We are here to argue the case for carp. By now you’ve probably heard of a few folks tossing flies for carp, probably heard all kinds of great things about them, the carp that is. But you haven’t gone yet. Why, we ask. Mindset? Maybe you remember your dad or granddad telling you those fish were no good. Or maybe your fishing buddy is one of those guys who just won’t even entertain the idea of fly fishing for carp. Perhaps you heard that these fish are real tough to catch; nobody likes to get skunked. So you might have some interest in this, but you’re really not sure. This is our chance to convince you to get fresh blood in your fishing, some new opportunities to do something different. Please join us as we point out the carp’s high points, and some tactics for catching them.
The Convenient Carp
Most of us don’t live right on the banks of a world-famous trout stream. Most of us don’t live on the banks any trout stream. A guess at the average fly fisherman’s drive time to reach a trout would be measured in hours. There are certainly much worse things to be doing than driving to a trout stream. However, if you live in the city, hold down a job, have a family, etc., things other than fishing often take precedence. Here lies the true beauty of the carp. These fish are more than likely 10 minutes, 5 minutes, from your front door; they might even be within walking distance. They are excellent for quick trips to get your fishing fix. Have a lunch hour? Go fishing. Have only 2 or 3 hours on Saturday morning? Go fishing. Taking the family to the park for a picnic? Go fishing. Feel OK about stealing 30 minutes from your errands? Go fishing. A theme is emerging. You could be out doing this and that “important” stuff, and in the middle of it all catch a 5 pound fish, and then slip back into civilization. Chances are no one will even know.
Where the Carp AreCarp can live practically everywhere. A listing of exceptions will be much more efficient. Fast moving, cold water streams and rivers, and altitudes over 6,000 feet, will not hold carp. Everything else does, with few exceptions. In other words, they live where most people live. Everywhere!
Carp as a Game Fish
When was the last time you saw your backing? No, really, when was it? While you think about that for a moment, think about that pond down the street from you, or the lake across town, or that slow-moving river, holding a multitude of 5 to 15 pound fish that would show you how good your line to backing knot really is.
How do you like sight fishing? For many it’s perhaps the most exciting part of the sport. Almost everything in carp fishing is visual; you spot the fish, you cast to the fish, and you see the strike.
Chances are the carp is the biggest fish in the lake and they are available almost every day from late March to early November in shallow water. It would be hard to ask for much more from a game fish.
Carp as a Teacher
The progress of a fly fisherman is an interesting journey. Carp can be a wonderful way to add to your skills. Most of the time carp will be a challenging quarry, and this is part of the game. The reason carp are hard to hook is because our skills are not initially up to their skills. Carp will seldom be taken with improper presentation. The more you work on presentation, the more fish you will catch. If you think that your carp-honed skills will carry over into other types of fishing, you would be correct. Spooky trout and carp have much in common.
Another element is sight fishing. Carp must be seen to be caught. In many cases they can be difficult to see, just shadows moving along the bottom or in and out of deep water. As you get more practice, your fish-sighting skills become much more keen. Next time you go to the trout stream you can bet you will be spotting more fish, and a fish seen will become a fish caught.
Working on your saltwater skills? A carp’s behavior is much like that of bonefish and redfish. Now, if I were going to spend several thousand dollars on a trip to the tropics, I might get in as much practice as I could. Carp are perfect for this. They have many of the same characteristics as the most sought-after tropical species and in fact are caught on many of the same patterns. Catch some carp, and be prepared when you go to the flats!
Carp Anatomy and Habits
There are two major species of carp in our waters, common and grass carp, and one minor, the mirror. Here we’ll focus on the common and mirror carp, which are taken in the same waters and with the same techniques. Grass carp are a sport unto themselves; if driven by overwhelming popular demand, we might even write an article about them.
In order to start catching carp on the fly you must first understand some basic anatomy and general habits of these fish. To start, carp generally are shallow water bottom feeders and have an underslung mouth and barbels, or whiskers. The carp’s underslung mouth allows the fish to root and sort when feeding. This behavior will often create “muds”, or discolored water, a dead giveaway of recent or current feeding. As for food, there isn’t much a carp won’t eat – animal, vegetable or probably mineral. Carp will often be found with “heads down and tails up” when they are on a major feed. This is an excellent time to toss a fly at them.
Carp have five specific habits or behaviors that are important to recognize for angling success. First, there is the cruising carp. Cruising carp come in two classes, “fast cruisers”, who are generally moving pretty fast (hence the name) and are not really interested in feeding. They are definitely going somewhere, often are in small squadrons of 2 to 6 fish, and they mean to get there in a hurry. Then there is the slow cruiser, who may or may not be interested in food; it may seem to be browsing or window shopping. Slow cruisers are often solitary fish, or maybe in a pair. A well placed fly will often entice them into striking.
Second, there is the sunning carp. These fish can be seen suspended under a couple inches of water and typically don’t move around too much. The sunning fish are generally not interested in taking a fly.
Third, there is the “clooping” carp. First off, the definition of clooping; this is a term from the Brits, a land where carp are considered top-shelf for the working class angler. Clooping carp are those taking food off the surface of the water. Carp don’t have a classic rising fish form when they take food top water, they tend to suck it, and it makes a soft sound that sounds like a “cloop!” The clooper can be seen sucking in all sorts of aquatic insects and plants. Some flies to fool a clooping carp: dry flies to match the hatch, emergers, midges, nymphs, slow sinking aquatic insect patterns, and plant imitations such as cottonwood seeds. Cloopers can be a lot fun.
The fourth type of carp are we would call “hellraisers”, so named in the bible of carp fishing, “Carp on the Fly”, by Reynolds, Befus, and Berryman. The term applies to fish who are randomly jumping and/or thrashing all about and generally raising hell. Do not even think about trying to catch one of these fish; it is a complete waste of time. Ignore the flying, fifteen-pound carp as best you can.
The Tailing Fish
Finally, there is the tailing fish. The tailer offers the fly angler the best chance of getting a fish to take a fly. The tailer will be nose down rooting around in the mud in search of food. The best flies for the tailer include wooly buggers, aquatic nymphs, and Clouser-style flies.
The key to success when fly fishing for tailing carp is attracting the attention of the fish without spooking it. The position of the fly, rate of sink, and the action of the fly all play a part. To start, the fly must come within a few inches of the line of sight of the fish. If the fly is off by more than that, your chances of catching the fish greatly decreases. So you’re probably thinking that your casting accuracy is going to have to be precise; true, but not quite in the way you may think. If you land the fly directly in the carp’s feeding zone you are most likely going to spook the fish immediately. Therefore you must cast beyond the fish and strip the fly into the zone. This will take some practice to get the timing and accuracy down, but before you know it you will be spot on! Next is the rate of sink of the fly. We have found that most fish will take the fly more readily if the fly is still suspended in the water. The key here is to match the rate of sink of the fly with the depth and speed the fish is located. Finally, once the fly is in the zone, the action must be just right. Once you get the fly in the zone, make only minuscule strips. Start with a tiny twitch once the fly is in front of the fish and watch its reaction. You will know when the fish notices the fly because the fish will twitch or even beeline right for the fly. If you did not get its attention, be patient; wait for the fish to pass and then re-cast.
If the fish is does not appear to be moving and its tail is just visible, there are several approaches you can take. Start by visualizing where the carp’s mouth is in relation to its tail and put your fly there by using the above method of casting beyond the fish and striping back. Once the fly is in the zone, keep your line straight and tight and try a tiny one inch strip. Next watch the fish’s tail; did it seem to get excited? Wag like a dog? If s,o you probably are in the zone and either the fish has taken the fly or is checking it out. Keep your line tight and try another tiny strip. If you’re lucky, you’ll now have a carp on the end of your line.
The Strike
This is the moment of truth. Carp will not usually make a vicious strike at a fly, but will instead suck the fly in gently. In order to make a hookup, it is critical that the angler be alert, keep in constant contact with the fly, and have keen vision and quick reflexes. Moments before the strike, it is important to clue yourself in on the fish’s behavior. As we noted earlier, the fish will often change direction and move towards the fly, or it will simply “wag its tail”. These are indications the carp is intent on eating your offering. Timing is crucial at this point. When the carp sucks the fly in, there is but a split second for a strike. A very hard strike will often result in a missed fish. It’s best to firmly sweep the rod to the side and keep tension on the line. Once the carp feels the hook, it will almost always go on a powerful run and set the hook firmly in its lips. At this point, you need not worry whether the hook will come out. The carp has a soft yet tough mouth that holds a hook very well. We recommend your pinching down the barbs on your hooks. It will be much easier for you to remove the hook upon landing the fish, not to mention those times when you hook yourself. The one second it takes to pinch down a barb may someday be repaid in not having to go to the emergency room.
The Fight
Now for the fun part! After the hook is set, the carp will almost always go on a powerful first run. It’s best to make sure you have your drag set in advance. Let the fish do what it will on this first run. Trying to stop it can often lead to broken leaders and straightened hooks. When the fish relaxes a bit, start to regain your line. Now, every fish fight is different, but a carp will usually come in a bit, then make a few more minor runs. However, beware at this point. Just when it looks like the fish is ready to come in, it will often go on one more blazing run, usually when they see the boat or angler. Again, let the fish run - forcing things can result in broken leaders, particularly if the fish flops down on a tight tippet. Then continue to work it in. The fish will determine when it’s ready to be beached or netted. After securing the fish, pull the fly free, and let it go. A note here; some folks are afraid or squeamish to touch carp, but let it be known they are safe to touch, and feel much like any other fish. They are slimy, but not unusually so. Carp are very hardy, so feel free to snap one or two pictures without worry. When you’re done, put them back in the water and repeat as often as possible.
We have heard stories and actually witnessed anglers who feel it necessary to drop kick or heave a carp upon the bank to die after the landing. These alleged gentlemen have a lack of ethics and respect for life. While the carp isn’t a native species, it does get up every day to make a living much like you do, and considering the fine sport they offer us, it’s in our best interests to treat them cordially. Enough said for now; perhaps how an angler treats his fish, regardless of species, is an indication of his moral worth.
Flies for Carp
This is pretty easy, actually. The proper weight of the fly is probably the most important aspect. The fly must be able to be sink to the depth of the fish and then stay at about that level as you strip it into the carp’s feeding zone. Almost all carp fishing will be done in 6” to 3’ of water, and occasionally a bit deeper, to maybe 8’. Carry flies with different weights to meet these situations. Lead heads and cone heads, bead chains eyes, wire-wrapped hook shanks and weightless flies are all needed. Particular patterns include damsels, crawdads, wooly buggers, rabbit strip flies, Clousers and saltwater flies. Sizes range from 4 to 12, with emphasis on 6 to 10. These flies will cover 99% of your fishing. If the carp are hot on a hatch, which is rare, then break out the trout flies. The best thing is to incorporate materials with a lot movement, such as soft hackles, marabou or rabbit. The sky is the limit here. Most diehards have a few flies they rely on consistently, but will always try new things out. Imitate the natural foods surrounding you. Experiment!
Weather for Carp
Ideal conditions for carp fishing are clear, fairly calm, and warm. A full, overhead sun is ideal for sight fishing. Early morning and late-day hours are more difficult due to the angle of the sun on the water. We recommend late morning and early afternoons in the spring before the wind picks up, mid-morning to mid/late afternoons for summer, and late morning to mid-afternoon for autumn. Chasing carp is considerably more difficult in rainy and cloudy weather. The famous high pressure weather systems of the American West provide excellent carp fishing weather.
Gear for Carp
You won’t need any specific tools to chase carp. We would recommend a 6 weight rod and a reel with a good drag. Make sure you have plenty of backing on said reel. A net is handy from a boat, but not necessary if working from shore, and if you bring one, bring a big one. Beaching a carp isn’t hard. Rounding out the ensemble is the best pair of polarized glasses you can afford and a hat with a wide brim. Leaders of 7 to 9 feet tapered to 3x are perfect. If you want to delve further into the mysteries of the carp, buy a copy of “Carp on the Fly” by Reynolds, Befus, and Berryman. This book remains the definitive guide to fly fishing for carp; anyone serious about carp should have a copy in their home library.
Additional web resources
http://forums.rockymtnfly.com/index.php?showtopic=1243
http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com/zeroforum?id=72
http://www.wyomingflyfishing.com/carpunlimited.aspx
http://www.midcurrent.com/articles/techniques/cutchin_fightingfish.aspx
So Get Out There
Carp are big, hard fighting fish found in a pond or river near you. They are caught on a variety of inexpensive, simple patterns and using gear you more than likely already own. They provide an intense angling foray in a casual setting. In these days of high gas prices, crowded, diseased trout streams and tight time schedules, the carp is a non-politicized, free and easy day (or hour) on the water. We hope you take the opportunity to give chase to this fascinating fish. We are confident it will make you a better fisherman, and probably a better person. Carp On!
Andrew Spinato is a firefighter who in his spare time is an avid carp angler and guide. For more information about hiring him and his boat, contact is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Mark Kyner is a fish bum who pesters Andrew for boat rides and flies to catch carp. They both reside in Longmont, CO.
