What flies do you guys use for carp? I was at a local lake today and I saw at least three carp that went over 15 lbs swimming along the shore. I was catching bluegill and bass on poppers and streamers. I tossed at the carp a few times and landed them pretty close, but no interest at all. I bet one of those would be a bunch of fun on a 5 wt rod 
Jeff
look at the post on koi flys. I posted a pic of my go to fly for suspended or cruising carp. Try any nymph or bonefish type fly
I’ve had some good success throwing olive and black buggers to em, although I had to present it several times and used a slower jigging kind of strip. I’ve also read that when you see these guys splashing around near shore and cruising the shore line a good mill-worm or white larvae imitation works great. I’ve only hooked (and not landed yet!) 4 of these brutes intentionally and they are so much fun on my 5wt. It is literally like tying your line to end of a car and trying to stop it from running. Fishing for carp definately gives you some good experience fighting big fish, so that when that 8lb LM jumps on you, you’ll know what to do! 8)
Wolly worms, wolly buggers, clouser swimming nymphs, damsel fly nymphs, puke fly, and muncher nymph have all worked for me. And let us not forget crayfish patterns. Hope this helps.
Ray
What a coincidence. I caught my first one on the fly today, a size 4 emerald estaz wooly bugger. It was my second day of fishing for them, as they have come to spawn, and there are good numbers of them schooling! I was so glad it was a legitimate in-the-mouth hook and not a snag!
Hardest fighting freshwater fish I’ve ever caught. They’re no longer on the “rough fish” list in my mind. Except for how bad she roughed me up in the fight! LOL. What an absolute BLAST!
I got my first one today on a size ten black woolly bugger. Six lb tippet, sa rig from walmart. They were schooled up and feeding under a bridge, feeding. Got it in the mouth. When that fish took the fly I was in fishing heaven. Fight lasted about 15 minutes. I guess it weighed in at 15 lbs. Next time I’m taking the camera. dan
I caught my First carp on the fly today also. Hit a white bunny leech while I was sight casting in a pond by the Pro Football Hall Of Fame. Best part was I rigged my rod to a picnic table when I got him ready to come in, while I ran across the street to get my camera out of my truck. 
Uncanny! Congrats to all of us are in order today!
crayfish flies or buggers with bead chain for weight. we have caught them on rabbit laech, chartruese minnows,and 1 on a popper right at darkvery near shore. The crayfish fly and bugger are the most consistant. We dont spend any time on for them unless we see them them tailing
Are you guys fishing on the bottom, stripping in, what. The pictures are killing me.
I went back to the lake tonight and saw several very large carp swimming. Mostly in very shallow water. I threw black bead head woolies, olive bead head woolies, olive and brown wollies without the bead head, a sinking bee pattern fly and some adam’s dry flies at them.
I let the streamers (woolies etc.) sink a few seconds and then slowly stripped in. I didn’t let them go all the way to the bottom (5-6 feet) but was using a pretty slow retrieve.
I did catch 3 bass, 5 or 6 bluegill, a crappie, and a rock bass. The day was not a loss at all and the fishing was pretty good, but I really want to tie into one of those huge carp.
Any tips will be helpful.
Thanks,
Jeff
Not a sponsor here but maybe in the future, Rainy’s Carp Flies.
I won the special collection last week at the Utah Fly Tying Expo. Everyone thought I was nuts for teying so hard to win them, but I do have a river within walking distance to use them on.
There are some interesting flies in here, but I will post just a few pictures for you.
Like the corn cluster
Or the slice of bread
This Prince is spun deer hair body:
That’s a very funny fish story!
Thanks,
Doug
The spawn can be very frustrated. It seems to me only one fish in fifty might hit, but at least you know they’re there.
nice fish everyone…great to see people getting into carp! i was out yesterday, but it was tough, only one fish to hand (17 lbs 11 ounces on the digital scale). my friend kim got a 10lb fish, and mr. p hooked up once and lost him. i had one small 6-8 lb fish pop off at my feet too.
for flies, i use a lot of crayfish patterns,the carp wooley, or basic nymphs in bigger sizes. you can’t go wrong with a rubber legged hare’s ear when the fish are tailing.
keep the pictures coming!
here is a big one i caught a week ago.
Hey John Montana (and the rest of the PDX carp flyfishers). I’ve been following your great blog on carp fishing in the Portland area. I’m in the Portland area and am interested in heading out to try the carp action. However I can’t figure out where you’re going for the easy access to carp ponds. I kinda figured out that Sauvies is one of the locations, but I can’t seem to find a good place to go in that area. Are there others? Are there any around SE Portland (where I live)?
yhosaka,
Welcome to the BB! There is a Warmwater Fishing Club in Portland and they would have some info on carp. Also Browns Landing towards St. Helens on the Columbia might be a idea. There are some ponds along I-84 too.
Doug
there are a lot of carp around portland. sauvies is a great place to start, one of my favorite areas to fish. you can also find fish in just about any slough off of the columbia or willamette. as for sauvie…pretty much any bit of water on that island holds carp.
good luck!
I do recall when I was little fishing for carp in one of those sloughs near PDX airport. My dad had a machine shop adjacent to it… I never thought twice about fishing that area let alone with a fly rod.
Thanks for the tip guys!