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Most of the guys here are more knowledgable about carp than I am, but I do have one thing to offer.
Carp fishing wasn't very much fun at first for me. I own "Carp on the Fly" and I'd read every internet site out there, yet I didn't have much success at first. I was getting frustrated and had almost quit fishing for them, when one day I was at the local park and trying out an experimental fly I'd made for bass/panfish when a big ole carp pounced on it. I lost that guy, but landed 4 others that afternoon on the same fly, none even close to as big as the one that I lost.
Wow, suddenly carp fishing was fun. I don't think I really believed carp could be caught on the fly despite all the posts and literature out there. Once I knew they could, fishless days are now viewed as a good day on the water rather than a waste of time.
My point is to be persistent, you may not experience success right off, but when you do a whole new world opens up, and armed with that confidence carp fishing becomes much easier and enjoyable.
Later,
Jambalaya
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Jambalaya - What did your "experimental fly" look like? It may the answer to some of my sub par carp days.
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Poke,
Good advice, man. I knew you'd have some words of wisdom. When are we going again. I'm getting itchy.
Jambalaya,
Good post. Those things can be soo frustrating at times but once you know that you know you can and will catch them eventually, that's when the fun begins and then the days you don't catch them are fun too, just watching them turn their nose up. Just watching them is fun. Like I said, they're like cats. Finicky at times and other times they'll just pounce on a fly or chase it. Some days I get skunked but one day, my best ever for numbers, I caught 17 between say, 3lbs and 7lbs. I thought I had it figured out until the next time I went out and they kicked my butt.
Ohio Mike,
Interesting about the berries. I know a lake that has Mulberry trees hanging over the water and carp. I might try it when the mulberrys are ripe.
Do I smell a possible carp fish-in in the future. How cool would that be?
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Oops! I know this ain't the salty BB, but Capt. Paul Darby's "Junk Yard Dawg" listed in the FAOL archives will work on Carp. Trust me. Just leave it sit on the bottom and twitch it when Carp are close by. Give it a try and don't snitch to Paul that I advised using his saltwater pet fly on Carp...
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Hello all. Thanks for the great information. I'm sure that nuttyonepdx is getting all that he bargained for here. I know that I am.
Didn't think about Carp on the short rod. Sounds a bit scary. I was planning on using an 8'-6" five wt. However, I do have a sweet little 6'-9" four wt. that might be the ticket.
How about fishing from a canoe? Or, maybe I should use the canoe to access the areas where carp are feeding and then wade or "knee walk" into position for a presentation.
Flip Pallot must have his priorities in order!
Lots to think about here. I can remember seeing lots of carp in the shallows during my bass boating days but can't really remember the season. Seems it could have been late spring maybe.
Fish-in? That could be loads of fun.
Our weather is just beginning to warm up and real spring is right around the corner. Won't be long now.
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Poke,
This is the fly I used that day.
http://members.cox.net/zenthor/Fly%2...nt%20Carey.jpg
For lack of a better name call it a Descent Carey, 'cause I dubbed the body with Descent Dubbing. I originally made it to pursue panfish with, but it turned out to be real effective on carp. I usually cast to tailing fish so the flash helps them see the fly in the water, but I've had fish move up to 6 ft to gobble this fly. This fly also sinks like a rock once the marabou tail is saturated.
Lately, I've been using the yellow ccc(I don't bother soaking the eyes in salt water) that was a fly of the week awhile back. It's as effective and it's a bit more weedless.
My carping is mainly sight casting to tailing fish at a nearby park with a couple of large ponds. Lotsa kids throwing bread to the ducks, which also brings in carp to clean up the scraps. It usually doesn't take me long to find tailing fish. If I find tailers I can almost guarantee a couple of fish at least. I don't always find 'em though, and on those days I just enjoy my stroll though the park. The upper pond has grass carp, but I've not tried to catch one as of yet. I've mostly been having fun with the big common carp that are abundant in the lower pond.
Hope this helps,
Jambalaya
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There is a near-by pond that gets the bread for ducks routine also. Often the carp come up to take bread off the top and can be pestered on top with something white and floating, from clipped deerhair to chunks of styrofoam. AND they still don't seem to be push-overs. http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/smile.gif
......lee s.
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I have a friend in the Dallas Fort Worth area that is an avid carp fisherman, and very successful I might add. He has a guide service for carp, and has given various seminars here on catching these fish. You might want to check his website, correspond with him as he will give you advice readily.
[url=http://www.trashonthefly.com/:377d7]http://www.trashonthefly.com/[/url:377d7]
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Jambalaya, Great looking pattern. I love the white and olive combination of colors. Thanks for sharing.
Robert, Let's come up with a date to try one of the lakes in the Duncan/Marlow area. Someone at the OKC Tackle Show said Arbuckle had a huge population of carp and was popular with the bow hunters. Heck, we may even give bass a try! I'm ready!! Maybe Okie can slip away from his studies long enough to join us.
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