hollow.

My line hadn't been in the water but a few minutes when a 12 pounder took the Wheaties/Strawberry Jam doughball I was using for bait.  At the end of four hours, I had taken 5 carp from 7 to 23 pounds.  To say I was ecstatic would be an understatement.  I swore to  master this style of fishing for Carp.

Later that day I did some scouting and found carp over 3 feet long lazily milling about in many of the shallow coves around the lake.  Most of these are only accessible by boat (or some long distance hiking, but I ain't hoisting my fat butt that far with a load of gear).  I'll take my jon boat up early in the spring and see if I can find them again.

The water in Flaming Gorge is normally gin-clear.  But, at least the Carp I caught didn't seem too line shy.

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