carp on drys

[jabink84]

After a long time trying, I finaly found a bunch of fish clooping. I finally was able to get some carp on top. Justed wanted to share my trip with you guys. Some pictures are on a recent post on my blog. Most fish were in the 7-10 lb range.

Has anyone ever taken any carp on drys? Most of mine fell to a patriot and a royal humpy.

 

[afishinado]

jabink84 wrote:
After a long time trying, I finaly found a bunch of fish clooping. I finally was able to get some carp on top. Justed wanted to share my trip with you guys. Some pictures are on a recent post on my blog. Most fish were in the 7-10 lb range.

Has anyone ever taken any carp on drys? Most of mine fell to a patriot and a royal humpy.

Never heard of "clooping." Found this. Never saw anything like it before.

 

[jabink84]

It was pretty awesome to see. the had to have been a thousand carp just swimming in a group taking midges. This is the first time I have seen it.

 

[ryguyfi]

"cloop" is the sound they make when they're taking in something on the surface. The "best" dry fly for a carp is a mullberry. I have a spot I need to hit here soon as the berries are just around the corner.


poor mans bonefish can be pretty fun.

 

[delta_dog]

I've seen this quite a few times and even picked up a few on dries. But what really amazes me is when the white flies are all over the river and the channel cats(by the hundreds)are swimming upside down feeding on them I've never seen a single carp feeding on then.

 

[1wt]

But what really amazes me is when the white flies are all over the river and the channel cats(by the hundreds)are swimming upside down feeding on them I've never seen a single carp feeding on then.

Same here, DD. I fish the lower Susquehanna during the white fly hatch, and I've noticed the same thing..... very strange!
I've seen carp feeding on dries in the afternoon, but never after dark on white flies.
I stand in waist deep water and watch the abundant channel cats on the surface sipping the white flies. Great fun with a 5 wt.
20 years ago it was smallmouth and big rock bass...... but I'll take what I can get!

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Speaking of the white flies, what size do they run, and is the pattern pretty much white body, white wings, white hackle? I've only been on the river once during this hatch, and I wasn't there to fish so I didn't get a great look at them.

 

[McSneek]

Back when there were smallmouth bass in the lower Susq. a #10 white wulff would take many bass. Grizzly hackle will work too. I used to tie them with a white foam body to enhance flotation. White soft hackles work too. when the fish were really on them and because it was dark, it was always easier to just change flies rather than keep drying out the same one after catchng a fish.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Word. Thanks.

My friend has a yacht down on the river, and for whatever reason, there are still a lot of smallies around the club there. I had a lot of success fishing from his dingy along the docks (that's what she said), so I've been wanting to get down there during the white fly hatch.

The prospect of catching catties on a dry fly intrigues me as well.

 

[1wt]

The prospect of catching catties on a dry fly intrigues me as well.

Sasquatch,
The white flies will be starting soon. I would love to take you wet wading to catch a bunch of channel cats in the dark with a fly rod, but .......... if you waded into the river, the level would rise a couple feet! LOL I weigh as much as you do??
Maybe we could exchange Bible verses on the shore and chat about how bad unions are? Or maybe how good republicans are and how terrible dems are?

All kidding aside, the catties are "thick as thieves" in the Susquehanna and so much fun on dries.
I've had great success with size 10 White Wulff's tied with a white foam body. All the white spinners have two long white tails.
Your eyes get adjusted to the dark and you will see dozens of big cats swimming on the surface sipping flies. I use a short leader and make short casts right in front of them. The cats (and bass) make a wake on the surface and you can't miss them.
A white fly a little bit bigger than the rest will always get a strike from a cat or bass.
Channel cats actually fight harder than a trout!! A super hardy fish, I release them all and they don't seem to mind the hookup at all!

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Let's do it 1wt! I displace less water these days ;-)

 

[SBecker]

I want in on topwater catfish.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Okay 1wt....Becks and I are in on this! Hope you're serious haha!

 

[1wt]

Sasquatch wrote:
Okay 1wt....Becks and I are in on this! Hope you're serious haha!

OK, I'll keep ya posted, dude!
About three weeks, and the white flies should be swarming there. The white flies start at Wrightsville and work their way upstream for over a month. Every night, a blizzard hatch ..... somewhere!
I'll tie a bunch of killer White Wulff's with a foam body and long tail.
4wt, 5wt, 6wt, 7wt, or 8wt ....... they're all good! Wet wade or Chestwaders? both good.
I like a headband LED light, WallyWorld for $5.