I've been having some good fishing for carp and the occasional buffalo. It's been quite a learning process to figure out how to get them to take a fly. They can really frustrate at times, but I'm finding out that they can be fooled fairly often. Presentation and stealth are more important than any particular fly pattern. I've been fortunate to have spent lots of time fishing the flats for bonefish, tarpon, redfish, etc and this is every bit as challenging and in fact the tactics are the same in many respects. For me it's the addiction of stalking the clear water, sighting the fish, then presenting the fly...then watching them eat it, that has me spending more and more of my time after them. Though the fight they put up is not to be underestimated! I lost a nice carp to a straightened hook last time out. The other great thing about it, they can be found in large numbers just about anywhere. These are just a few of the several fish I caught last week.

Dude! Get your hand out of their gills!!!!



*** other than that congrats. Nice beefalo near the bottom.

Amazing that such big fish are in such skinny water. Thanks!

I figured I'd get dinged for holding them like that. I'm open for suggestions. I'm careful to not touch the gills, just slip my finger along the gill cover. I've used that technique on lots of different fish from large tarpon on down. I'm happy to try something else...what do you suggest?

Nice fish, congrats!!!

Slide the pectorial fin between index and middle finger support the weight of the fish with both hands if possible.


index-1 by zvanfleet, on Flickr

Ok, just figured I'd minimize touching them on the body with bare hands. I wouldn't even have laid them on the 'yak except I get points for kayakwars

It's cool we all got to learn... you just really don't want to make any fish support its entire body weight by one fragile part. Think of being picked up by your ear.

You do want to wet your hands but in the long run supporting a fish's weight is less likely to hurt it than you contacting its slime.

And congrats again... I love sight fishing I don't even really particularly care what the species is. It sure is nice that the average carp is like 8-10 times heavier than the average bass or trout though

Gotcha. I appreciate the input. This ain't my first rodeo, and I've handled a lot of different fish in salt & freshwater. There is definitely more than one way to handle them...some better than others which is why I'm listening to suggestions. For as many guys that would argue your opinion, I know as many that would argue against disturbing their slime coat. I know a few guys that won't even take a fish out of the water.

What flies are you chunking at them? I have a good chance at carp coming up in May on a trip to the inlaws. I am tying up some Legion of Doom flies, crawfish patterns, and even some foam corn clusters (not the purist approach but oh well) but I looking for some others.

Last fall I managed to catch 2 on my saltwater flies, one being a small shrimp with a dubbed body and the other being a tan/white conehead clouser that I trimmed real short when I tied it on. I am in tying mode right now so I have been researching carp bugs.

Stop worry about flies and start practicing making 10 foot casts into a 3" circle.

Word.

Are you really fishing that close to these fish? An accurate 10 foot cast is harder than it sounds.

I have got to get out and try this.

No. I can't get that close without spooking them. And when you spook one it will often clear the flat of any fish. Wading or walking the bank I'm doing well if I get within 60' In my kayak I can get closer. That's plenty close though to make an accurate cast. Keep the false casts to a minimum. The movement is what will often spook them. I think it helps to wear drab clothing as well. Having said that my yak is bright yellow. I don't think there is anything to gain by getting much closer anyway. My rod is 9', I need around 25-30' of line out to load it at all. In fact, if I do get much closer to a fish I'll often ease away from it to avoid spooking it and give me a chance to make a decent cast.

Yes, I am getting that close to the fish. For kicks and to prove it to skeptics I sometimes walk up to them and touch them. It's not for everybody, some people simply refuse to be stealthy enough to get that close.

I get that close because of a lot of factors, most of which are weeds.