Carp

[flywatersmallie]

Sure don't see many posts about these guys, any of you do this? Up here in WI, trout season is closed, the smallies, panfish and the like have gone deep. Carp are still around and willing to take a fly. Here's one from last week with 39? water temps taken in about a foot of water. What are you using now? (I just posted a new fly over in fly tying, let me know what you think). Its getting cold up here, looking to liven the board up and get some discussion going!

[Martin McFly]

Oh, heck yeah!! I love fly fishing for carp but started a few weeks before I moved from AZ to CA, my local pond was full of them. I have a couple of boxes with "carp flies" and a 7wt setup to catch some of those.
There were a lot of fishable urban ponds in AZ but I only have one here in SoCal. I found a guy last Sunday who told me he caught a 23 pound carp last Summer...can't wait to catch me some on the fly.
The only problem IMHO is that since it is a sight kind of game if you don't see the carp there is no game but I'm not about giving on on carpin'

[flywatersmallie]

I agree! You can fish them blind but, its not anywhere near as fun and not anywhere near as productive! That's a 7 weight in the pic too. That's about as heavy as I go. All summer, I fish them with a 5 weight and handle them just fine. That 7 has so much more "reach" right now. I don't want to get into the water to stalk them right now for safety's sake. Average casts have been 80-90 feet, While I can do that with the 5, my accuracy is waaaaaay down. I can do it quickly and accurately with the 7 weight. I've been fishing a river system and since it got cold, the waters became just gin clear with fish holding in dark mucky bays. Sure is easy to find the feeders right now as they cause a ruckus with that silt on the bottom, but presenting a fly without spooking them has proven to be harder in the last couple weeks than I can ever remember. Of course, I have never fished them this late in the season before.

Martin, Don't overlook the flowing water!

[FishnDave]

NICE! That looks like a huckuva nice carp!

I really wanted to catch more carp this year. I think I caught 9 carp on fly gear in 2008. This year...only 2 carp and 2 grass carp. I DID manage to put my flies in front of one or two big Koi....but I couldn't get them to take my offerings.
It was just a really weird year like that. Oh well, hopefully next year.

Rick ("CLAY") will hopefully chime in on this thread. He resides in Wisconsin, and is actually quite good at targeting carp in his area.

I love fish pics....so here's a few pics from this year:

[Martin McFly]

Oh, I remember that story David, video and all. I'm more than ready for the coming summer and hope to catch more than one carp.
I also have a 5wt but never thought about using it for carp, now that you mention it I just might.
There is a river on the back of the park I fish but it is just too crowded with trees and spinning setup fishermen so you have to force your way there, it's a big river but there are only like 3 good spots, the rest is full or vegetation.
What's your go to fly for carp flywatersmallie?

This here is my very first carp (goldfish) caught on a size 10 crappie candy.

[flywatersmallie]

My best patterns to date have been turkey leeches in various natural colors, olive especially. I tie the with orange or yellow thread. The fish don't seem to care and it makes it easier for me to see my fly. Also small clousers tied with fox, coyote or marabou have been good, more natural colored variations of bonefish flies, woolly buggers, crayfish and the like. Check out my "coyote bugly" on the tying page. Haven't got it wet yet, that'll happen tomorrow but it looks just great! Coyote is such a good material for carp!

Nice fish! I'll hopefully be able to post a fresh pic or 2 after tomorrow... When I'm not on the blackberry that is

[FishnDave]

This one? I do own some Albright reels....but I believe this is an Okuma SLV reel.

[FishnDave]

Ok...I took a couple of pictures (sorry about the quality...can't wait to get my new camera for Christmas!) of the "store-bought" fly I've caught most of my carp on. I'd appreciate it if anyone knows what the pattern is called, because I don't, I've assumed it to be some sort of swimming Hex nymph pattern?

[Bill-B'klyn]

[/IMG]

[Bill-B'klyn]

[/IMG]

I took up carp fishing several years ago. it is fantastic fishing. I catch them in rivers, lakes and ponds in New York City and New Jersey. The fish picture was taken on a 6'6" glass fly rod, using a deer hair pellet fly. But carp will take just about any fly when it is WELL presented. I've used dry flies, wet flies,nymphs and most recently dog bisquits attached to scud hooks. the dog bisquit will float.


Bill