04-05-2011, 06:02 PM
Well, soccer practice ran late and I got the water with 30 minutes or so left. I didn't see any carp swimmin' at my chum zones so I dropped a new ball at each of the 3 chum sites and rigged up.
I never even made a cast. Guess I didn't have 'nough time, cuz just as it was getting dark I noticed several dark shapes swimming around two of my chum sites. Man was I temped to cast, but from experience I know it's a minimum 20 - 30 minute fight on my fly rod for one of these guys and I didn't have the time. Sometimes life gets in the way of my fishing, but I got to see my son score his first goal. That was cool.
BigE, I tied those guys on number 4 general purpose eagle claw hooks. I usually use #10 or 12 (long shank) hooks but I was out of those as well. Small dumbell eyes or even beadchain eyes will work. I do believe the key to this fly is the front weight. I personally use non lead wraps. Best color I've found by far is plain old brown chenille. And black sili legs... no stripes no nuthin'. Also I don't really try to get the legs smooth and proper... I purposefully tryn' get them all around like a hackle almost. I saw this very plain fly on a fishing show several years ago and it has been my exclusive carp fly ever since. I try different stuff now and again, but nothing beats that fly for me when I am carp fishing.
My tactics are simple. Chum in a tight pattern in shallow water near the bank... you want to be able to see the fish. My favorite spots are places with cover. Carp are very spooky fish. You want to be able to sneak up on them. When you see several big tail fins with oragish tips all around your chum then cast to them. I use a 9ft leader with 3 ft of flourocarben tippet. The fly is tied on w/ a loop knot. Once I see the carp working the chum my goal is to cast the fly to the other side of the pod of fish, without my actual fly line going over the pod at all. That is another reason not to broadcast your chum. You want them fish tight together on that chum. If you spook just one the rest will spook as well. Invariable you will spook some... that is the reason for 3 chum sites. The carp will be back in a few minutes. Anyhow let the fly sink to the bottom and do a really slow hand twist retrieve through the pod. If I feel weight I don't lift the rod... I strip set the hook. Again this is so I don't spook the feeding fish. You'll pick up a bunch of bottom debris doing this, but keep at it and you will be rewarded. [shocked]
You can fish for carp w/out the chum, but walking shorelines and sightfishing them. Look for the fish that are rooting around... those are generally feeding. Figure out which direction he's working and lead him by several feet. Once he gets close give that fly a slight twitch or two.. if the initial twitch doesn't work then start a slow hand twist. It is fun as hell to sight fish carp this way.
I have caught some really small bass there as well. I caught one that was no more'n 2 inches a few years back. I also pick up a nice sunfish here and there. I tend to fish the lower pond there as it has a flat I find perfect for carp fishing.
Mark
[signature]
I never even made a cast. Guess I didn't have 'nough time, cuz just as it was getting dark I noticed several dark shapes swimming around two of my chum sites. Man was I temped to cast, but from experience I know it's a minimum 20 - 30 minute fight on my fly rod for one of these guys and I didn't have the time. Sometimes life gets in the way of my fishing, but I got to see my son score his first goal. That was cool.
BigE, I tied those guys on number 4 general purpose eagle claw hooks. I usually use #10 or 12 (long shank) hooks but I was out of those as well. Small dumbell eyes or even beadchain eyes will work. I do believe the key to this fly is the front weight. I personally use non lead wraps. Best color I've found by far is plain old brown chenille. And black sili legs... no stripes no nuthin'. Also I don't really try to get the legs smooth and proper... I purposefully tryn' get them all around like a hackle almost. I saw this very plain fly on a fishing show several years ago and it has been my exclusive carp fly ever since. I try different stuff now and again, but nothing beats that fly for me when I am carp fishing.
My tactics are simple. Chum in a tight pattern in shallow water near the bank... you want to be able to see the fish. My favorite spots are places with cover. Carp are very spooky fish. You want to be able to sneak up on them. When you see several big tail fins with oragish tips all around your chum then cast to them. I use a 9ft leader with 3 ft of flourocarben tippet. The fly is tied on w/ a loop knot. Once I see the carp working the chum my goal is to cast the fly to the other side of the pod of fish, without my actual fly line going over the pod at all. That is another reason not to broadcast your chum. You want them fish tight together on that chum. If you spook just one the rest will spook as well. Invariable you will spook some... that is the reason for 3 chum sites. The carp will be back in a few minutes. Anyhow let the fly sink to the bottom and do a really slow hand twist retrieve through the pod. If I feel weight I don't lift the rod... I strip set the hook. Again this is so I don't spook the feeding fish. You'll pick up a bunch of bottom debris doing this, but keep at it and you will be rewarded. [shocked]
You can fish for carp w/out the chum, but walking shorelines and sightfishing them. Look for the fish that are rooting around... those are generally feeding. Figure out which direction he's working and lead him by several feet. Once he gets close give that fly a slight twitch or two.. if the initial twitch doesn't work then start a slow hand twist. It is fun as hell to sight fish carp this way.
I have caught some really small bass there as well. I caught one that was no more'n 2 inches a few years back. I also pick up a nice sunfish here and there. I tend to fish the lower pond there as it has a flat I find perfect for carp fishing.
Mark
[signature]