dc410
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Nicely done, Terry! They are definitely starting to eat. It only gets better from this point on. Keep after ‘em!!
2023 Carpin’ Thread
- Thread starter dc410
- Start date
Terry Murphy
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Also got into some buffalo and quillback .
dc410
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Awesome! What did you get the quillback to eat?
Terry Murphy
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Carp and quills .
dc410
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I went out last evening to check out a section of a local stream that I haven’t been on at all this year yet. I really don’t like going out after carp in the evening because generally the breeze, the sun glare and the shadows can be killers, tonight wasn’t any different. I did locate a few carp but they were far enough from the bank that taking a shot at any of them wasn’t even reasonable.
I finally located a carp moving toward me that was actively sucking up anything along the way. It was a very tough situation with a lot of limbs and vegetation to work around. I have no idea how I would have fought the carp if I was lucky enough to stick it, but I never left that detail hang me up before. It was a very low percentage shot but I opted to take it. A bow and arrow cast through all of the debris landed my nymph about 18” short. The bead chain eyed nymph immediately sunk to the bottom and hung up on a submerged twig. GAME OVER!
At least I figured out where some carp are located for later in the season but they also figured out that I’m after them as well. Carpin’ is a big chess match most of the time. Taking home the skunk is a part of carpin’ that I’ve gotten used to over many years of chasing carp on the fly. Good luck as the magical time of carpin’ is literally on the doorstep!! Tight lines and screamin’ reels.
I finally located a carp moving toward me that was actively sucking up anything along the way. It was a very tough situation with a lot of limbs and vegetation to work around. I have no idea how I would have fought the carp if I was lucky enough to stick it, but I never left that detail hang me up before. It was a very low percentage shot but I opted to take it. A bow and arrow cast through all of the debris landed my nymph about 18” short. The bead chain eyed nymph immediately sunk to the bottom and hung up on a submerged twig. GAME OVER!
At least I figured out where some carp are located for later in the season but they also figured out that I’m after them as well. Carpin’ is a big chess match most of the time. Taking home the skunk is a part of carpin’ that I’ve gotten used to over many years of chasing carp on the fly. Good luck as the magical time of carpin’ is literally on the doorstep!! Tight lines and screamin’ reels.
dc410
Well-known member
I went out this morning and couldn’t even locate a feeding fish. I finally located a bunch of them all grouped up in pods and definitely looking like pre-spawn activity. The big girls wanted nothing to do with anything to eat - that was very obvious. I finally pissed off a little 19” male and he smacked a Clouser swimming nymph. After they’re done doing their thing it will definitely turn back on. I’ve never been able to dial in the timing of the spawn for the carp in my area. It can be really “hit or miss” and even varies greatly in the same stretch of water from year to year. May can be an awesome month for carpin’ - get out there a stick a few!!
Silent Ocelot
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That's A LOT of carp... Good work dc410. I'm gonna be troutin' for the time being but will be experimenting with other waters and species when the weather gets hot.
dc410
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You’ll impress the crap out of your buddies as your all sitting around waiting for that evening hatch and you find a feeding 26” carp and stick it on your 5 weight outfit, just sayin’ 😉
dc410
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I gave one of the local populations of spawning carp a week or so to take care of things and it appears the spawning has wrapped up. There were lots of feeding carp everywhere early today with carp bubbles everywhere that I looked. The issue this morning was there were so many feeding/rooting/mudding carp that the visibility was very low with the turbidity of the water. I finally found one feeding fish close to the bank and briefly made out just the tip of the tail so it allowed me to get a direction on the fish. I flipped a Clouser swimming nymph just in front of the bubbles and as it sunk I concentrated on where my tippet entered the water. I saw the absolute slightest twitch of the tippet and immediately deployed a short strip set. Game on! It was by far the best fighting carp I’ve caught all year. Post spawn feeding can be very productive and the mulberries are probably only 3-4 weeks away!! Tight lines, carpers!
Rarejul
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- Aug 16, 2013
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Well Dude guess we have some carp fishing days in our future!
Silent Ocelot
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I am down to at least attempt it but don't have high hopes. I've only thrown a few casts at carp that were obviously not feeding and they just fled the scene as soon as my fly bombed down into the water. I'd be interesting in going for them but need a dedicated person that makes me fish for carp as opposed to just trying to catch as many bluegill as possible. You already know that I am more interested in catching 80+ bluegill in a day as opposed to launching a fly at a fish only to have it ignore it. You know me, when it comes to fishing I go for easy and plentiful. Some people prefer the fish of a thousand casts, I prefer the fish of EVERY cast.
CLSports
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- May 29, 2007
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- 1,164
So do I.
CLSports
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- Joined
- May 29, 2007
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7 or 8wt is fine.
Silent Ocelot
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Your 9ft. 8wt H2 will be a more than capable rod. I can still remember bombing that at Scott's Run and the the clinic pond. That rod is capable of punching far but also landing a fly accurately and delicately. After casting that rod it is really hard to tell the improvements made from the H2 to the H3 other than a reduced swing weight, overall weight, and a bit of responsiveness. I just think an 8wt is a great rod for carpin'. I suspect these fish fight harder and run longer than steelhead. The have entire ponds and lakes to swim wherever they please.
My choice of rod for this would by my H3D 9ft 8wt. I haven't got a chance to take it out on a trip yet as my current fishing doesn't require a higher caliber fly rod. I have lawn casted it and it feels promising and a little better than the H3D 9ft 7wt that is probably on EBAY now haha (any takers?). The H3D 7wt may have been a good choice but I no longer have it and never really liked it all that much, even though it fought steelies incredibly well.
I think for carp fishing a heaver line wt (7 or 8wt) that can land a fly softly at range is key. I'm no bonefish fisherman but I suspect that fishing for bonefish and carp are similar and people have referred to carp as "freshwater bones".
If I became obsessed with carp and decided to purchase a new rod to go for them with I'd get a G. Loomis Asquith 7wt. After playing around with my Asquith 4wt at the pond this past Thursday and Monday I really developed a new appreciation for it. It throws great loops and is an accurate rod that doesn't seem to fazed by a little wind. I could stick bluegill at 60+ feet with ease. I suspect that with the Asquith in a higher line wt there'd be a substantial power increase from the 4 but I think there would still be some delicacy in the presentation department. Many people fish and prefer an Asquith 7wt for bones (in light wind conditions) and I think the properties of that rod would transfer over to carp quite well, PLUS the Asquith looks great with an Abel in Northern Lights Fade, a finish I know you really like with your purple fettish. Take it from a guy who had that reel with that finish and an Asquith (Asquith combo #1) before I VERY stupidly traded that rod for that terrible H3 (don't worry, I got rid of that clunker this month).
I also just wanna say, thank you for investing in the hobby. You have nice stuff, and that certainly doesn't go unnoticed with me. Be proud of what you have and don't let the gear bashers get ya down (drown em' out with preferred high end reel sound). "I'm sorry I can't hear you over my CFO".
dc410
Well-known member
I agree that a 7 or 8 weight is a really good choice for a carp rod. The rod I’ve caught most of my carp on over the years is a 9’ 8 weight. I have gained a lot of confidence in that rod. It’s going to be a sad day when it finally shatters but it doesn’t owe me anything after landing lots of carp, Smallies, stripers and Pacific Salmon on it over the past 14 years. It’s critical to have a rod with enough backbone that you can lean real hard into a big fish with side pressure to turn them from diving into the nearest debris pile. When you stick one that’s the first place they will go hard for.
I don’t get hung up on casting long range to carp because most of my Carpin’ game is in really close, tight quarters. The fish I caught yesterday morning was hooked with approximately 12” of fly line out past the tip of my rod. The “short” strip set that I referred to was to prevent having the fly line come back in past the tip top. You definitely don’t want it to be there when you stick one and a big carp takes off on that first run. Good luck with your carpin’!!
Rarejul
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- Aug 16, 2013
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I know how to get your carp on -ARI
Kyle
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leaving house before sunrise tomorrow for my first carping trip of the year. im not an expert on carping but i do catch a few each year. always hoping to break the 25 lb mark. maybe tomorrow?! it is pure excitment when you hook into one. poor mans bonefish
dc410
Well-known member
Good luck, Kyle! The pre-dawn is my favorite time of the day for carpin’. They should be really getting active by now. Hope you stick a good one!!
dc410
Well-known member
I snuck in about a half hour outing this morning just after daybreak before leaving for work. The carp in my area are definitely very active and feeding consistently. I managed to put two of them in the net this morning within about a ten minute period. I caught both of them on a size 6 bead chain eyed Sparrow Nymph.
It’s time to scout out some mulberry trees if you don’t already have a few located. Also, keep an eye on the progression of the berries ripening up. Over the years in my neck of the woods it’s seems the peak of the “berry hatch” has been around the end of the first week of June. It’s a fairly short window of opportunity, but if you’re fortunate enough to hit it, it’s an absolute blast catching carp on top with a fly rod!!! Good luck!
It’s time to scout out some mulberry trees if you don’t already have a few located. Also, keep an eye on the progression of the berries ripening up. Over the years in my neck of the woods it’s seems the peak of the “berry hatch” has been around the end of the first week of June. It’s a fairly short window of opportunity, but if you’re fortunate enough to hit it, it’s an absolute blast catching carp on top with a fly rod!!! Good luck!
