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Fly Fishing for Carp - What to use?
#11118729
09/22/15 01:27 AM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 715
Cowtown Kid
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Pro Angler
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OP
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I am new to fly fishing and I am interested in finding out what flies to use to catch carp. Also, what technique would you use to present the fly. What kind of leader would be best to use?
Rick Irving "The Cowtown Kid" Kayak Fisherman and Real Estate Broker
Angling may be said to be so like the mathematics that it can never be fully learned. ~Izaak Walton
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Re: Fly Fishing for Carp - What to use?
[Re: Cowtown Kid]
#11118983
09/22/15 03:23 AM
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 199
Dtheg
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
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Posts: 199 |
Spend enough time here and you will find that question is like asking a leprechaun where his/her gold is. (No offense to any leprechaun, I only stereotype from my only knowledge of them from the FANTASTIC movie LEPRECHAUN!) I can tell you I have spent more time in failure attempting to catch carp than any other fish. It will take time and determination. So to the question what fly: dull not flashy, ugly, little wiggly, not too much or spook them, and small. I have used small foam crayfish also. As for technich I try to be sneaky, I have to cast past them and let them work to the fly. Some say "☺️Just cast I front about a dinner plate away Ohhh and be gentle!" Doing this I have smacked more carp in the head, back , or tail than I have caught. . That is lack of my skill plus old fly line. The leader for me is long. I spook more with short leader. Also I seem to cast a little softer with a long leader. Like 9ft plus tippet.
Now that I have said all this, maybe the true carp catchers will chime in and give you better advise. If your looking where to find them ; just about any creek pond river has them. There is also a great map on here from another member. Good luck.
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!
― Hunter S. Thompson
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Re: Fly Fishing for Carp - What to use?
[Re: Cowtown Kid]
#11119144
09/22/15 09:23 AM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 715
Cowtown Kid
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Thanks DTheg. I have found a place when I kayak fish below the dam at Lake Whitney on the Brazos that has a ton of carp. I have watch some videos of catching carp on a fly rod and it looks fun. When I was a kid my fishing buddy and I would take our old Zebco 33's with some homemade dough bait and spend the day at Denton Creek catching carp. One thing I learned as a kid was it was a slow process and the carp were easily spooked. Looking froward to landing one on a fly rod in my kayak. Beside the thrill of catching one on the fly rod I will get a little ride from them as they pull my kayak around the river. Thanks again for the information. I will let you know how I do.
Rick Irving "The Cowtown Kid" Kayak Fisherman and Real Estate Broker
Angling may be said to be so like the mathematics that it can never be fully learned. ~Izaak Walton
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Re: Fly Fishing for Carp - What to use?
[Re: Cowtown Kid]
#11119875
09/22/15 04:57 PM
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Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 298
charlief1
Angler
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Angler
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If you want carp then go to the spillway over at Aquilla. It has a ton of them.
I'm on other forums that deal with the old turbo powered Buicks.;)
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Re: Fly Fishing for Carp - What to use?
[Re: Cowtown Kid]
#11120070
09/22/15 06:07 PM
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 92
Texjbq
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Outdoorsman
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Posts: 92 |
The Orvis Fly Fishing Podcast is great a resource for new fly fisherman and there are several episodes on Carp. The Long-Awaited Carp Podcast Carpacolypse Podcast Top Ten Carp Flies Podcast Depending on how new you are to fly fishing, I would hone your skills on bass & panfish before targeting carp. My last 3 outings I have targeted carp and have yet to bring one to hand. It's shown me I need to improve my casting considerably and I have been fly fishing very hard for three years now. Their just so spooky. You have to be able to get a very accurate cast to them without tipping them off. It's very hard, also that's why it's so fun and rewarding. I've had two on and they pull like a redfish.
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Re: Fly Fishing for Carp - What to use?
[Re: Cowtown Kid]
#11120119
09/22/15 06:34 PM
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Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 557
Lloyd5
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I agree that if you are new to fly fishing that going after carp is going advanced right off the bat - and that can sometimes work but most times is disappointing.
Maybe going after carp now and then and not exclusively at first would be a more funner approach. Go after bluegills and bass and catfish and have fun, then go pound your head against the carp wall - then go back to the funner stuff.
Eventually you'll catch carp but it won't be after a long long dry spell of catching nothing. I guess what worries me is that by going after just about the hardest fish there is to catch, and doing it right out of the chute, you might not enjoy fly fishing near as much and won't continue with it. And we need all the fly fishermen we can get.
Just my confused and rambling two cents...
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Re: Fly Fishing for Carp - What to use?
[Re: Cowtown Kid]
#11120370
09/22/15 08:20 PM
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,448
Capt. Mac
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,448 |
One of the biggest things I have learned about carp fishing is that they don't all play the game right. You can be using a good fly, making good casts and using the right presentation to fish that are not spooked - don't even know your anywhere around - and they still won't eat. Sometimes you'll cast at fish after fish with no luck. Then, you come across that one fish that's ready to play the game right, make a decent cast, set the fly down in front of him and he swims over and sucks it up - just that simple. So, just because your not getting strikes when it seems like your doing it right, may not be your fault. It may just be finicky fish. You just have to keep shooting at them until you find the one that's ready.
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Re: Fly Fishing for Carp - What to use?
[Re: Cowtown Kid]
#11120934
09/23/15 01:06 AM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 715
Cowtown Kid
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Thanks to all for the information. I have gotten lucky in my fly fishing and have been catching some stripers, bass, crappie and bluegill below the dam at Lake Whitney from my kayak. I have seen so many carp and wanted to figure out how to catch one of them. From my carp fishing experience with a rod and reel as a kid I remember how fickle they were and how slow they were to bite. I will certainly keep fishing for the bass and stripers and do just a little carp fishing at a time. I have been fishing all my life and have just discovered fly fishing. Sure wish I had discovered it a long time ago but it learning to fly fish is like planting a tree. The best time to do it is 20 years ago or today. I am just glad someone showed me the "way" to a whole different kind of fishing! Thanks again for all the input!
Rick Irving "The Cowtown Kid" Kayak Fisherman and Real Estate Broker
Angling may be said to be so like the mathematics that it can never be fully learned. ~Izaak Walton
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Re: Fly Fishing for Carp - What to use?
[Re: Cowtown Kid]
#11123932
09/24/15 03:25 AM
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,693
Kent Meadows aka Team Hooligan
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,693 |
I have been chasing these nasty basta..s 3 or 4 days a week since mid august...Not 1 has been kind enough to even attempt to sniff a fly. On the other hand I have had some great bass jump all over my flies. I can say this however about the carps and myself, I can spot a feeding carp better now than I could a month ago. My casting has improved by leaps and bounds not only in accuracy but power and distance as well. I think much like you, fishing for them from a yak has some super challenges that waders may not always have. Im even fishing from a Diablo and find there is still a lot going on standing in that boat trying to land a fly 40' on a dinner plate while its moving and your moving as well. Perhaps Il tie up some marsh mellow flies and dare them to suck one down lol...cant wait to expose some backing as im seeing some 20#plus fish...best of luck Cowtown.
" Used to Chase giant's on Lake Austin & Town Lake "
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Re: Fly Fishing for Carp - What to use?
[Re: Cowtown Kid]
#11124061
09/24/15 09:04 AM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 715
Cowtown Kid
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Pro Angler
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OP
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Posts: 715 |
Kent, Thanks for the encouragement. Let me know when you get towed around in that Diablo by a 20 pounder!
Rick Irving "The Cowtown Kid" Kayak Fisherman and Real Estate Broker
Angling may be said to be so like the mathematics that it can never be fully learned. ~Izaak Walton
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Re: Fly Fishing for Carp - What to use?
[Re: Cowtown Kid]
#11124342
09/24/15 01:30 PM
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,344
2FlyFish4
Extreme Angler
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Extreme Angler
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,344 |
Are they carp or are they buffalo? I only ask bc there is a big difference between the two in regards to how they respond to a fly.
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Re: Fly Fishing for Carp - What to use?
[Re: Cowtown Kid]
#11124605
09/24/15 03:26 PM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 573
bryan_g
Pro Angler
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Pro Angler
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Posts: 573 |
It's pretty tough to land a carp at 40' in addition to the cast you also want to see them eat. At 40' they may have spit it out by the time you notice anything. Keep the line tight!
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Re: Fly Fishing for Carp - What to use?
[Re: Cowtown Kid]
#11124693
09/24/15 04:13 PM
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 79
DainW
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 79 |
Just out of curiosity, what's the standard set up that most people use when fishing for carp? Obviously they're quite spooky, but seems like you need heavier gear to land them? What's a standard carp rod?....7 or 8 weight? Or do you guys like to go lighter? I presume floating line and flouro leaders. What strength tippet do you guys use?
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Re: Fly Fishing for Carp - What to use?
[Re: Cowtown Kid]
#11124730
09/24/15 04:34 PM
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 92
Texjbq
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 92 |
I'm using an 8 wt with WF Floating, 1X mono 7.5' leader and about 4 ft of 2x flouro tippet, but as of yet I have not landed one so what do I know. The two I've hooked came unbuttoned, the tippet or knot didn't break.
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Re: Fly Fishing for Carp - What to use?
[Re: Cowtown Kid]
#11125009
09/24/15 06:56 PM
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 79
DainW
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
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Posts: 79 |
Ok thanks just curious. Everyone talks about having to make delicate presentations when carp fishing, but I'd have a heck of a time doing anything delicately with an 8 weight.
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