i fish some local rivers for smallmouth (ohio) i usually do pretty good, but everytime i see some carp i make a few casts, they always ignore it, what m i doing wrong? what flies should i use and how should i fish them?
i fish some local rivers for smallmouth (ohio) i usually do pretty good, but everytime i see some carp i make a few casts, they always ignore it, what m i doing wrong? what flies should i use and how should i fish them?
Carp are one of the smartest fish and also not very agressive. If you are using streamers to catch the smallmouth, stripped fast to trigger their agressive response, that will rarely work to catch a carp. You need to fish for them much more like fishing for a smart selective trout. You will need to drift the fly very close to the carp's mouth and you will need to make sure that the carp does not see you. Once he knows you are there, it is unlikely that you will catch him.
Use flies that match the local food that the carp are feeding on. This may be crawfish, damselfly nymphs, small worms, or even midges. Watch the carp and see what they seem to be eating, then match the hatch.
Ted
I agree with Ted wholeheartedly. I often target carp specifically , but, occasionally will see them on a larger river I do the majority of my smallie fishing on. I've had some success using small crayfish patterns, buggers, and small clousers fished low and slow, that were in the smallie box. I've now learned to carry some nymphs (the first sightfished carp I caught was on a damselfly nymph many moons ago) like headstands, carp worms, bead head softhackles, hare's ear, etc. to make a better presentation with. Doesn't take up much room in a box and can make for some extraordinary fishing. Though carp aren't particulary tippet shy, I also carry a spool of 3x and 4x to accomodate the smaller flies.
Charlie
A number of fly fishers want "start up "info for carp fly fishing. I'm posting some of my observations here:
what makes the carp unique is that it does not chase your fly like
other fish can. carp can only be taken when they are already in the
process of feeding. If a carp is not feeding, go see a movie. When a
carp is feeding your fly has to be no more than 2 feet from it's mouth.
carp don't like fast movements, so never move your fly more than an
inch or so when it is in the feeding zone of the carp. Carp can see
you. remember if you see the carp then the carp sees you. carp fishing
requires STEALTH. Move slow on your approach, wear earth tones, leave
flashy jewelery at home. the key to getting carp to take your fly is
PRESENTATION. Carp will take the same flies trout take ( dry, wet,
nymphs, terrestrials). If carp are feeding on the surface I use deer
hair flies. If carp are eating on the bottom wet flies like woolie
buggers work. I've used hares ears for tailing fish. I have not
found a go to fly yet because I fish all over NY & NJ. I've found what
works in one lake doesn't work in all bodies of water. just like
trout, match as much as possible what the carp is eating; Size, color
do matter.
If you decide to target carp, try to fish with someone who has caught
carp with flies before so that you can shorten the learning curve.
tippet size depends on you the fly fisher. Last
week I used 6X to fish for carp. I used 4X tippet. But
each time I was fishing in a lake; river carp tend to be stronger than lake carp.
You must have patience when fishing for carp. I've seen fishers hook
and lose their carp because they over reacted to the carp's take of the
fly.
I have been carpin for a number of years with all kinds of rods. Grass,
Glass & Graphite, from 2 wt to 8 wt switch rods. Yes they are
smart, yes they are spooky. carp will take the same flies that trout
take. the secret to catching carp with flies is your presentation. You
must use stealth, accuracy, & patience when fishing for carp. carp
do not chase flies. unless a carp is feeding it will ignore your fly.
when it is feeding you fly must be in the "feeding zone" for the carp
to consider your offering. the zone is like a triangle about 2 feet
long; with the carp's mouth being the apex of the triangle. cast your
fly in the zone & the carp may take your fly. Dry flies, wet flies
and nymphs all work; it depends on what they are targeting and your
presentation. wear earth tones, no flashy rings or watches. use a net
, less stress for you & the carp. Have a plan on how you will
fight the fish. Know where you want the carp to go and where you want
to stay away from. Since carp are not trout, get them on the reel ASAP
switch rod
fenwick glass fly rod
cane fly rod
Glass 3 pc, 7.5' , 3/4 wt fly rod
fly box
6'6", 2 wt Glass fly rod
fenwick glass fly rod
fenwick voyager fly rod
#4 Technical Fishing - Carp aren’t predatory by nature. They’re classic bottom feeders, and as such, they aren’t apt to wheel around and hammer a baitfish swimming through their peripheral vision. The presentation must be perfect every time, without exception. It takes a great cast, and a great retrieve with a solid fly choice, to solicit even moderate interest from a big carp.
Love the response above with the pictures.
And on a funny note, whenever I read through something on this post, I have to read it twice because it looks like it says "crap" every time.
My first carp experience:
2011-09-16+18.08.59.jpg
Bead headed black woolly bugger. Awesome sauce.
thanx for all the information, i did catch a carp in lake erie about 25 years ago but that was just an accident i was in a warm water discharge area and i had cast out and set the rod down was giving in to natures call so when i came back lifted the rod and there was a 15 or 20 lb carp at the other end. i am going to try to target them this summer in the grand river N.E. ohio best smallmouth river that i know of, but i always see carp but didn't know how to try to catch them bobby
Lots of good stuff on this thread. Not much to add other than to say a generic pattern that covers a lot of bases is often the way to go, especially in a river. Carp will eat the basic forage available, so a simple buggy pattern is a good bet. I catch 70-80% of my carp on a basic size 10-12 soft hackle pattern. Just a green or black body, bead, and hackle. Bill is right on, they don't chase often (unless their primary forage is baitfish), but if you show them something that looks like forage, they will usually eat it. My go to fly:
Good luck man!
John Montana
http://carponthefly.blogspot.com/
Hey John, what's the wriggly red thing in the background on that shot?
Where I fish (the Columbia and Willamette mostly) the carp eat a lot of clams, aquatic worms and nymphs, so a San Juan worm fish well. Tricky to fish as you just have to leave it there for the fish to find and figure out when they eat, but they eat the worm well out here.
Typical forage on a sand flat:
I fish the worm n sand flats and go with soft hackles in gravel and cobble. Again, match the local forage. I caught this beast on a size 12 soft hackle.
John Montana
http://carponthefly.blogspot.com/
HUGE carp! That clam fly sure looks interesting...how well do the carp react to it?
David Merical
St. Louis, MO