04-26-2009, 07:10 PM
[cool][#0000ff]There are a couple of stillwater carpin' venues within easy range of SLC. One is Decker Lake, just east of 215, north of 3600 So. It is a big shallow pond that connects to the Jordan River via a canal and is constantly replenished (carpwise) by fish coming up the canal. White bass and walleyes in there sometimes too. The water is almost always murky but you can sometimes see the carp cruising shallow or slurping from the surface. Some people feed them bread so a "Wheat Hackle" fly will work. So will anything yellow.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Just up the road, west of the Legacy Highway, at the 500 N. offramp, there is Bountiful Pond. The state record C&R carp came out of there at one time. Planted trout, white bass and largemouths in there too. And once in awhile a kittyfish will slurp feathers in that lake.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Utah Lake and Willard Bay are just about equal distances from Salt Lake...depending upon what part of the lakes you go to. Both have large populations of carp and the carp in both are more than agreeable to bending your fairy wand. The carp in our local lakes are very competitive for food and eat a wide variety of goodies...including all kinds of invertebrates and even their own young. Yes, they are piscivorous and will take "fry flies". However, small nymphs in grey, green, brown or black...with maybe a bit of gold ribbing...will almost always get a slurp.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Right now the carp are getting nervous. Just about time for the "spring fling". The females have ripening eggs and the males are buying candy and flowers (joke). Most early mornings, when the wind is not blowing, you can find large rafts of carp forming near the shoreline upon which they plan to spawn when the water temps hit about 65. Many of them have their mouths out of the water, seemingly gulping air. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Carp have GOOD eyesight. If you can place a fly close, but avoid lining the fish, you can wiggle it close enough for them to see and at least one of them will usually take it. When the hooked fish panics the whole crowd explodes. Fun fun.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]After the spawn, it is not uncommon to see individual carp cruising the surface slurping up the midges and other insects that have fallen into the water at night. Sometimes there is a row of bugs formed by a light breeze and the carp look like they are "snorting a line" as they move along. A fly that is larger and more visible will usually get their attentiion. They are really not into match the hatch. But you have to place it where they will move up to it. Challenging.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Fishing for invisible carp is not nearly as easy and exciting as sight fishing for them. But, it is a good way to practice your stillwater nymphing techniques. Wherever you can find them cruising and feeding in shallow water with clean bottom you can fish your choice of offerings...with or without an indicator. They usually don't take it hard. You gotta pay attention. But, once the hook goes in there is no mistaking what you have on.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]One of the best spots for this kind of fishing...either from a tube or toon...or by wading in the shallows...is the small shallow bay by the pump house just south of the boat channel at Lincoln Beach. That is where I introduced Joni to those "golden bonefish". At high water the depth might reach about 3-4 feet in there, but it shallows up as you move further up to the south. There is a warm spring that flows in there and it brings in lots of white bass and catfish too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Attached is a picture of our moderator with a good reason for her appreciation of carpkind.[/#0000ff]
[signature]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Just up the road, west of the Legacy Highway, at the 500 N. offramp, there is Bountiful Pond. The state record C&R carp came out of there at one time. Planted trout, white bass and largemouths in there too. And once in awhile a kittyfish will slurp feathers in that lake.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Utah Lake and Willard Bay are just about equal distances from Salt Lake...depending upon what part of the lakes you go to. Both have large populations of carp and the carp in both are more than agreeable to bending your fairy wand. The carp in our local lakes are very competitive for food and eat a wide variety of goodies...including all kinds of invertebrates and even their own young. Yes, they are piscivorous and will take "fry flies". However, small nymphs in grey, green, brown or black...with maybe a bit of gold ribbing...will almost always get a slurp.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Right now the carp are getting nervous. Just about time for the "spring fling". The females have ripening eggs and the males are buying candy and flowers (joke). Most early mornings, when the wind is not blowing, you can find large rafts of carp forming near the shoreline upon which they plan to spawn when the water temps hit about 65. Many of them have their mouths out of the water, seemingly gulping air. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Carp have GOOD eyesight. If you can place a fly close, but avoid lining the fish, you can wiggle it close enough for them to see and at least one of them will usually take it. When the hooked fish panics the whole crowd explodes. Fun fun.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]After the spawn, it is not uncommon to see individual carp cruising the surface slurping up the midges and other insects that have fallen into the water at night. Sometimes there is a row of bugs formed by a light breeze and the carp look like they are "snorting a line" as they move along. A fly that is larger and more visible will usually get their attentiion. They are really not into match the hatch. But you have to place it where they will move up to it. Challenging.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Fishing for invisible carp is not nearly as easy and exciting as sight fishing for them. But, it is a good way to practice your stillwater nymphing techniques. Wherever you can find them cruising and feeding in shallow water with clean bottom you can fish your choice of offerings...with or without an indicator. They usually don't take it hard. You gotta pay attention. But, once the hook goes in there is no mistaking what you have on.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]One of the best spots for this kind of fishing...either from a tube or toon...or by wading in the shallows...is the small shallow bay by the pump house just south of the boat channel at Lincoln Beach. That is where I introduced Joni to those "golden bonefish". At high water the depth might reach about 3-4 feet in there, but it shallows up as you move further up to the south. There is a warm spring that flows in there and it brings in lots of white bass and catfish too.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Attached is a picture of our moderator with a good reason for her appreciation of carpkind.[/#0000ff]
[signature]