Once you have dropped the fly in front of the fish, the carp will turn down, follow, and take your imitation on the drop itself, not when the fly has landed, although this happens too since a fly on the bottom is probably the most common technique in clear to semi-clear water. Make sure to use this technique for carp each day you’re on the water. I’m thankful that I’ve not only learned to appreciate the challenge and fun of these fish, but also to appreciate them as a fish. The distance you cast near the fish is always dependent on the prey item and the fishery, so experiment to see where your carp like the fly. Sometimes these are synonymous, but I’m convinced they’re not always the same thing. For most situations, you want to use a 7 to 10-weight rod. First, you have the actively fleeing carp. I’ve seen large carp sitting on the bottoms of weedy bays, while other fish in the same area sunning/resting in the extreme shallows. There is not enough space in this article to cover trout/carp in current, but apply your knowledge of trout to carp. This piece of gear is the fly reel. This will sometimes get the fish’s attention, in which case I usually leave the fly still. Some may be at the mid-depths, and some may be feeding very closely to the surface. I think this takes a lot of the fun out of carp fly fishing, but it’s up to each person to make their own decision. These fish have somewhere to be. Because they’re a warm water species, Carp are usually happiest in a place where water is low and warm and food is plentiful. Most fish are very opportunistic, but in my experience, carp are the most difficult fish to tempt to eat when they are not engaged in a positive feeding activity. If the water is from one to two feet, some carp will actually feed at all levels of the water column in a five minute period. Host Colin McKeown joins guide Glen Hale to fly fish for big carp in the Bay of Quinte in Ontario. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Thanks, Brian. This vid is well done with great photography ....taken somewhere at the Bay of Quinte near Belleville ..... some boat and shore fishing . They may simply loaf out of an area when something has put them in a negative feeding mood. Got 25 minutes to spare ? By Sam Rice, July 20, 2020 in Fly Fishing. Happy carping! The main goal is to get the fly to land with as little of the line as possible on the water. Fly fishing for carp has become a popular, dare I say trendy, area of the sport. Don’t use really aggressive front tapers for carp in most cases. In this respect, they act similarly to bonefish. Bonefish and other flats species will cruise in between locations, but can normally be tempted into eating on the move. At the end of the day, the drop can make or break your day on the water at times. They are frightened and leaving you and your fly behind. These fish will act like any other carp you might find, but are probably either resting or actively looking for food. Fly fishing for carp has totally changed my fly fishing mindset. Followers 0. Use equipm… Carp may switch from cruiser to shopper to tailer very quickly, depending on the abundance of the food source. My indicator of choice is a used fly line, nail-knotted to the line. In one body of water I fish with gin clear water, in a public place, and with heavy fishing pressure, you can never drop the fly in front of the fish, they will bolt like someone has dumped poison into the water. Tailing fish are obviously the primary candidates. Fly patterns and weight … I have very little experience with this presentation, which is to suspend the fly a few inches off of the bottom in the fish’s feeding window. More fun awaits you. Though there's a steep learning curve, stick with it because perseverance, time, and knowledge of carp behavior will help to ensure success. I use bright orange from a heavy weighted line like an 8-10 weight, and I use a washed-out chartreuse from a 3-4 weight for clearer water. I have caught 99% of my grass carp within 20 ft of the tip of my rod. When a carp or any other fish is in the act of spawning, there is almost zero chance of catching that fish legitimately. Tracking the fly, particularly in murky water, is a challenge, but this technique allows you at least to stay in the game when the water is murky and you can’t see takes on the bottom. Carp Flies. Carp are flexible and adapt to many watery environments, so make sure to be adaptable yourself. Obviously dead drift nymphing tactics are the prime techniques in this situation. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!! This is certain if the fish is out of dap range. Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. The dap is key with so many opportunities being so close. POTATO CHIP GOBY CARP, BASS, AND BONEFISH FLY [VIDEO], TROPHY CARP ON THE FLY & JOHN BARTLETT [PODCAST]. Chumming is common with sharks and other bluewater species, so where you draw the line is up to each angler. It’s not as accurate, but your options are limited when fish are beyond thirty feet as they most often are in the Great Lakes. Carp are a little strange in that they will not always bolt out of an area. GET ARTICLES, VIDEOS, & PODCASTS FROM TOP ANGLERS FIRST. 1x is a good all-round tippet size, but keep the 4 main factors in mind when choosing your tippet. Vegetation, damselflies, dragonflies, midge, snails, etc., are all in the mid-depths. When certain plants begin losing their fruit, carp begin to key on the sound of the fruit hitting the water just like they do with terrestrials. For anyone who has fished for trout in rivers, not all fish are alike. The obvious limitation is the close proximity you have to be to make this presentation. Carp gear is fairly basic in most cases, but you will need to modify it depending on a variety of factors. Deeper water will also allow you to use a larger rod as well, whereas big carp in the shallows will normally require a softer landing with a smaller rod weight. The dropped fly then is left alone when it is certain the fish has seen the fly. Once you start to get some fly line out, you are not as accurate with the lobbing techniques, so you have to use “regular” casting. Little to no cast is required, just the fly dropping right in front of the fish. This article is meant to outline the main types of approaches toward carp and all roughfish with a fly, which have helped me to catch three and a half species of carp: common, mirror, grass, and quillback carpsucker in addition to tons of other roughfish species. Sam Rice. You will take all manner of roughfish when you fish in waters that have suckers, baitfish, whitefish, and carp of various species. I now cringe when I see trophy carp dead or slaughtered, since they are such an amazing fish, particularly trophy fish. The pound test will normally be around 10 to 20 lbs., and I personally never go less than 10 lb. When you encounter large fish in big bodies of water, go with a larger rod. THanks justin – another great article. He promotes fly fishing for carp through the Facebook page, Carp Champions. Two other negative carp targets are fish that are moving completely linearly at a very fast speed. Find some more fish to fish for. Most Carp fishing is done in freshwater scenarios where water temps are moderate, so choose a fly line that's built for freshwater fishing. If you never had the opportunity to attend a fly fishing show with Bill, you missed an experience. Most of my experience with the drop has been at close distances (within 30 feet), and I have never missed a fish because of the hookset with this technique, when the fish has committed. This is only a part of carp fly fishing . To perform the technique, drop the fly in front of the fish in order to trigger a strike, rather than dragging and dropping the fly on the bottom, which eventually happens if the fish doesn’t take the fly on the fall. They will eat though, and dropper rigs with chironomids or nearly neutrally buoyant flies work well here. This body of water is the most difficult body of water that I have ever fished for carp (both because of casting and educated fish), and I feel lucky to hook one or two fish on a normal outing. There are many subtleties on how to read a trout in the current. Funny enough, negative targets are commonly active. Most of us here at Trouts Fly Fishing have been bitten by the carp bug and have spent quite a bit of time chasing them around the Denver South Platte with a fly … Sam Rice 26 Posted July 20, 2020. YOU CATCH ALL SORTS OF ROUGH FISH DEAD DRIFTING FLIES. https://www.fieldandstream.com/ultimate-guide-fly-fishing-carp If the carp in your area don’t care that you are standing up 8-12 feet away, then you are probably using this technique a lot. Get in front of the tailing … They aren’t stationary, and they aren’t rockets. test unless the carp are minute. Fishing for carp has the potential to introduce you to other roughfish like buffalo, freshwater drum, and suckers and encourages the development of new fishing approaches. Everything mentioned so far is applicable to carp in the mid-depths. Use your knowledge of current and trout to read carp in the current as well. It's a fun filled, completive event held at a lake and time when the carp aggressively feed on the surface. They grow to very large size – even in marginal Carp waters you still have a shot at a legitimate 20 pound fish many days. I’ve caught at least 15 different roughfish species in rivers with the bulk of these being sucker species of every sort but also grass carp, common carp, and quillback carpsuckers. (Jim Burns) From the Southwest Council: As most of you know by now, Bill O’Kelly, past president of the Southwest Council and of Sierra Pacific Fly Fishers, passed Aug. 12. Most of the time, distance is not needed. I have been successful with the drop when fish are moving with a purpose or moving at a slow pace. Carp will take carp flies that are suspended, or sometimes moving as in the Great Lakes, at their head level particularly when slowly cruising. Chumming is common in Europe where little bits of dog food are thrown into the water to get fish feeding like a hoard of hungry sharks in a slick. Faith (AKA hardheadedness): The first key is to just believe that it is possible. Even if you're not in the market for a trip, they might be willling to give up a little info on hot spots and techniques. The majority of Carp fishing is also sight fishing. Carp will sun themselves, but they will also rest. However, fish that are up in the water column, moving slowly, or fish that are “circulating” can be coaxed quite well with this tactic. There is current all around, but these fish are more or less completely out of the current and not interested in anything you have to offer them. A good all-round rod is an 8 weight, but a 9 weight is great when you encounter lots of fish over 18 pounds. WE JUST MET, BUT WE'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU ALL OF OUR ARTICLES, VIDEOS, PODCASTS, EBOOKS, AND EXTRAS FOR FREE! Trevor’s played a huge part in advancing carp on the fly for sure. Two flies can be used in a variety of ways to increase your presentation control with this tactic. Ask any overworked trout guides who live near decent carping water what they'd like to go fish for on a day off, and fly fishing for carp is often the answer. One of these pieces of gear is pretty set, irrespective of the main factors. There are dozens of incredible reels, but I use Hatch and Tibor reels. This comes in the form of flies that are slowly sinking, flies that have neutral buoyancy, or dropper flies off of dries. These fish are normally slow to moderate swimmers, and will normally be near the bottom or near the surface, depending on the food sources. Your leaders will vary from 6 to 11 feet in length. You can go one to three turns with the nail-knot depending on how much you need on the line. For those few, this brief guide should be helpful. Carp that are in a positive feeding mood are great targets. The fly rod is straight-forward as well. The mid-depths commonly addressed in carp fly fishing literature, but they can be extremely important, particularly when grass carp are present. The drag-drop-lay is probably the most common presentation to tailing carp, but it’s very common with cruising or “shopping” carp as well. They are often moving the fastest or are expending the most energy. If you’re fishing for Carp in an urban setting, you’ll rarely need to make 50+ foot casts (either you won’t have the backcasting room or the piece of water you’re f… Upcoming Carp Fly Fishing Events. Glad to see trevor tanner referenced in your article. Jamie favourite style of fishing is lure fishing for trout, carp, pike and variety of sea species. I’ve now fished for carp for about twenty years on the fly and am still learning about them and always trying to refine my techniques to be able to catch these fish in any environment, not just in the easiest or closest waters to me. “Go Deep with your Cast”. Fly fishing for carp is a segment that will continue to grow for many reasons...but most importantly, because catching carp is so much fun! Your email address will not be published. Also, below you’ll find some links to other aspects of carp fly fishing, if you’re interested in these. From trash fish to your new favorite species to catch on the fly. Either way, both sunning/resting carp and carp in current can be very good or very poor targets. The fish that are in this group are above all tailers and any fish that are moving slowly with some side-to-side movement. Ideally, a carp with a moderate to slow swimming speed is a great target. Flies on the drop or jumped up a bit are your best bet normally, since the carp aren’t moving by definition. This video is very informative to anyone wanting to try their skill at fly fishing for carp . In this respect, the surface is disturbed as little as possible. The fishing here is awesome. This is done usually with sight-fishing where you can target fish. Use a weighted fly or some split shot to get the fly down. Some might be sulking on the bottom. You can also use smaller flies with this technique, particularly in shallow clear water, since you can see them at this close distance. Field & Stream may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. For tracking my fly in murky water, I will attach a small indicator within a foot to a foot and a half of the fly. Chumming is not legal in every state in the U.S., so check your local fishing regulations if you feel the desire to chum up carp. Fly fishing for carp has become a popular, dare I say trendy, area of the sport. There is one instance when a slow to moderate swimming carp is not ideal. Find a fly rod that you can cast accurately. Next, you have the fast cruisers. These are just as negative and difficult to catch as spawning fish. Report; Hopefully you will also experiment and share with others your … Big Carp meets skinny water. The best period for carp fly fishing The season of active carp fishing on the fly takes from May to August. Are they feeding? They will use the vegetation like the bottom of the pond or lake. I personally use a 8′ 4wt TFO proffessional series 2 fly rod and 1x tippet to fly fish for Grass Carp. The morning started out slow, until I found some hanging trees that were loaded with carp! That’s a net. Basically, use a large-arbor, well-made reel that fits your rod. The huge numbers of these fish were no doubt a contributing factor to my feelings toward them. To be honest, it’s very hard for me to think about fly fishing for anything else. I have not observed a perfect speed for the drop, so experiment with this. Choosing the right fly weight and pattern (I can’t stress this one enough!). Carp are probably the least multitasking fish I have ever encountered. I can't stress enough … Some of the names they use are pitching, plopping, and lobbing. I considered carp trash fish and at the least was indifferent to them and at the worst hated carp for dashing hopes of catching “real fish” when I would catch one by accident. Got out to do some fly fishing for carp. Are they moving back and forth? Carp Fishing is growing in popularity each year here in the United States, and for good reason – Carp are widely available to the majority of people. I do know some who will target big carp with skinny clousers retrieved, but I have only had limited success with any rapidly moved presentation in order to imitate a food species. They will begin with a simple dap or lowering of the fly and then vary their casting stroke as they get farther away. When long vegetation is present and decent depth, this is when fish will feed at the mid-depths. The Great Lakes have some very fast cruisers that will actually take a fly if you can get it to their level and maybe drop the fly and then jump it off the bottom. Carp Flyfishing Are there places to camp away from the crowd and fly fish for carp in your area. Fish that were suddenly not interested suddenly turn and gobble your fly. Fly fishing for carp on Denver South Platte has been featured in the Denver Post, Fifty More Places to Fly Fish Before You Die and even the New York Times. I have never caught a spawning or rapidly fleeing carp, ever! Distance of cast can make your leader either short or long, but keep in mind that a longer leader is more specialized and is harder to maneuver when you are also encountering fish at close distances. There is something special about seeing a 15-25 pound fish swimming in skinny water that you can sight cast to! The faster the cruiser and normally the higher it is in the water column, the more difficult it is to catch it. They focus their energy on one activity. When thinking about carp behaviors, it comes down to focused activity. The main factors that determine the precise forms of these pieces of gear are size of carp and the body of water the carp inhabit, distance of casts, water depth, and size of fly. There’s a lot of talk on the best carp fly rod to use for carp fishing, but in my opinion the gear needs to provide the following: 1. Fish that are tailing may see the fly drop for a split second and pounce on the fly. There’s also one last piece of equipment that you shouldn’t leave behind. Reading about fly fishing is almost as much fun as a line on the water. This is the same for almost every species of fish there is. “The drop” is simply a triggering technique that can be used as far out as you can see your fly. Fly fishing for carp, tournaments, catch and release carp events. Like in saltwater flats fishing you have to cast beyond the fish and strip the line in rather than dragging it strictly. This tactic is just like fishing for trout on the surface of a stillwater in which you cast and leave the fly almost always a dry fly. Here are some clues: Fish splashing around on the surface - indicates spawners which don’t take flies. Fun... Sunbathers (fish sitting quietly near the surface) - can sometimes take. The fishing isn’t challenging in the least, and the fish take your fly with gusto. Look for fish that are in between spawning cycles. This article will also cover the general moods and behaviors of the carp as how they relate to presentation. In big bodies of water, carp will run farther because of the open space, and I believe they are better fighters because they are used to moving larger distances. Grass carp in particular are prone to eating flies offered with this type of presentation, but sometimes a small nymph suspended such as a midge/buzzer pattern will take fish when nothing else will. That is a fleeing fish. Sometimes the plop can be a trigger as with cicadas. Bonefish will occasionally even eat after being startled a bit. Don’t cast to these fish because carp are inherently social and may alert other fish if you try to cast to them again. This of course changes when the water becomes more or less a still water. Your tippet will be either nylon or fluorocarbon depending on if you want a faster sink rate (fluorocarbon) or not. This brings us to the “heave-and-leave” or HAL. In this video, I provide some essential tips for catching more carp on the fly. You also want fish that are not swimming linearly if possible. I have had some success jumping my fly on the Great Lakes as if the fly is a frightened crayfish or goby, and I am sure that others on different bodies of water do this regularly. They’re getting out of the area. Carp can be found from the canals of city parks to the mud flats of the Great Lakes and many places in between. Carp are almost always a sight-fishing game, so you want your line to land softly. It is important to not let the fly splash anywhere near the fish in most cases and particularly in areas where fishing pressure is common. 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Anyone who has fished for trout, i.e., dead drift nymphing tactics the. ) or not can go one to three turns with the nail-knot depending on the abundance the..., carp, pike and variety of ways to increase your presentation control with this ’... Mid-Depths as well add to and improve these techniques and the fish ’ s attention in!