Clay34
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Posts posted by Clay34
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I can't get the link to work. Says: "Domain name for sale" when I click on it.
As far as a white Clouser goes, I did fish successfully a fly that I called a white rabbit. It was a simple tie: White rabbit hair tail, dubbed white rabbit fur, red white wrap in the style of a woolly bugger, and a silver bead. There was no hackle in it so it wasn't a bead headed woolly bugger. I tied it with a white rabbit skin and so I called it a white rabbit so I knew what I was talking about. I didn't invent anything. I have this pet peeve about people saying they invented a fly when it is a variation of something that is very old indeed. I had such good success with the fly that I tied a couple of doz up and went through all of them in season, so I fished it a little.
I fished this fly in a stocked lake for gamefish. My best success was soon after they dumped a ton of minnows in the water for food for a recently revived lake. Carp are like any other fish, an opportunist indeed. As long as they were feeding on the recent manna from heaven, I gave them what they were already eating. Matching the hatch so to say.
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Fish like that will convert a brookie fisherman in a hurry. I started this pursuit over 10 years ago, as a TU member looking for some recreational fishing closer to home when gas prices were higher. After 10 years and owning property in prime brook trout waters, I still prefer to chase carp.
One season, I spent 66 days on the water and didn't keep a single trout - all catch and release. Then it dawned on me. If I am just doing the catching for fun, why not have something on the other end of the line that pulls harder? A carp, fly fisherman was released from the bonds of those that turn up their noses at our game fish of choice.
Nicely done, turning another fly fisherman into a carp angler.
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Good deal Barry. Glad that you liked the idea.
Chayathecat, I have some people that I consider friends that don't get my passion for chasing these fish. I tell them, one year I spent 66 days on the water as recorded in my journal. I kept zero trout. So now instead of driving hours just to release brook trout and maybe a 14 or 15" brown, I catch true 10 and even 20 pounders on my fly rod with flies that I tie myself. My goal is a true 30 one day soon. The drug is the TUG!
Like many others on this board, I will fly a carp flag proudly.
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So which one or ones did you end up with Barry? There are many types and styles available.
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Anyone chase carp out of a boat or kayak and think about flying a carp flag. Found these cheap on Ebay from China: http://www.ebay.com/itm/55cm-150cm-Japanese-Windsock-Carp-Flag-Garden-Koi-Nobori-Sailfish-Wind-Streamer-/201560009014?var=&hash=item2eede9a936:m:mEC6-lte0Sw3AQNLWsqUQUg
What started this is that many Kayakers fly a blaze orange safety flag so that you don't get run over by bigger boats. So if I am going to fly a flag anyhow, why not a carp flag.
Almost thought of buying multiple ones and running them up the mast like marlin fisherman each time I land one on the fly rod. Unless I have one of those 27 fish days.
So what do you think? Am I all whacked for even thinking this?
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6 hours ago, rwar1423 said:
@clay34 , thanks. I picked up a kayak last summer and plan to target carp on fly at the area lakes. Please share your experiences. One thing I noticed with kayak sight-fishing for carp, was I'd spot the carp, and by the time I got the flyrod out of the holder, the wind had either pushed me out of range or too close to the carp. I ordered but have yet to install an anchor trolley, and a push pole. Hopefully that'll work. I thought about an anchor, but the way our lakes get weeds, I'd spend more time pulling weeds off the anchor after pulling in, than fishing. I recently saw on youtube of saltwater kayak fisherman on the flats, starting to fabricate a casting platform on their kayaks for a better view. That might be in the works for me. Take care.
I have an inexpensive Kayak that is designed to stand up in and fish. I would love a Hobbie Mirage Pro Angler but the $4k price tag is not for me. I think my dream, within reason kayak, is a NuCanoe Pursuit but they are still $1600 +. Maybe one day on a used Pursuit - I found one locally for $1300 used but that is still too rich. I bought an Emotion Stealth Pro Angler. Check out the youtube video (not my video): Emotion Stealth Pro Angler
Here's another video: Facebook Happypaddlin Emotion Stealth Pro Angler
The Stealth Pro was only $599 and I found that to be a good price on a yak that list for $799. It is wide enough and has a tri-hull, so that I can stand up and cast. The other nice thing is that the seat is off of the floor. I always wanted a kayak, but there is no way that I can sit on the floor and watch a full length movie; I sure can't sit in the bottom of a normal kayak and fish for hours and hours. The seat in these fishing type kayaks give you just enough lift to let your legs break a little at the knees and are just more comfortable than the traditional kayak.
My normal procedure for carp fishing is to locate the fish. Either clooping (sucking at the surface of the water) or I spy them in shallow water. Like you, I cast in front of them, bring the fly into the "bite zone" (6" to 18" off of their nose) and watch the fish. I almost NEVER feel a bite, I always see the fish eat and then hook set with a file sharpened hook. I always say to "cross their eyes" which to me just means that the hook set is usually aggressive.
Like I said earlier, if I don't SEE fish, I don't even wet a line. It's not the only way to fish for carp, but I love the stalk and present method. It's as close as I will get to bonefishing in Wisconsin.
Get the right yak that you can stand up in, so you can see into the water better. By the way, if I leave my polarized glasses at home, I also don't fish. No vision, no fish.
Check out this video on the NuCanoe Pursuit, if my pockets were just a little deeper:
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I've been out about 4 or 5 times this year and only put the line in the water just a half doz times. I only fish when I see fish and I just haven't seen many fish this year in my normal spots. I bought a kayak this year and plan on chasing larger fish in new locations. I only hope to catch some fish like Rwar. I'm glad that you are finding the fish and that your pink SJ pattern did it for you. Congrats on a nice outing and a nice fish.
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Caught 4 commons the same day (last Thursday - just posting the story now). This one was one of the nicer fish.
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I had a client reschedule an apt so I had a small block of time available. I ran to the river with fly rod in tow. As I was checking out places where I had good experiences in the past I finally found a group of carp feeding on the surface and just below in a current break along a scum line. While I like to throw weighted flies in other situations, this time the presentation called for a very neutrally boyant fly. If it weighted too much it sank right past their feeding zone at too fast of a pace.
One the things that I have done more often is that if I find a pattern that I like but the fish don't react to the fly in any way, I change patterns much quicker than what I use to. These days if I put the fly in the "spot" where fish can see it and eat it and there is no response from several fish, I will do as little as three cast to a group and change flies. This was the case on this outting. First two flies were go to patterns without so much as a body shift or a positional change. Third pattern in 5 mins of fishing hit pay dirt. Nice common came to the net. Second fish was a respectable fish in size and was thinking NEW SCREEN SAVER, third fish was on an ant pattern dry fly by Kelly Gallop called an Ant Acid. Forth fish was the smallest of the day. Then it happened.
A new pod of carp, farther out on the edge. A longer double haul cast, two twitches and on the thrid twitch there was weight on the line. I knew that the fish was larger since the 7 wt wasn't moving it much. As she came closer I could see the very identifiable head shape and mouth of a BUFF! I didn't horse the fish in and took my time with the 8 pound Vanish I was running as tippet. Finally found my new screen saver for the day.
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When doing this look at John's screen shot closely. I was in my profile area trying to find how to get this done. It's in the custom section once in the forum. Thanks John for the tips. I was dissapointed that the threads of Old were gone. Glad that they are still here. Much appreciate your help and looking forward to posting again in a wonderful place with others of common interests. Thanks again for bringing this section back.
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That was good timing. I've been off of the board for a while and now have my old spot to hang around again. Are all of the old posts gone forever? There was a lot of good stuff in there.
Checking in and considering hitting a small stream with my fly rod tomorrow. Temps suppose to be in the upper 40s F and looking to present a nice simple leach pattern to my local small stream carp.
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Nice video, enjoyed it. Camera man did a good job. Wonderful capture.
Most painful part about watching this video was it reminded me that I lost my Broden Ghost Coho net last year. Still a painful memory since I loved that net. Will have to buy another one sometime.
Rick
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Great job Dave, glad to hear that you are still chasin' them.
I was recently thinking about "technique" and how it is very dependant on conditions and how you want to chase them. Glad that you have a new weapon in your arsenal.
Rick
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Glad that you guys had fun! Congrats on what looks to be a grand time had by all.
Rick
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Hi Lee. I have that happen often too. I have never been able to ID what they were eating but have had success casting a variety of flies in their path. It is a very hit and miss thing for me and some of the most frustrating fishing, so of course I love it. I would guess midges, but I don't have success with midges. Carp are opportunistic and if they are eating midges and a bigger morsel comes along, it doesn't seem to bother them.
My biggest success comes from stealth and not fly selection. Sometimes they will key in on a particular fly but if you see them, and they see you, they are going to be tough no matter what you do. I have had a tremdous day fishing for cloopers with foam spiders and even throwing some bigger wolff patterns. I find instead of matching the hatch, I do better being able to see exactly where my fly is and place it in their path. I really want it in the tea cup size target zone off of their nose.
A big note here, while I find cloopers a low probability catch and very frustrating, don't pass them by. Take your best shot and realize right from the get go that they will probably NOT bite. But guess what, sometimes they do.
Hey, I was fishng Friday with one of your patterns Lee for carp and look what got in the way.
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Steve I tell ya, I wished I would have taken this up years ago! I simply can't get enough of it... Heck I spend my lunch hour working on my cast ( and some flys ) I have tossed so much yarn I think when i start slingin' fly's I may end up chunkin' them a country mile
I just learned How to tie the Zebra Midge tonight. I almost have it down ( Minus the silver thread )
My Ultimate goal is to be 100% rough fish on my fly rods. I will still do trout and so forth but my goal is to land a trophy common on a fly! My buddie took me to a few places to show me where he catches carp on flys, and i tell ya I don't know if I will be able to pick up my pay lake gear this year!
BTW, here's the Zebra Midge I tied tonight...
Well Eric, you are in a world of hurt, but you just don't fully realize it yet. You do have lots of us other crazies right there with you though. Congrats on jumping into the deep end first.
I could give you all kinds of wonderful little links on fly tying and carp fishing on the fly and places that will be glad to take your money. My first comment is to go back to that place that took that money from you and get some casting lessons now, before the season gets hot. If you are not fighting your equipment, you will have fun and enjoy your time on the water. Get a good foundation and hit the ground running. Look forward to reading more of your adventures this year. Congrats again.
Rick
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I was out last Friday actually saw carp watching me. They actually came toward me out of curiousity. I thought that I heard one of them saying to the other one, "what is that crazy guy doing this time of year in Wisconsin fishing for us with a fly rod?", but I might have misunderstood him a little. I'm old and don't hear so good these days.
This guy was stupid enough to get hooked on Jan 29th, but the carp fishing is very tough right now.
Rick
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Small bump.
How would you use a fly that sinks? That's the one thing I don't understand.
Many people, when they think of fly fishing, think of dry fly fishing where the fly rests on top of the water and simulates a bug or seed or something else that floats. Dry fly fishing can be fantastic eye candy and so it is popular. There is much more to fly fishing than just dry fly fishing. It has been said many times that fish feed 85% or more sub surface compared to only 15% on the surface. Most on these boards fish more often subsurface. In can be done many ways. You can use materials that absorb water and then sink slowly; some add additional weight to the fly when it it tied, like lead of tungsten to make it sink; some add weight that is attached to the leader and not the fly. Many ways to make it sink.
Rick
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cool pics Lee. Will be interested in your next trip.
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Nice catches!
I recently began flyfishing for carp, as yet have used only Clouser Deep minnow pattern, as yet have caught no carp!
I'll try some other fly patterns in the next few weeks to see if I can change my results.
Thanks for the kind comments. If you want a nice deep dive into fly fishing for carp these two men say it better than I in these two audio programs that I have listened to many times:
http://www.askaboutflyfishing.com/speakers/brad/brad.cfm
http://www.askaboutflyfishing.com/speakers...ry-reynolds.cfm
Now go put a fly infront of the FEEDING end of a carp and watch him eat it, then set the hook.
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This little guy was landed on 9-16, my last day fishing recently. This work stuff keeps getting in the way of my life on the water. He wasn't a big fish by any means, but I just tell myself that a small carp is larger than ANY brook trout that I have ever caught.
This one was also caught in a park. I'm not what I would call a tall guy so when the weeds are over 6 tall and the bugs just get nasty in Wisconsin the mowed lawns in the parks are a welcome sight to me. Maybe I am getting lazy in my old age but I don't even have to put on waders / wading boots. Its the relaxing way to fish.
Rick
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Rick, you going to be able to fish the park again? I read about a lot of rain in Wisconsin.
I wish that I could just shift some of that rain Lee. The rain is in Western Wis where I trout fish and you are right many of the streams are blown out in the driftless area. The Wisconsin River, one of the main rivers in the state is flowing heavily right now. In S. Central Wis where I am, I think things are fairly normal and in Eastern Wis the flows are actually low right now and the river systems there are on the low side. Now if I could just borrow some rain from Western Wis to Eastern Wis, I could get one of my favorite carp species called Chinook, to start running more consistantly into the Lake Michigan tributaries. The big salmon are part of the "drug is the tug" for us guys that like the "big pull".
If I had salt close to me I am sure that I would be there, but until we get some salt in Wisconsin carp and salmon are cool.
Rick
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That is some TOUGH fishing, Rick.
Cool fly, though! I can't quite make it out...is that a glass bead near the hook eye?
Just a touch of black dubbing Dave. While I have been avoiding much flash in carp flies these days, that might actually have some black ice dub as a head.
Rick
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A couple more shots.
Fly fishing shows
in Carp on the Fly
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Thanks for the update Cannonball.