2022 Carpin’ thread

[dc410]

The carp were definitely in feeding mode at daybreak this morning. Almost every carp I saw had their head down and tail up and were feeding steadily. I brought two fish to the net in about a half hour of fishing just after sunrise. The smaller of the two fish had a piebald characteristic with the pectoral, pelvic and anal fins all being white in color.

 

[dc410]

I’ve never before tied or fished Montana’s hybrid carp fly but it definitely has a reputation as a top rated carp fly. I tied up a couple today to serve as a “change up” for my local carp that I have been harassing over the past few weeks. I tied them up with some changes to the original recipe based on what I’m dealing with the local carp herd.

First I tied mine with bead chain eyes, because I feel the dumbbell lead eyes are too heavy to present to the carp that I’m currently fishing for. I tied the body with peacock herl (several wraps of .015 lead wire under the peacock to add a small amount of extra weight without the “splat” factor) reinforced with black ultra wire counter wrapped. The soft hackle collar is grizzly hackle. What fish doesn’t like peacock herl and grizzly hackle?

I might give it a shot at sunrise on Monday morning to see if the local carp population approves.

 

[tomgamber]

Reminds me of a damsel.

 

[Fishnmusicn]

Question, can a strike indicator be effective with carp flies?

 

[dc410]

Question, can a strike indicator be effective with carp flies?

I honestly have never used any kind of strike indicator on any of my carp leaders. For me, it is almost like a “sixth sense” that indicates when the carp has actually taken the fly. Sometimes the body language of the fish (if water clarity is good enough) will give it away. A slight turn toward where you feel your fly is, a little tail twitch or the bright orange color inside a carp’s mouth all can be subtle hints. I very rarely actually feel the take but any kind of unnatural movement of the leader can indicate a take as I usually try to keep a tight line between the fly and where my leader is breaking the surface. If the water is too murky to see the bottom when my leader slacks up a bit indicates the moment that the fly has touched the bottom.

I’m very curious and hopeful that we get responses from anybody who has had any experiences using a strike indicator system while flyfishing for carp. Great question and topic!

 

[afishinado]

I honestly have never used any kind of strike indicator on any of my carp leaders. For me, it is almost like a “sixth sense” that indicates when the carp has actually taken the fly. Sometimes the body language of the fish (if water clarity is good enough) will give it away. A slight turn toward where you feel your fly is, a little tail twitch or the bright orange color inside a carp’s mouth all can be subtle hints. I very rarely actually feel the take but any kind of unnatural movement of the leader can indicate a take as I usually try to keep a tight line between the fly and where my leader is breaking the surface. If the water is too murky to see the bottom when my leader slacks up a bit indicates the moment that the fly has touched the bottom.

I’m very curious and hopeful that we get responses from anybody who has had any experiences using a strike indicator system while flyfishing for carp. Great question and topic!

Not just for carp, but I often place a small dot of "Strike Putty" on the tippet knot to help me see the end of the leader better and detect movement. I also grease up my leader up to the tippet knot with paste floatant to make the entire leader more visible.

 

[dc410]

Thanks, Afish. Those are both great tips. I particularly like the idea of greasing the leader up to the tippet knot. I’m going to get another container of Payette Paste to keep in my WW/Carp bag and definitely try that for some added visibility of the leader in the surface film.

 

[Peyton]

I'm going out for carp tomorrow that are around 20-45# in a small pond. What leader should I use?

 

[dc410]

I'm going out for carp tomorrow that are around 20-45# in a small pond. What leader should I use?

Wow! A 45 lb. carp is a really big fish. Are they grass carp? Usually the biggest tippet I use for carp is 1X which is around 13-14 lb. test. I feel I can horse some pretty big fish on that tippet but I never caught anything close to a 45 pounder - not sure what that even looks like.

If you are going after some really big fish I would recommend using a non-slip mono loop knot to tie on your fly. I use them predominantly when carp fishing and when properly tied they are extremely strong. They even give your fly that little extra movement or wiggle that in some cases is the difference between a solid take and not. In ten years of catching carp on the fly rod I have never had a non-slip mono loop knot fail on me when fighting a carp. Good luck, I hope you stick a big one!

 

[Peyton]

Wow! A 45 lb. carp is a really big fish. Are they grass carp? Usually the biggest tippet I use for carp is 1X which is around 13-14 lb. test. I feel I can horse some pretty big fish on that tippet but I never caught anything close to a 45 pounder - not sure what that even looks like.

If you are going after some really big fish I would recommend using a non-slip mono loop knot to tie on your fly. I use them predominantly when carp fishing and when properly tied they are extremely strong. They even give your fly that little extra movement or wiggle that in some cases is the difference between a solid take and not. In ten years of catching carp on the fly rod I have never had a non-slip mono loop knot fail on me when fighting a carp. Good luck, I hope you stick a big one!

it's a massive mirror carp. I used 2x and had a 2' one take a little panfish popper. All the others are commons. I will have to try that next time.

 

[Ghill21]

I caught my first ever Carp on the fly the other day while fishing for smallies. Took a big sculpin fly, I was quite literally blown away by the runs these fish take. Wow they can pull

 

[dc410]

it's a massive mirror carp. I used 2x and had a 2' one take a little panfish popper. All the others are commons. I will have to try that next time.

Keep after ‘em, Peyton. I’d love to see that big Mirror Carp that your chasing.

I caught my first ever Carp on the fly the other day while fishing for smallies. Took a big sculpin fly, I was quite literally blown away by the runs these fish take. Wow they can pull

Congrats on your first Carp on the fly! Ahhh, you felt it didn’t you? Smallies are a great scrappy fish to fight on a flyrod but Carp, we’ll their just … different.

I did a little bit of brownlining this morning at daybreak. It was one of those mornings where there were literally carp everywhere and most of them were actively feeding. However, they were very spooky. I spooked a ton of fish in every way imaginable. The more fish that spook the more challenging things get. It’s kind of like they send out a memo to all other carp in the area, “heads up” - he’s back!

I finally managed to bring two fish to the net. The first one was a pretty little common carp and the second was a big, fat ugly mirror carp, my first mirror carp of ‘22. Caught both of them on a version of Montana’s hybrid carp fly that I recently tied. I think the local carp are closing in on spawning season because both carp that I hooked up with today were being chased by other carp while I was fighting them. Get out there - the Carpin’s getting good!

 

[iwana]

I have targeted wild trout for the past two years and am getting into carping with a cheap 8wt this year. Would appreciate any pointers re where to start in northern DE/SEPA. Thanks!

 

[dc410]

I have targeted wild trout for the past two years and am getting into carping with a cheap 8wt this year. Would appreciate any pointers re where to start in northern DE/SEPA. Thanks!

Hey iwana!

Don’t worry, carp don’t care how much or how little you spent on your 8 weight. I think an 8 weight is a good choice for a Carpin’ rod because you can really lean into them when needed to keep them out of the crap. How many times have you been out this year?

 

[iwana]

Hey iwana!

Don’t worry, carp don’t care how much or how little you spent on your 8 weight. I think an 8 weight is a good choice for a Carpin’ rod because you can really lean into them when needed to keep them out of the crap. How many times have you been out this year?

I've only been out 2 times this year on the DE section of the B-wine looking for carp, and haven't seen any yet. I'll make sure I cut off the price tag in case some carp prove to be snobby! I think I will go a bit upstream, perhaps W or E branch next time for better luck.

 

[dc410]

I've only been out 2 times this year on the DE section of the B-wine looking for carp, and haven't seen any yet. I'll make sure I cut off the price tag in case some carp prove to be snobby! I think I will go a bit upstream, perhaps W or E branch next time for better luck.

That drainage has plenty of carp in it. Heading upstream is probably be good idea because locating fish on a smaller section of water may be easier. Put the time in - you gotta find the fish first! Go early morning, sneak along the banks and look for surface disturbances, bubbles and silt clouds. Be stealthy. Good luck!

 

[henrydavid]

I've seen them in the Susquehanna North Branch but never hooked one on a fly rod. A couple seasons ago I was fishing a small hatch for smallies around dark and there were wakes everywhere. After drifting a dry fly over the pods of moving fish for awhile I gave up. Then when I lit up the area with my flashlight I could see they were all carp, obviously in the spawning mode. They scattered when the light hit the water.

I sure would like to learn more about fly fishing for them. I know where they are, lol

 

[dc410]

If you’re out there carpin’ keep your eyes open for mulberry trees that are bankside and having limbs hanging over the water. Over the past 10 years my most productive time is generally the first half of the month of June to hit the “berry hatch”. It’s kind of a small window of opportunity but if you play your cards right and hit it - it can be an insane amount of fun!!

 

[acesedgley]

If you’re out there carpin’ keep your eyes open for mulberry trees that are bankside and having limbs hanging over the water. Over the past 10 years my most productive time is generally the first half of the month of June to hit the “berry hatch”. It’s kind of a small window of opportunity but if you play your cards right and hit it - it can be an insane amount of fun!!

rubber lips!

If you’re out there carpin’ keep your eyes open for mulberry trees that are bankside and having limbs hanging over the water. Over the past 10 years my most productive time is generally the first half of the month of June to hit the “berry hatch”. It’s kind of a small window of opportunity but if you play your cards right and hit it - it can be an insane amount of fun!!

Check your pm.

 

[acesedgley]

rubber lips!

Check your pm.

If you wanna text my # is 610-858-1727