Trash on the Fly

History Lesson:

Texas Fly Report was shut down this week.  The proprietor, Alex, (see: Redemption) created the site in 2002 as a programming hobby, and most of the initial members came to the site from a now defunct Yahoo Group called Texas Warm Water Fly Fishers.

I knew Lane from the Yahoo Group and some of the outings we had, so he was a familiar name at TFR along with about 20-30 others.  I believe that Lane and I met around April of 2000 at an outing on the Brazos river near Glen Rose, TX.

This picture of Lane hooked up with his first carp is in direct result of those online communities and their friendships:

If you’d ever been to trashonthefly before I turned it into a blog, it’s a familiar picture.  Just looking at it makes me smile.  Lane was my test client– my first attempt to show someone else how to stalk and catch a carp.  It was May 24, 2004, and a lot has changed since then, but the memories remain the same.

When I got home from that trip, and while Lane was back on the road towards home, I posted the following message on Texas Fly Report–

Went fishing today with Lane (No-Tye-Much) and I don’t know if he’ll say anything so I’m spilling the beans, today he caught his first fly rod carp while targeting carp specifically. No bait, chum, or scent, just good old-fashioned sight fishing for spooky critters.

He said he hardly remembers the first few seconds but let me tell you the man can put some heat on a fish. When it ate the fly and promptly bolted for the log 4 feet away he whisked it– no I should say pounded it– out of danger immediately to where he had some fighting room.

The fish went 3 pounds which in a lot of ways is the perfect sized carp, the smaller ones fight fast and dirty. (Not to be misunderstood, a 6 pound carp fights like a train and bigger carp are real bulldogs– they do not “slow down” with old age)

We got a couple of beautiful pics which I’m sure Lane will be sharing with us later. Lane also took a rare pic of me with a carp as well, usually I’m solo because most people think I’m crazy for beating my head over the fish and walking banks for hours, straining my eyes and drinking hot water, walking through fire ant mounds and thistles:

What’d I forget, Lane? I won’t mention that one embarrassing moment involving you, the snake, the girl on the jetski and cowpoop.

I still distinctly remember Lane casting to that fish.  He was absolutely predatory with that fly rod, something I often wish other anglers could get a whiff of.  There was no hesitation after I pointed the carp– the fly was in front of that fish and now.

Big-Ass might have been a little tongue in cheek, but the fish gave him a great fight and it was mission accomplished.  Thanks for the memory, Lane.