First Carp this year

[dc410]

I took the day off to get some things done around home and just couldn't resist stopping at one of my local carp spots on the way to get a load of mulch. It was breezy and the water was very murky from the rain the day before, so conditions made it a bit more challanging than normal.

I could see many carp mudding but it was impossible to see my fly after it sank a few inches. I have been trying to get into my first carp of the year for the past two months and it's become a bit frustrating with the amount of fish I've spooked without hooking up with any. I spooked a number of fish today and figured it was about "game over" when I noticed a fish mudding in a calmer, backwater area. On my first cast, my fly dissappeared in the off color water just in front of the bubbles from the feeding carp. I just sensed something different with my leader on the water and lifted the rod tip. My reel immediately began to sing as I was into my first carp of the year! The adrenaline rush set in as it always does when I set the hook on one of these fish. This wasn't a huge carp (approx. 20 inches) but it was a chunky one. It was a great way to start off the holiday weekend and I really felt a sense of accomplishment to bring the first carp of the year to hand. This carpin' thing just doesn't get old.

 

[lv2nymph]

Well done John, he is a fatty. Congrats on your kick off carp. Seems like it's even better when you do this in the middle of chores.

 

[delta_dog]

Nice John ....Hopefully first of many for 2014.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Not sure where in lancaster you live but there is a public pond that has 3 carp in the 30lb range. Absolutely massive fish. I'll be trying to get one maybe later this week. Let me know if your game

 

[slay12345]

I'm ready to float the stoga for them now... just need about a week with no rain. Lots of fish to cast to on that trip and if all else fails I'll break out the bow! I have extra kayaks if anyone wants to take a trip down the river with me some time.

 

[codym21]

Looking good dc nice job,
Slay the stoga sounds fun Ive heard good things about it and catch them on the fly you don't need that bow

 

[slay12345]

Ha I know, they would be so much fun on the fly! That will be my goal this year. Cody it looks like you'd be about an hour drive if you want to take me up on that boat offer. I have a johnboat too but it's more fun in the yaks.

 

[dc410]

The carp bite has really turned on in my neck of the woods. I brought two more to hand in the last two days. There are large pods of carp actually working the surface in my one "honey hole"! They have just seemed to appear everywhere within the last week. Now I'm focused on taking one on top. Carp on a dry! How fun would that be? :-D

 

[slay12345]

You're really upping the game here! Carp are like a cross between a redfish and a trout. They are large heavy shouldered and a golden bronze but are finicky if your approach is sloppy. This is why they were great targets for the bow when I couldn't outsmart them with fishing tackle. Challenge accepted with a fly of any kind.
DC- it might be possible on the susqy when the hex hatch is on... that should be soon, right?

 

[delta_dog]

That's par for the coarse John. It has a lot to do with water temp and flows. May is always slow till the end of the month when the fish seem to really wake up. I picked up 9 last week, all small 10-15 pounders but still a blast.

 

[marcq]

One question yesterday I w as going to catch bait for flatheads and ran across so carp activity feeding on the surface. I couldn't see what they were eatting. There was no hatch going on. Anyone have any suggestions on how catch these guys.

 

[dc410]

Dan,
Are those surfacing carp actually feeding on top? It almost looks like they are just gulping air. The three carp I caught this past week were not very big and all in the 19-21" range. I don't know what that converts to in lbs., but they were pretty chunky fish and a whole lot of fun.

Slay,
I kind of remember seeing Hex hatches in the area of the Susky in early June so the early Hex hatches probably are pretty close. I never fished the Susky for Carp so I have no experience there. Floating the 'Stoga for carp sounds like a blast and I would really like to do that with you sometime. We are not doing too well right now on that week without any rain.

The other morning I managed to thread a size 22 trico spinner onto my 2X tippet and tried to present it to a surfacing carp with my 8 wt. outfit. It didn't work...... Yet. I have to believe if one could present a small dry fly right in front of one of those cruising, surfacing carp that it will suck it in. Some of things I try are sometimes a bit challanging or don't even make a whole lot of sense, but if I'm going down..... I usually go down swinging. :-D

 

[lv2nymph]

dc410 wrote:
Some of things I try are sometimes a bit challanging or don't even make a whole lot of sense, but if I'm going down..... I usually go down swinging. :-D

Atta boy John...

 

[codym21]

My favorite river to fish for carp is the susky by far, Slay we should set up a trip sometime soon id like to check out the stoga
Marc maybe a griffins gnat if i couldnt figure out what they were feeding on

 

[delta_dog]

Some of things I try are sometimes a bit challanging or don't even make a whole lot of sense, but if I'm going down..... I usually go down swinging.

That is exactly how I learned John. Carp are very different than any other fish I've ever pursued. That's why I enjoy fishing for them. If they were easy it wouldn't be as fun. Keep thinking outside the box.

 

[jifigz]

I took my rod out this morning to the Juniata which is a very short walk from my house. The carp were spawning in a protected area right below an island where I usually catch a bunch of rock bass and SMB. They, obviously, didn't want anything to do with my fly, but will they still be holding near the same area post-spawn? I don't know much about fly fishing for carp, but dammit I want to get into em big time. I used to still fish for them quite a bit with homemade baits, always loved it. I saw some real MONSTERS in this weedy shallow spot of the river.