Carp on a fly

[nthommen]

I am trying to figure out how to catch Carp on a fly. Have tried most things in my fly box, but the carp don't even give it a look. What works?

[veilside180sx]

I've always caught them on small dry flies personally. They are a finicky bunch.

[nthommen]

I've always caught them on small dry flies personally. They are a finicky bunch.

Do you see them feeding on top and do you site fish them?

[veilside180sx]

Do you see them feeding on top and do you site fish them?

Yeah I've always just sight fished them. They are VERY easily spooked so you have to keep your distance. (basically treat them like you would a bonefish when they are feeding on top)

[Fishrite]

We've done best on very large Hare's Ears. We tie them on steelhead hooks...about 1" long.

[Pelhament]

This may sound strange but after a lot of failures I found that a size 6 orange scud works for the carp behind my house. The water is super super murky so I can't see takes, so I use a foam hopper as a indicator and set the hook on twitches. I hooked one carp previous to this find, and have landed about 6 or 7 since in the short amount of time I have tried. This time of year you may try to tie up a cotton seed fly. Just a small white CDC fluff ball. Carp go crazy over cotton seeds.

[telehead1]

I've done very well on small leech patterns and a red copper john variant with partridge soft hackle. The key no matter what you use is to not have it sink too fast so it drifts down into their path.

[nthommen]

This may sound strange but after a lot of failures I found that a size 6 orange scud works for the carp behind my house. The water is super super murky so I can't see takes, so I use a foam hopper as a indicator and set the hook on twitches. I hooked one carp previous to this find, and have landed about 6 or 7 since in the short amount of time I have tried. This time of year you may try to tie up a cotton seed fly. Just a small white CDC fluff ball. Carp go crazy over cotton seeds.
Tell me more about the cottonwood seed fly there are lots of cottonwoods where I have tried for the carp. What size is the hook, puff ball and do you fish this as a dry fly?

[john montana]

Carp are very efficient eaters, so while not necessarily finicky, they can be really tough to catch on an artificial. Right now the great majority of the fish i'm seeing are spawning, and spawning fish are nearly impossible to catch. When they are in groups chasing each other around you can just about write them off. If you can find single fish off on their own, they'll eat but as a rule, they won't eat aggressively very often. You might have to feed them a nymph as opposed to hoping they'll chase down a wooly bugger. For flies, general nymph patterns work for me in sizes 6-12 and I tie most of mine with rubber legs for motion and vibration. I also fish a lot of san juan worms, and tons of crayfish patterns once they are back on the feed after spawning. The key with carp though is detecting the strike. They can inhale a fly from about a foot away without moving, and they eject an artificial in the same motion usually. If you know the fly is "on their plate" and you see the fish change its posture or do anything different than it was a moment before, set the hook. You'll be surprised how often that fly is right in the lip.

good luck, but watch out...it can be very addictive!

[Pelhament]

Here are a few links. Yes they are fished dry.

http://www.frontrangeanglers.com/flytying/barryreynolds3-26-05/barryreynoldsbarry%27scottonseed.htm

http://www.yagersflies.com/jscoba.html

http://www.yagersflies.com/jscose.html

[coyote243]

glow bug soaked in corn oil. FUN!!!

[gottafish]

glow bug soaked in corn oil. FUN!!!
peanut butter:D:D

[rpnsteelheadlps]

When the Carp are "Clooping" cast your fly a minimum of 10" in front of the lead fish. When they are "Tailing" I like to use a crawdad colored Woolybugger. I have caught some 20+lb carp on the Snake River and they are as strong as they are ugly!!!!!!!!!!!