It really got started back in 1996 when a guy named Jim Andrix started working at Mad River Outfitters. He was often heard to say that he was “Not much of a trout fisherman…..prefer my smallmouth and my carp”. Not something heard very often in a fly shop, especially back then. The more we started talking though, the more we found folks who agreed. The carp are a fantastic gamefish on the fly rod. It was just that few people were willing to publically admit that they were “Carp fishermen”

Then, in 2002, we came out of the closet! “Carpin” was released and featured MRO’s Brian Flechsig, fly fishing legend Dave Whitlock, Jerry Darkes, Jim Andrix himself and the late Dr. Steelhead…Michael Bennett. The movie takes a lighthearted look at the sport of catching Carp on a fly rod. It was a ground-breaking work in the industry and still holds it’s value almost ten years later. It is one of the few of it’s kind right now in the industry!!

We had also started “Guiding” for carp on a few pieces of water in Central Ohio and developed quite a client base. Late June and July became a busy season for us once the “Mulberry Hatch” was on! Muzzy Lakes Club, one piece of water that we work on features some of the best Mulberry fishing that we have ever seen! This was so much fun that it attracted the likes of Dave and Emily Whitlock every season. The photo above is Emily’s 1st Carp on the Mulberry. Lefty Kreh even joined us one year and afterwards made a call to his buddy Flip Pallot. A year or so later we filmed a “Walker’s Cay Chronicles” that aired on ESPN……and the rest is history!

Today the tradition continues…….

We now feature the talents of MRO’s Andy Jensen and his “Fly-n-Carp”. Andy has a full-blown “Ohio Flats Boat” and can be found poling the shores of Alum Creek and Muzzy Lakes Club with anglers from around the Midwest who are looking to experience the thrill of Ohio Flats Fishing. Andy will also be conducting a “Carp School” to be held at the Muzzy Lakes. This Summer’s class falls on Sunday, July 18th and is limited to 6 students!

Mad River Outfitters