Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Denver TU's 'Carp Slam VI'

So Denver's TU hosted their 6th annual 'Carp Slam' last Saturday. Perfect timing since our Carp Week started the next day! A big thanks goes out to Dave Litten for turning us on to this great event! Here's the write-up from DTU's site and if you want to look into it yourself, DTU has designed a site just for the Carp Slam (http://carpslam.org/the-cory)...

It’s a fly fishing tournament where the finest professional and amateur anglers in the region (and beyond) match wits with the wily and elusive common carp. Carp are one of the most difficult freshwater fish to pursue on fly – meanwhile the urban South Platte River running through downtown Denver is one of the finest carp fisheries in North America.
The purpose of the tournament is to raise money for the reconstruction / rehabilitation of the Urban South Platte River below Chatfield Reservoir and through Denver.

You’re raising money for what!? Who cooked up this wild scheme?

Actually, the Denver Chapter of Trout Unlimited has been working with the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District for over several years studying how the Carson Nature Center’s reach of the South Platte can be enhanced to support a better native fish population, recreational fishery and riparian habitat. In 2011 the city of Littleton and the board of South Suburban Parks and Recreation approved the design and funded the first phase of restoration which is slated to begin in 2012. Denver Trout Unlimited has committed $10,000, raised primarily through the Carp Slam, to the project and has leveraged that money into a Fishing is Fun grant of $80,000.

DTU has also worked with the City and County of Denver and the Greenway Foundation on a South Platte Restoration plan, committing $25,000 to the project which is still in the design phase. Ultimately, at least $4 million will be spent to improve several miles of the Urban South Platte.

Colorado blue skies reflected in a quiet spot on the Urban South Platte River in Denver

An idyllic fishing spot in Urban Denver, Co just below the 8th Street Bikeway bridge. A little more depth in the river, a little more water, a little more care for the aquatic health of the river, and a little more clean up and it will be perfect.

Coverage Angles

Official Carp Slam Brochure
Human Interest - Bring back the bugs.
Historical References - Pollution of the South Platte in the 1880’s
Ironic – Iconic- Iconoclastic
Slamateurs and Pros – Past Winners
Low Flows- Challenge for organizers
10 Things you didn’t know about the Colorado Dorado
After Party – Evening on the South Platte
Coverage- Where to be, how to watch, how to cover, who to watch- Cell phone coverage and twitter alerts -
Maps - In every format imaginable-
Fashion – Sadly, last year’s best dressed is not entered, but the worst dressed is.
Official Rules and Contacts

A separate page has been provided for each coverage angle. For additional information please do not hesitate to call, email, or text the sources on each page.

Photos from last years Carp Slam can be found on:

https://picasaweb.google.com/115495250551985075767/CarpSlam2011#

Credit for photos 97-149 for 2011 goes to Joe Kingry Photography.

The Carp Slam Amateurs, called Slamateurs, are a very important part of the fund raising effort. They must pony up a $250 entrance fee and then, true South Platte lovers all, they compete against each other in raising money for the cause from their facebook friends, Twitter followers, family, and fishing buddies.

The second level is competing with their team mate against the 14 other fierce fly-fishing teams. The pressure on the professional guides to out-fish other guides from competing fly-shops is intense. Rob Kolanda, Team US Fly-Fishing member, has won the contest twice. Clint Packo and Dave Luna would like to win it twice. Barry Reynolds, the father of fly-fishing for Carp on the South Platte, has been second so many times that just having him on the river intimidates both the carp and the carpers. Until last year, the unaccustomed pressure on the amateurs has generally kept their catch small. But Tanner Trevor, Hero of the South Platte for discovering the Suncor Sand Creek Oil Spill in November 2011, changed all that by his incredible performance opposite REI to win the 2011 Carp Slam. Clint Packo his professional partner said, “This guy is an amateur? Maybe we need a new definition.” Last year the teams caught 16 carp and 15 trout, bass, and walleye.

Beats and fishing partners are drawn from a fishing hat the night before the event.

Every year, like every day on every stream, presents a different challenge. The contest has weathered extreme changes in flow from treatment plant releases, Chatfield Reservoir releases, full moons, and this year the competitors will be dealing with the low flows.

Prior Year Results:

2011 168cfs	Place	Amateur	Pro	Inches of Carp
	1	Trevor Tanner	Clint Packo	111.75
	2	Michael Gracie	Barry Reynolds	81
	3	Nathan Davis	Luke Bever	72.75
	Non-carp		Ty Clifton	22	Rainbow

2010 280cfs	1	Phil Beranto	David Luna	29
	2	Justin Clark	Barry Reynolds29	29
	3	Tony Kay	Chris Galvin
		Open-Fish Anywhere
	1	Tyler Kendricks	David Luna
	2	Matt Nery	Kevin Nichols
	3	Jake McKittrick	Barry Reynolds

2009 220cfs	1	Tyler Steward	Rob Kolanda	131
	2	Michael Gracie	Barry Reynolds	55
	3	Paul Gaeke	Matt Snider
	Non-carp	Chris Crosby		17	Walleye
	Largest carp		Luke Bever	30