How to Fly Fish for Carp

Fly fishing for carp is really fun and more exciting than fly fishing for a Brook Trout once you have a fish on. blast. Typically, you can catch a much larger Carp than a game fish, so the fight is well worth it fly fishing.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• fly fishing rod
• bread
• larger than normal fly hook
• plyers

1. First think about where you can go fly fishing for carp. The lakes are good, but remember smaller bodies of water can offer great opportunities for fly fishing for carp: ponds, creeks, or the local duck pond usually has some good sized carp you can go fly fishing for.

2. The fly fishing rod you use for carp can be what ever fly fishing rod you want. Think about catching a four or five pound carp or bigger will your fly fishing rod hold up or will it snap and tick you right off?

3. Leader for your fishing hook. I suggest tying on a strong leader, long enough to cut and retie several times while fishing. This will be a blessing if a big carp swallows the hook to far to retrieve while you are fishing, or if you just don't want to lay hands on that smelly slimy ole carp.

4. * Bread is the bait of choice for fly fishing for carp or any kind of fishing for carp.

5. Calm Water Carp Fly Fishing. If the water is calm when you go fishing you can take a whole or half piece of bread run the hook through it completely once or twice then feed it into the bread slice to "hide" the hook. Now get some slack in your line and toss the bread Frisbee style out on top of the water. Normally when fishing in calm water you can watch the ole carp attack that bread like Jaws then when he starts to swim off set the hook and get ready for him to run. Your fly fishing rod will undoubtedly bend nearly double.

6. Rough or Moving Water Carp Fly Fishing When fly fishing in moving water for carp take half or a whole piece of bread and remove the crust, because crust will not stick to its self, ball up the rest of the bread. You can lay the hook on the bread first and ball it around the hook if you want. The dough ball doesn't have to be round; I make mine cigar shape with the hook closer to one end and the leader running out the other because it stays on better and the carp can suck it in easier. Pull some slack in your fly fishing line and toss the bread by hand where you want it. Sit back and wait for the fly fishing fight of your life against a carp.

Tips & Warnings

• Pick a hook at least about the size of your finger tip in circumference. Remember carp have large, tough lips.
• Carp normally patrol an area. So you will get bites as they pass through then maybe nothing for ten or so minutes till the carp come back through.
• Warning: Your drag needs to be loose enough so that the carp 's first run doesn't snap your line. A medium sized carp can make a run like a whale so be ready the first time.

Resources

• Carp U.S.A.