flyfishing for carp
- gorfman007
- Silver Participant
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- Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2003 10:40 am
- Location: Ottawa and Bob's Lake
flyfishing for carp
I would like to try flyfishing for carp this summer. I assume that some of you have done this. I would like to know your recommendations for equipment required. ,i.e. rod size, reel, line weight and lures. Would you use artificials or small pieces of regular carp bait?
Thanks
Paul
Thanks
Paul
Life goes on
Flyfishing with actual bait!...that's scralege! 
Apart from that....
The typical carp setup is an 8wt with floating line. Now there are others that use a 5wt with 5wt floating line, spooled on an 7-8wt reel (allowing for lots of backing) Their rational is that you can feel the soft bites better with the 5wt. Unfortunately you're at the mercy of the carp when they're more than 5lbs.
Check out Ian Colin Jame's carp webpage.

Apart from that....
The typical carp setup is an 8wt with floating line. Now there are others that use a 5wt with 5wt floating line, spooled on an 7-8wt reel (allowing for lots of backing) Their rational is that you can feel the soft bites better with the 5wt. Unfortunately you're at the mercy of the carp when they're more than 5lbs.
Check out Ian Colin Jame's carp webpage.
- gorfman007
- Silver Participant
- Posts: 624
- Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2003 10:40 am
- Location: Ottawa and Bob's Lake
gorfman007: check out my posts here in the flyfishing section. There are soome pics.
I've been fishing carp here in Japan for a couple of months now and I'm beginning to get the hang of it. You definitely do not need bait - flies will do nicely. Patterns that work for me are salmon eggs and bright colored nymphs or streamers. Streamer sizes are #8 to #12 barbless hooks. Most of my flies are weighted with beads or wire.
I'm using a 9 foot long 9-wt, floating line, 9 feet of 1X leader and another 24 inches of 3X flourocarbon tippet. I had on heavier tippet at the beginning, but I think these fish might have been a little line shy. Once I went to 3X tippet, they began taking my flies.
Patience and stealth are needed since carp don't always cooperate and they spook all too easily. I have been keeping my profile very ow as I apprach the fish and in some cases, using brush or objects to hide behind as I cast. If the fish see you, they generally swim off. (The water I'm fishing is not deep at all - the pools these fish school in are only about 1/2 meter deep.
The technique that worked for me is to sight fish. I watch where the carp are headed and cast out in front of them. The flies hit the bottom and I let them sit till the fish pass over the flies and suck them up. Make sure your hooks are really sharp since their mouths are very tough. These aren't candy-assed bass - these fish are tough.
It took me 5 visits to my local river to finally get one on my line. The fish I'm targeting are in the 5lb range. They pull like a mack truck and don't slow down. You should get a few runs out of any carp you hook.
Good luck with your flyfishing for carp. I must confess that I am getting hooked.
I've been fishing carp here in Japan for a couple of months now and I'm beginning to get the hang of it. You definitely do not need bait - flies will do nicely. Patterns that work for me are salmon eggs and bright colored nymphs or streamers. Streamer sizes are #8 to #12 barbless hooks. Most of my flies are weighted with beads or wire.
I'm using a 9 foot long 9-wt, floating line, 9 feet of 1X leader and another 24 inches of 3X flourocarbon tippet. I had on heavier tippet at the beginning, but I think these fish might have been a little line shy. Once I went to 3X tippet, they began taking my flies.
Patience and stealth are needed since carp don't always cooperate and they spook all too easily. I have been keeping my profile very ow as I apprach the fish and in some cases, using brush or objects to hide behind as I cast. If the fish see you, they generally swim off. (The water I'm fishing is not deep at all - the pools these fish school in are only about 1/2 meter deep.
The technique that worked for me is to sight fish. I watch where the carp are headed and cast out in front of them. The flies hit the bottom and I let them sit till the fish pass over the flies and suck them up. Make sure your hooks are really sharp since their mouths are very tough. These aren't candy-assed bass - these fish are tough.
It took me 5 visits to my local river to finally get one on my line. The fish I'm targeting are in the 5lb range. They pull like a mack truck and don't slow down. You should get a few runs out of any carp you hook.
Good luck with your flyfishing for carp. I must confess that I am getting hooked.
Time's fun when you're having flies.
- gorfman007
- Silver Participant
- Posts: 624
- Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2003 10:40 am
- Location: Ottawa and Bob's Lake
. some off us catch some carp on fly right here on the rideau.
you can still fead them and then use a corn fly..like the ones they sell at le baron and just swing that corn fly in that feeed place and wait....WHAM...
.
rode off your life.
carp are very fun to catch.
i did good at egleside in the past.
this year will try fly fish for them in the kayak...will be a blast.
joco
you can still fead them and then use a corn fly..like the ones they sell at le baron and just swing that corn fly in that feeed place and wait....WHAM...

rode off your life.
carp are very fun to catch.
i did good at egleside in the past.
this year will try fly fish for them in the kayak...will be a blast.
joco
- gorfman007
- Silver Participant
- Posts: 624
- Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2003 10:40 am
- Location: Ottawa and Bob's Lake