i was fishing today at my favorite lake in maryland…and noticed thrashing along the banks and noticed carp…in pairs mostly cruising the banks…what is a good fly to throw at carp…i was fishing a popper for bass but they kept on going…im sure this subject has been covered…is it possible the fish were spawning or do you think they were feeding along the banks…on the grass lines…saw lots of splashing and tails in shallow water…is there a fly that will get their attention when site fishing…thanks
Sounds like those fish were spawning, and when they’re doing that the only thing on their mind is the birds and the bees. I have caught one spawning carp ever, and I think it was more a case of my fly being right in the path of his open mouth- a total fluke. Come back in a couple weeks and watch the fish. Pay attention to where they’re feeding, what they’re feeding on, and go from there. Carp can be very, very picky, so you have to let them tell you what they want. Be observant, and be smart. If you’re interested, there are a number of carp threads in the archives of Warmwater Forum. I suggest you read some of them.
Rocks.
Yea yea, people tell me they are fun, but come on…they are carp.
Easy Adgrant. Those are fighting words.
Chuck
Adgrant,
You said that on the wrong board! There are a lot of carp fans here.
ummm…well…
I laughed.
Yeah I laughed too. I’d much rather catch a Carp than one of those ugly and stoopid brown trout or smallmouth bass.
I’m not really a carp lover, but there they were. Nothing else was hungry, and they were sipping away at micro midges. Roughy a dozen of them in the 3-4 foot range(why are these things so darn big?). I had tied on a #10 marabou muddler figuring that if the bass, trout, gills, crappie, saugeye, and whatever else was in the lake didn’t have a taste for small, they might like a larger fish dinner. Hmmmm, SMB about 6" came outta nowhere, BAM!!! the fight was on. Released him, and went back at it. Saw the carp move on it, dropped the rod tip letting float to him, POW!!! the fight was on. He turned right, tighted the line. I’m thinking “what the HECK am I thinking. I only have 4x 6lb tippet tied to a 5x leader!” I lifted the rod, set the hook, BIG Mistake. Two head shakes had dinner was spit out. Now this all took place in about three seconds. Better stop rambling here.
The marabou minnow, everytime I threw it in, the carp moved on it. Found a new carp fly.
If flyfishing were a sin, I’de be the devil’s right hand man.
I never have caught one on a fly rod but once while holed up in a motel during a downpour with my fishing buddy; we watched one of the fishing programs on TV. I can’t remember which show it was but these guys were fishing in the Upper Peninsula of Lake Michigan in an area they called the ?Flats?, (I think), it was a very wild looking spot. Anyway these guys were sight fishing for carp with fly rods and my buddy and I were sitting there with our jaws on the floor, it was incredible! These carp would take the fly and head off to Detroit, awesome!
Here in PA there are some guides that offer trips for carp on the Susquehanna where I have seen carp ?scary big?. I have to try that sometime.
Carp are great fun on a fly rod, but then what isn’t. My two best carp flies are the brassie and (of course) the wooly bugger.
Fish more, work less!
You are talking about the “poorman’s” bonefish. I have caught them on hoppers, muddlers, buggers and bass poppers. They are a blast on a fly rod.
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Carp are opportunistic feeders which eat vegetation , small invertibrates (nymphs), and minnows. But as is true with what are considered “the more nobler fish” (bass, trout,salmon), you still have to ‘match the hatch’.
Flip Pallot was fishing for smallies, when he accidently caught a carp. He surmised that the carp had mistaken his fly for ‘the maple seedling hatch’( those propeller-like seedlings) that come off mature maple, as they are vegetation feeders.
I fish the Erie/Barge Canal in NY, and frequently in the more populated areas, people will feed cracked corn to the ducks. As the ducks scramble about feeding on the floating surface corn, most of the corn breaks thru the meniscus and sinks to the bottom where it becomes available to the carp. Here , my most sucessful flys are tied on extra stout hooks to immitate cracked corn; 4 - 5 wraps of golden yellow chenille tied in an egg-like/glo-bug pattern. Also quite effective are small white muddlers(#10-#14), and glass beaded (amber,red) nymphs, and GBcopper johns.
Also , in populated areas where people feed the ducks, be on the look out for the ‘breadcrust hatch’. This is easily immitated by electronics packing foam on a dry fly hook, with the edge colored by a marking pen. The carp will come up and float on their back to feed in the meniscus.
Sight fish for carp is easily done by looking for mud trails, and then throwing a fly a suitable distance ahead of the trail,depending on the strength of the current. Also, look for ‘tailings’ as you would for tarpon, because frequently in shallow water you might actually see the tail , or a sub-surface disturbance while they are in the shallows.
After you cast the fly, let it settle to the bottom, but hold on to the rod…many a rod has been lost to a slow reaction. When a carp picks up your fly, its like trying to stop a moving freight train, and the “take” may be subtle or it may be a heart stopper. They have a deserved the reputation as “Susquehanna bonefish” as their mouth is sensative to taste, and they can drop a fly in a heatbeat. They spook easily,especially while in the shallows, regardless of which hatch is on at the time.
I use a #7/8 wt, floating line,with 150 yards of backing which I use for salmon fishing here in NY. I’ve frequently gone into my backing, but only been spooled once !
My best canal carp was #28 pounds, and it was a 40 minute tugging match.
The carp deserves a better reputation than what it has; it is selective , cautious, and powerful; a real challenge to the fly fishemen.
Dadflyer
I have always wanted to catch carp on a fly rod. I caught many as a youngster on the Grand River in Lansing MI. DelMonte Sweet Corn on a #6 hook. My Grandfather said when he was little they would put a carp in the bathtub and feed it sweet corn till it pooped clean, then cook it. I am going to try eating one if I can find a nice clean place to catch one here in Wisconsin.
Thanks guys for touting the finer attributes of a Marvelous species…weather or not they are considered as “worthy”…like the trout…I tend to stop fishing for trout when I spot feeding carp…or any other fish for that matter,Hope is good that narrower minds can widen a bit,and give these “Bronze Beauties” a fighting …(Fighting)… chance at dancing at the end of a well placed leader.(Often takes a much better Presentation, Than for trout),Be sure to remove the muddy yellow strip of meat from the back of the carp before preparing (both inside and out) Flaky white fillets not the fatty pink of the Salmon/trout species
“I’ve often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before” A.K.Best
“Wish ya great fishing”
lead and if its illegal …steel
try hanging a bugger below the popper.I’ve caught plenty of spawning carp using this method.I think the males get aggressive coz they normally hit the point fly(I use dragon fly patterns)hard!Cast your rig out amongst the fish and wait till a pair swimm by then retrieve your rig in short strips to get the popper working,I think theyre attracted to the commotion and grab the point fly to remove the threat in the same way as a bass will remove a lure from its nest,only with a bit more aggression(more of a killing blow than a gentle pick up and remove movement)
Hope this makes sense!
Tight lines!
Adam