Dry flies for carp

[Cooter]

Can anyone suggest a couple patterns to try? A gravel pit near home has good numbers of carp, suckers, bigmouth buffalo, etc. The fish are obviously surface feeding, but I can't quite figure out what they are eating to 'match the hatch'.

[islander]

I have had good luck with deer hair flies. Last friday I cought about 30 carp. I had to quit because my arms were sore. thats fun fishing.

[Cooter]

Similar to say an elk hair caddis? I got some of those.

[island guy]

I was out on a local river with my canoe. Lots of carp schooling up on the surface, mouths open scimming the surface. I assume they were feeding.

A guy out there was casting a small floating fly with a bobber about 2 feet ahead, the bobber was just for weight to cast. He had a chunk of night crawler on the fly and was catching lots and having a ball.

Is the surface thing something they do all summer? Certain times of day?

Anyone else fish this way? Looked like a blast. I'm going to give it a try.

[Cooter]

Sounds like I'm gona have to do a little research, carp on the fly sounds like a blast. I've read a fair amount on wet flies for carp, but not much about dries.

[Roughfisher]

Carp will take a number of dry fly presentations. One of the easiest is the "Cottonwood Hatch". When the fluff from cottonwood trees starts to collect on the water, carp will suck the masses of waterlogged cottonwood seeds when it collects on current breaks and in the center of eddies. A fly made from nothing but a puff of white CDC feather is best, but you can often get them to take any light-colored dry fly, like an elkhair caddis or white wulff.

They also take mayflies during large emergences. The Hex mayfly, the Ephoron leukon (white fly), and many others hatch in both rivers and lakes. Carp will take the emergers, duns, and spinners during a heavy hatch. A lot of times you will see carp and smallmouth bass feeding together on the same hatch. Carp are not very selective and will usually fall for a light cahill or adams in #10-14 regardless of what is hatching, as long as you can put it in front of them.

I have also heard of them being taken on mulberry flies, when carp line up under mulberry trees to eat the mulberries as they drop into the water.

Carp that are taking food from the surface are called "cloopers" because of the sound they make: "cloop ... cloop ... cloop"

[Toad]

I'd second the White Wulff-- at least during the cottonwood "hatch."

Regardless of pattern, though, without absolute pinpoint casting accuracy, carp will often ignore your offering. That's why, in a pinch, I'll often rig and present a brace of flies, such as two small midge larvae. Double your chances of fish seeing and eating your offering.

Beyond the dries, I've really done quite well on a natural brown San Juan Worm, as well. Seems like carp accept this fly as food no matter where the water, which can be a problem with other patterns as you move from one water to the next.

-Toad

[Blue Kayak]

In mid November I saw carp on Lake Emily in Le Sueur County skimming the surface as described by Island Guy. In a kayak you can get within 10 feet of them. I used a small bobber wtih corn on a hair and caught a couple. However, the rukus put them under water after hooking (and losing) the third one.

I've seen some white, cornstarch packing peanuts that are biodegradable. If you Google "uline cornstarch peanuts" you'll see a picture of what I mean. I'm going to carry a bag of these in the kayak. Next time I see carp on the surface, I'll throw out a few handfulls and see if the carp are interested. The peanuts dissolve pretty quickly in water, I don't think they would stay on a hook (or hair rig) very long. But, you could probably use a stryofoam peanut, miniture marshmallow, or white dry fly to match the peanuts.

[onemore]

I'm going to target carp this spring. Any advice on tippets and leaders?

[Blue Kayak]

On the second page of the fly fishing section there are a couple of threads on targeting carp. One of the posters, Carpboy, has quite a bit of experience with carp on a fly rod. He recommends a 5 or 6 weight rod and 3X tippet for carp up to 20 pounds. If you check out this thread, you'll definitely want to try fly fishing for carp. You also should google "Dave Whitlock carp fly fishing" for an interesting article.

[onemore]

Thank You. I'll check it out.

[Cooter]

Here's another related question: Will other 'rough' fish take dry flies? I'm just curious(like George) cuz the gravel pit I bowfish for carp also has suckers, buffalo, and sheepshead.