Carp Fever

Grass Carp or White Amur

Put aside for a moment, all  the nasty associations you have with carp.  Forget all the images of lawn-chair fisherman with bells hanging from rod tips, Y-shaped sticks stuck in the ground and homemade doughballs trailed by a shish-ka-bob of corn kernels.  Ignore the fact that carp are ugly dirty fish that have been deemed worthless as gamefish and even less desirable as table-fare.  Do all that just long enough and you might just get addicted to the thrill of catching carp on a fly rod.

There are 2 classes of fly fishermen.  There are purists, who regard fly fishing as something that was meant only for trout in moving water and who only fish with a dry fly.  Purists will consider fishing for any warm-water species strictly taboo, and might believe that fishing for carp with a fly rod just wasn’t meant to be.  Kind of like driving an E-class Benz down a rugged dirt road, you just don’t do stuff like that.  Then there are fly fishing enthusiasts.  The enthusiast will go after any species of fish with his fly rod and will rarely touch any other type of tackle except for his 9’ graphite casting sticks.  The latter classification of fisherman has a year round fishing season and does not have to stray far from home or spend much time behind the wheel tweaked out on caffeine.

If you’re a trout fisherman that is unfortunate enough to live in a metropolitan area like myself, then expanding your horizons to warm-water species is something to consider.  During the spring and fall, fly fishing purists and enthusiasts flock to either Lees Ferry for incredible tail-water fishing or the White Mountains, the undisputed mecca in Arizona for small stream and lake fishing.  But, during the doldrums of summer and the unbearable cold winters in those two areas, the purists are stuck home waiting several months for the next opportunity to join his ferrules together and wave his magic wand.

Fly fishing for warm-water species during these times will quench the thirst for many, but chasing a dark shadow in the water is an excitement that keeps you coming back for more.  We’ve all seen them.  They’re always around.  We’ve all made futile attempts to throw a fly in their face as they cruise by.  Some of us are fortunate enough to even catch a few of them.  There are a few good books out there that are dedicated solely to fly fishing for carp.  There are also several websites on the same subject.  European fly fishermen deem these giants as first class fish worthy of a lifelong commitment and pursuit.

Why carp?  Carp are available just about anywhere there is a warm body of water.  Carp don’t mind murky water, warm water, or dirty water.  Carp are huge!  Carp are challenging to entice with a fly.  Carp take extraordinary skill to land on a light to medium weight fly rod.  Carp are everywhere.  You don’t have to eat the darn things, but if you’re skillful enough to get one to take your fly, you live an experience few fly fishermen here in the States can brag about.

Just about every body of warm-water in Arizona holds carp.  Whether it’s a golf course pond, part of a large water-shed, an urban lake, or a city canal.………there are probably carp in the water.  I’ve seen them and so have most of you.  I’ve spent countless hours fishing for them unsuccessfully.  I then spent countless hours reading about how to catch them, followed by countless hours trying to apply my newfound knowledge.  Carp are as spooky as any bonefish cruising the flats and as selective as any small stream trout in a gin clear pool. 

The first part of the challenge is presenting a fly to one without making it scurry.  An unwanted false cast or a slap on the water usually results in a quick departure.  The second part of the challenge is getting the carp to gulp the fly.  If it doesn’t look, swim, or sit right, then “Foget about it!”,  as Tony Soprano would say.  The third part of the challenge only comes every once in awhile…..that’s landing the fish.  Brute strength and solid mass make this a challenge right from hook-up.  Let your line stretch and your reel sing to you before even attempting to retrieve any line.  Any attempts to stop the run will always result in a broken leader-to-tippet connection….always.  Big fish like this will go where they want to go.  Hang on and enjoy the ride.  Don’t expect any head-shaking acrobatics or smoke coming out of your reel, but be ready for the long and steady buzz of your drag working as the fish swims. 

There are flies out there that were designed just for carp.  There are also many trout and panfish flies out there that we can use for carp.  My best battles have been won with home made creations of spun deer hair on a 2x or 3x long #6 or #8 hook.  I tied it to imitate a piece of bread but have variations of it to imitate the algae they like so much.  Small green nymphs and black panfish poppers have worked well for some of my friends, but most fisherman make it a habit to stick to what works.  However, I have had many experiences with fussy carp that liked that fly last week and something completely different the next day.  There are few words to describe the thrill of sight casting, spotting a feeding cruiser, rushing to make a cast, and then watching it refuse your fly or inhale it.  Just the noise the carp makes after it takes your fly is enough to make you pee your pants.  Typically, after taking the fly, the warm-water giant will turn and smack the water with it’s tail, signaling that he’s on.

Take advantage of this urban trophy while you wait around for the leaves to turn golden-orange.  Keep a rod in your car and stop by the next body of water you pass on your way home from work and try it out for a few minutes.  If you’re lucky and skillful enough to get one to take your fly, chances are that you’ll go back for more.  If this still doesn’t intrigue you enough to fish for carp, then think of it this way…you get a chance to practice your casting and presentation skills for your next trout excursion!

Terry Chia

AZOD Fly Fishing Editor

FlyFishing@AZOD.com