I was reading the earlier post “tomorrow carp appointment”…and it brought up a few questions. One of my goals this year is to catch a carp on a fly rod. I know that they can be very spooky and a challenge to catch. Which is why I have chosen this pursuit.
#1-When sight fishing to carp are you mostly catching fish that are feeding or stirring up the bottom? Or are they up top surface feeding? Cruising??
#2- What flies to use…bottom feeding and also for surface feeding carp?
#3-What are you looking for when sight fishing and stalking? Stirred up sediment, the fish, the tail or fin sticking out of the water? What are the things that you are using as clues to spot these fish?
Most of the fish I catch are feeding on the bottom, or looking for food on the bottom.
Throw flies that look like what the fish are eating. The answer to this question seems like common sense to me, but most people never seem to figure it out. My “standard” carp flies generally immiate nymphs or vegetation.
If the water is muddied, I look for areas that are muddier than the surrounding water, bubbles, unusual ripples or wakes, or tails or backs rising above the surface. In clearer water, I look for sediment and the fish themselves. It can be hard to diferentiate carp from other objects on the bottom, so I look for a dark line down the middle of the object (the fish’s dorsal fin), or the hints of orange in the fish’s tail.
Great advice from OKIE. I’ve fished with him and he knows his carp fishing. The hardest thing for me to get skilled at was knowing when and how to set the hook. I have the best luck with tailers when I dab to their head and then just keep raising my rod ever so slowly until I feel resistence. I rarely see the take because they have muddied the water so badly. Also, listen for them. When they are feeding off cattails and other vegetation, they make a very loud suction sound. I usually wait these fish out and present something to them when they’ve finished their salad and want some meat! Cruisers are the hardest for me to have success with. It seems to be hit and miss, but tailers are really pretty easy to catch in comparison. Use anything green, brown and buggy looking. Be careful spooking them. Stealth is sooo important. I’ve spooked them by false casting, hitting a rock or stick-up with my boot or dropping a bead head nymph directly on their head or back. I even purchased some kneed pads for low profile fishing in those extremes situations where they spook just by seeing you or your shadow too close to where they are.
Okie, I was thinking about going to Taylor this Saturday. Maybe do bass at sun-up, carp afterward. Are you available? As for Robert, he’s fallen off the face of the earth! Hope he get’s fishin fever again soon. I miss his posts.