Carp around Salem

[Maineiac]

Does anyone have a line on areas with carp around Salem? I'm excited to try to catch some of these on a fly, does anyone else have experience? I'm looking for info on techniques, flies, times of day, anything will help...never done it before.
~ Ross

[NW JET'N]

Does anyone have a line on areas with carp around Salem? I'm excited to try to catch some of these on a fly, does anyone else have experience? I'm looking for info on techniques, flies, times of day, anything will help...never done it before.
~ Ross

Look for sloughs on the Willamette. I don't know if you are willing to drive to Corvallis but when I was at OSU a buddy and I would kill them on one of the sloughs south of town. Let me know and I can give you more detailed info on that location if you want to drive down that way. I can't help with techniques or flies since we bow fished for them. They bite better that way...even if they are not interested. They were thick as fleas in that slough. I'm sure there are some small sloughs on the Willamette around Salem that have them too.

[Maineiac]

Look for sloughs on the Willamette. I don't know if you are willing to drive to Corvallis but when I was at OSU a buddy and I would kill them on one of the sloughs south of town. Let me know and I can give you more detailed info on that location if you want to drive down that way. I can't help with techniques or flies since we bow fished for them. They bite better that way...even if they are not interested. They were thick as fleas in that slough. I'm sure there are some small sloughs on the Willamette around Salem that have them too.


Yeah, Corvallis is fine with me. I went there today on the advice of a friend and nearly got a ticket for fishing where I shouldn't. Luckily I hadn't wet a line yet and just got advised that doing so wouldn't be a good idea from a USFWS employee. Thanks, I'm going looking around Salem for the sloughs in over the weekend.

[Bill Monroe]

You know, for a moment there I had to double-take that thread title...:whistle:

[arlie]

I used to go to Mission Park and walk the trail up river about 3/4 mile to where you see the slough on the left. There is another slough that is just a bit further up stream but is deeper. But if you want the ultimate carp outing then go up to Sauvies Island almost to the nudey beach area and then go south to Sturgeon Lake. Prime carp habitat,,,

[Maineiac]

I used to go to Mission Park and walk the trail up river about 3/4 mile to where you see the slough on the left. There is another slough that is just a bit further up stream but is deeper. But if you want the ultimate carp outing then go up to Sauvies Island almost to the nudey beach area and then go south to Sturgeon Lake. Prime carp habitat,,,

There is a nudey beach on SI??? I think fishing may have to wait! On a serious note - thanks for the information I really appreciate it.

~ Ross

[mkwerx]

Coincidence the 'fishin is great' around the nudie beach? All those fish coming in shallow to try and get a glimpse they just loose their minds and you just let the bait or fly drift right into their little mouths... carp flossin' 101!

On a serious note - thanks for this info. I still need to get out and get me a carp on the fly.

[Twothirteen]

Anybody mind shedding some light as to what flies the carp may hit? I know of a few spots that should produce, but I'm just not too sure about what to use.

[Maineiac]

I don't have any clue! I'm going to try them all until I figure it out. Is there a best time of day to fish for them? Thanks for the help so far everyone!

[eggfisher21]

I don't have any clue! I'm going to try them all until I figure it out. Is there a best time of day to fish for them? Thanks for the help so far everyone!
hey if u go to minto brown park and the front pond when u drive in there is so many carp in there and ull catch them all day long u can see them all over when ppl is feeding the ducks. get a hook and put white yarn or peach ull catch them.

[Travman]

I fish the snake in idaho for carp when I'm there and haven't personally found a better fly than the good ol' wooly bugger, size 4-8, black. If you tie your own a webby, messy looking hackle seems to work best. I've heard that small nymphs are supposed to be productive as well as crawdad patterns but have never tried either of them. Good luck.

[Fly Flickr]

For carp I tie up a #10-12 hares ear with little rubber legs. The legs help to soften the splash and keep it from sinking too far in the mud. Don't put too much weight on it either. Look for feeding fish and try to predict what direction they are heading. When you cast lead them quite a bit and cast "quietly". If your leader moves 1/10th of an inch and a feeding carp is near your fly... SET THE HOOK! and hold on. Carp are smarter than people give them credit for and they have very good eye sight and sense of smell. They "spook" very easily so take your time. If you do spook some and they know you are in the area, move on they won't bite. Also if you catch one you have to move on as well the others in that area won't bite. In my experience if you don't see them they won't take a fly.They are tough to catch in a legit manner (there are lots of unsportsman like tricks that I won't mention) but when you get one it is awesome and you also get a chance to test out your backing. Fun!