Cornhusker Flyfishers Club president Larry Dostal retrieved me from the Omaha Marriot Hotel at 8 AM today to lead me through my first ever day fly fishing in Nebraska. We took the I 80 from Omaha to Lincoln then north to Branched Oak Lake. Our target species were hybrid stripers – better known as “wipers”.
Branched Oak is the largest of the Salt Valley Lakes. We parked at the recreation area and headed out on a rock jetty. I rigged my 5-weight with a heavy black Clouser minnow at the point and a lighter weight chartreus and white Clouser as my dropper on straight 0X Flouro. The weather was nice when we arrived but before we made our first cast the wind kicked up.
When I purchased my Nebraska fishing license earlier at the Branched Oak Marina the clerk cautioned us the fishing had been slow. He hadn’t heard of a wiper being caught yet this year. He also said the walleye bite was over and we were too early for the crappie. Larry and I worked the lake hard for nearly two hours but nothing.
Our next stop was a short hike down a grassy hill to the spillway of the Lake. Oak Creek is tiny but right below the dam was a promising looking deep pool. Larry hung over a cement ledge and covered the water well but nothing cooperated.
This day had been planned for months and Larry’s original hope was to get me my first goldeye on the fly. That idea diminished with all the terrible spring weather effecting the US lately. Larry made me plenty aware that catching a fish would be tough. Therefore, he had several places in mind and our next stop were some carp ponds near downtown Lincoln.
Things started bleak. We walked a half hour without sighting a carp. With the wind, water clarity was bad but we didn’t give up. Eventually we started seeing a few then nestled in a clump of cattails we saw a waving carp tail. A cast was impossible so I dapped a dark Crazy Charlie style fly and jigged it where I suspected the head of the hungry carp was. He ate and by miracle didn’t break me off in the reeds. My first Nebraska fish was my second common carp of the year – both thanks to speaking engagements this season (first was Phoenix in January).
We saw quite a few carp during the next hour. They weren’t as easy as my first. They were both finicky and spooky. You really had to get down low and drop the fly perfectly for success. Larry’s stealthy approach soon led him to our next carp.
I’d end up hooking one more carp but cooler weather and more wind moved in over the afternoon. We didn’t see much more after Larry landed his carp. We returned to Omaha and tonight Larry and the Cornhusker Flyfishers treated me to a delicious prime rib. Tomorrow I’ll be delivering a full day of fly fishing seminars.
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