Tailing Carp

[albatross]

I had carp mocking me last evening by giving away their location in the shallows of a pond at the local park where I was walking with my wife. I have never targeted carp, but I feel I must respond to this challenge.

How do I go about this?

6 weight rod and 4X tippet? Can I hope to land one of these behemoths on lighter tackle?

What about flies? I see the fish tailing in shallow water and there are a good bit of weeds present. Do you just cast a small nymph near where the fish is heading? Do you impart any action to the fly?

Any help appreciated!

 

[fishingkidPA]

i have no experience fly fishing for carp but on spinning tackle neither my dad or i could land the carp on our light gear. But we were fishing around a lot of submerged timber. if there isnt a lot of structure i'd say go for it. how big are they? we were almost getting spooled on UL, most of them were around 10 lb.

 

[albatross]

I know there are carp in this pond to 30 pounds, but average might be ten pounds. Maybe the 9 weight is more appropriate?

 

[greenghost]

Greg,
I've never caught one in still water with fly gear, but I have gone fishing for them in rivers and streams. Last year, I had a banner day on the Shenango tailrace using small wooly buggers (#10 and 12) hares ear nymphs and wets. I was sight fishing.... simply dead drifted the flies in the feeding lanes. I used a 9 foot six weight with 3-4x tippet. I felt under gunned on a couple of the fish! A fun, fun time.

 

[albatross]

Thanks Paul. I may try it tonight!

 

[ryguyfi]

If it's still water then get some weight on your flies and take a lucky guess when they take it. Carp have more taste buds than we do so your reactions have to be quick. I caught my first one on an 8wt last year and felt fine with it. If there's any flow than your typical nymphs will do. If you can get lucky enough to find a mulberry bush around the stream/pond then you're in business. I found one last year ;-)

 

[beadhead2]

Try this pattern if there is a mulberry tree near
http://www.thesimontons.com/FlyRecipes.html

 

[albatross]

The carp were not in casting distance tonight, but I did pick up this largemouthed felllow...

 

[tocar]

Greg,

Fishing for carp has become my favorite summertime activity. For still waters, I usually fish a 7wt as I also target LBM and the heavier line lets me cast big stuff. 4x tippet is about right in most situations, though I sometimes go to 3x if I'm casting into heavier cover (like around mullberry bushes).

Weighted nymphs are a good place to start. My prefered pattern is #12 hook with beadchain eyes, tied to ride hook up, with some dubbing, soft hackle, and a short marabou tail. Get as fancy as you want, but the carp really don't seem to care much.

The trick to tailing carp is to pattern it's movement, if any, and cast ahead. When they get close to the area of the fly, a slight twitch will alert them to the possible food source. If you see them make a move toward the fly, then move to the side, set the hook with a firm strip. If he took the fly, you'll know and then set the hook harder. Don't get too worried if you spook them...they'll usually come back in a few minutes.

As Ryan mentioned, mullberry bushes attract carp. Some dear hair in various colors spun on a hook and trimmed to shape is my fav pattern. I also tie a few with weight so they "plop" then sink slowly.

Caveat: while I've been fishing and sometimes catching carp on flies for a few years now, I am by no means an expert. Carp can sometimes be more difficult than heavily fished trout. On the plus side, they usually inhabit waters that hold other warmwater speices that require less skill to catch (I'm talking about you, sunfish)

peace-tony c.

ps. nice bass!

 

[MattBoyer]

Agreed with what Tony says. I usually just tie a zonker or marabou tail on a muddler with either a cone head or lead dumbell eyes and cast in the direction I think they're heading. When they get within 2 or 3 feet I give it a slight twitch. More than once I have done the twitch and had a different carp cover four or five feet of water fast to crush it. I used a 7 or 8 weight, btw.

Boyer

 

[Swattie87]

I've caught them on UL spinning tackle before. Landed a decent sized one on 4lb mono once in a golf course pond...was targeting panfish with a Joe's Spinfly. It took me probably 10 minutes to land it though with the drag set to almost nothing. It made 2 runs to the opposite corner of the pond almost spooling me each time. Not sure on the weight, but it was probably 20" or so, maybe more.

Hooked into one of the monsters in Stoever's Dam this Spring on the fly rod. He hit a white size 12 BH Bugger...again was targeting panfish. Broke off my 5x almost immediately on his initial run. I was still holding my working line in my line hand when he took off and was putting too much resistence on the line.

They fight alot like a Fallfish, with just more dead weight behind them of course. They make an inital bolt in the opposite direction after you set the hook, usually near the surface...pretty fun to watch. Make sure you have the drag all the way down (and don't apply too much resistence to the run if you still have line in your hand - let the line go and get them on the reel) when they make this initial run or they will break off a lighter tippet pretty easily. I imagine 4x and heavier would probably hold up ok though. After the initial run it's lots of head shaking and vertical runs up and down the water column.

 

[Ramcatt]

Carp have more taste buds than we do so your reactions have to be quick.

i seriously hope you are joking
Carp have an extra bone in their head that senses vibrations... the can feel your footspets when you are still well off them... they also release a scent when spooked that alerts other carp to danger... thats why a poor cast or hooked fish can blow up a flat

I target a good amount of tailing carp through summer
I usually fish a very sparse and short clouser (purple over dark olive with a strand of copper krystal flash). cast in the feeding path or in a 2ft frount halo of a stalled out fish. small light twitches making plumes of silt

here is one of my newer carp flies

 

[gfen]

Ramcatt wrote:

Carp have more taste buds than we do so your reactions have to be quick.

i seriously hope you are joking

Actually, he's right.

The barbels contain additional taste buds and are highly sensative, as are the carps' fleshy mouths which can much easier pickup on non-natural traits, such as the giant metal thing sticking out of the lure's hind quarters.

 

[SBecker]

At the ll bean pond there are a ton of koi. I decided to target them a couple weeks ago with a brown wooly, had one within 5 minutes. Fought really good, but I felt horrible because it felt like I caught someone's pet lol. Can't wait to go back though,. It is my goal to catch a different colored one each time.

 

[roosters977]

Prince nymph on 10 pound test.

 

[volcanomil]

sight casting in shallows - poor man's bonefish
I would take my 8wt and give it a go.

 

[gfen]

LRSABecker wrote:
At the ll bean pond there are a ton of koi. I decided to target them a couple weeks ago with a brown wooly, had one within 5 minutes. Fought really good, but I felt horrible because it felt like I caught someone's pet lol. Can't wait to go back though,. It is my goal to catch a different colored one each time.

I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure they're not koi, but crucian carp, ie the common goldfish.

Show me the head and I'll give you a species.

 

[MattBoyer]

Just got back from an hour or two of giving it a go. Several misses at some big boys, but nothing to show for my morning but a few bass. ;-)

Boyer

 

[SBecker]

gfen wrote:

LRSABecker wrote:
At the ll bean pond there are a ton of koi. I decided to target them a couple weeks ago with a brown wooly, had one within 5 minutes. Fought really good, but I felt horrible because it felt like I caught someone's pet lol. Can't wait to go back though,. It is my goal to catch a different colored one each time.

I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure they're not koi, but crucian carp, ie the common goldfish.

Show me the head and I'll give you a species.

As a collector of pure Japanese koi, I know what a koi in general looks like. These are domesticated American koi in the bean pond. The one I landed was over 20 inches.

 

[Pittflyguy]

I'm not a Koi expert but I have thrown to my fair share of carp. There are a few things I can say for certain.
-When it comes to carp, the fly is secondary to the presentation. If it is the general size, color, and shape of food and presented well a hungry carp will eat more often than not
-Making a good presentation to a feeding carp is harder than most people think
-Typically they see/hear/smell you long before you see them which makes it hard to approach in clear water even when you are stealthy
-Carp more than any other fresh water species require you to put your fly on the dinner plate as they are not often in a "chasing" kind of mood

Having said that, if you are searching for a carp fly that works well in both still and moving water, my first suggestion is a black back stabber. They will also east apricot colored blood dot's with regularity!

Good Luck and Tight Lines!