Testimonials

-" My experience with Paul as a casting instructor has been great. I needed to improve my skills to make a transition from freshwater to saltwater fishing.  In only a couple of lessons, he had me double hauling and casting further distances that saltwater fishing requires.  He not only has excellent analytical skills, he is an enthusiastic teacher." Lanny Revis

Fly Fishing for Cyprinus Carpio

By Anthony Hipps

Prior to early October 2010, I had never caught a cyprinus carpio on a fly rod. Oh, I had made numerous casts at them and had actually hooked one. But, until this trip with Captain Paul Rose I had never landed one.

In the summer of 1998 I experienced my first actual fly fishing encounter with a cyprinus carpio. There was a very fast and abrupt ending to that first brief encounter with a fish that I estimate weighed more than 20 pounds.  Read the rest of the story

Big Streamers and Rainbows
A day on Wolf Creek with Captain Paul Rose
It was Tuesday night and I was just recovering from my weekend at the June 4-5, 2010 Federation of Fly
Fishers Southeastern Council Conclave when the phone rang. It was fly fishing guide Captain Paul Rose. He
told me that he had an open date for this coming Saturday (June 12) and wanted to know if I could fish with
him. I enquired with Robin and got permission to fish that Saturday. Her permission came with the caveat that
I could fishing Saturday go as long as I would be available for the chores she had lined up for me on Sunday
after church. I agreed and we set up the time and meeting place for our Saturday trip.
Paul is nationally recognized as an expert fly fisherman and fly fishing guide for carp
(www.carolinabonefishing.com). However, on this trip we would not be targeting his beloved carp. Paul has
expanded his guide service to include trout and even some inshore saltwater fishing. Paul explained that he had
access to a private trophy trout stream, Wolf Creek, in northwestern Virginia. The plan was to meet at the
Virginia Welcome Center Rest Stop on I-77 at 7:00AM and I would follow him to Wolf Creek access near
Rocky Gap, VA. We would be fishing big streamers for 14-inch plus rainbow trout with the possibility of
catching smallmouth bass and panfish. Paul said, “bring at least a 5-weight rod and no smaller than 3x tippet.
You will need the heavier weight rod to cast the large streamers we will be using.”
When we arrived at Wolf Creek at about 8:15AM it was overcast and threatening rain.
Get the rest of the story-Read More

I bought a crappy jon boat last fall with the intention of adding a bunch of fishing days to my year, and I figured I could catch a few bass and have a good time with it. After two months, lots of knuckle busting, head scratching, and fits of screaming profanities and throwing things I finally managed to get the piece of s&*t running. During that time I was also beginning to read about carp, and wondering what the fuss was about.
After my first trip back into a muddy cove during spawning season where I witnessed hundreds of 10-20 lb. grass carp thrashing in inches of water, I completely understood the appeal. I went back at least a couple times a week chucking bad casts at the spookiest fish I have ever met. I managed to catch one 15ish lb. grass carp, but my hookup to cast ratio was about 1:1,500. I needed help.

I saw an article in Eastern Fly Fishing on Capt. Paul Rose, and was as giddy as a little girl to find that I had an actual carp fly fishing guide in my own town. Maybe Charlotte's not so bad after all?

Long story short, I've now been out with Capt. Paul 3 times. The first two were frustrating and futile attempts as my skill level was not up to par(even as I had shots at fish all day long), but Paul persevered and acted as much as a casting instructor as he did a competent guide. Armed with the Captain's lessons, I left the trips motivated to improve, and used my trusty grass carp as casting practice.

The last trip it all came together. I've spent more hours fishing than I have worked in the last couple of months, and have made a huge transition from an incompetent newbie to a barely competent beginner. After my first hook-up with a relatively small 3 pounder, I was finally able to put all the pieces together; from the in-to-the-wind, under-the-brush, six-inches off his nose cast to the almost undetectable carp take. I managed to land
3 more that day, go home satisfied, and plunge into new levels of addiction and obsession.

I haven't seen a mountain stream or hooked up with a trout since last year, but those four fish made it all worth it. Matt Pike