Carp on the Chagrin

[toobnoob]

I was fishing my usual smallmouth holes on the Chagrin this weekend and not doing all that hot. A few fish around 12 or 13" and a few rock bass but the big boys just didn't want to play. This area is classic smallmouth habitat, very rocky runs and a few deeper holes.

Every time I fish this stretch I see a few carp cruising round in the rocky runs eating........something......... I alway make a few casts to them when I see them but they never give a second look at anything I present. I have a laundry list of thing they're not eating.

I've been reading what other fly guys are getting them on and mentioned were glow bugs (egg pattern) and larger buggy nymphs. I tie on a yellow unweighted egg pattern and try dead drifting that to the few I see at the bottom of this shallow run. No interest at all from the carp but had a 13" smallie blast it. ok that's a first for me.

I see a few on the shallow edges rooting in the rocks and figure they have to be eating bugs or small crayfish. I've tried buggers and helgramites on these guys before and nothing. The only thing in the box I've not tried....a #8 big, ugly and poorly tied stone fly that I've never had a fish even think about taking. What the heck. I drop the first cast about a foot in front of a cruiser and he smashes it before it even hits the bottom. Fun fight with a 6wt and a 5lb tippet and after 5 minutes of back and forth I get this beauty, just under 25".

One of the most rewarding fish I've caught in long time and it's too bad I didn't have time to see if it was a fluke or my ridiculous stone fly pattern is the ticket. Maybe another day.

[fishon]

Nice job... "most lures and flies catch the fishermen, not the fish"...

[Guitar Man]

is this the guy from Backpackers ??? I feel like i heard this story when I stopped in yesterday to look around . If so, this is Justin; I was the one who asked about the toothy critter lead and good flies for pike/walleye >

[toobnoob]

Originally Posted by fishon

Nice job... "most lures and flies catch the fishermen, not the fish"...

That statement is so very true. I firmly believe that profile, size, color and presentation are what catch fish. I keep my ties simple, they catch fish and I'm happy with that.

Originally Posted by Guitar Man

is this the guy from Backpackers ??? I feel like i heard this story when I stopped in yesterday to look around . If so, this is Justin; I was the one who asked about the toothy critter lead and good flies for pike/walleye >

Not me but I have ran into a couple other guys that have been targeting carp in that area.

[fishinnick]

Nice. I hit a river today for bass and carp. The bass were hitting buggers alright, then I went on to a section where I sight fish for carp and tied on a sucker spawn and nothing. They usually produce, but they didn't want any today. Did hook one on a size 3 crayfish fly though. Most of the ones I spotted though weren't doing anything, and the one I hooked was actively feeding on something and actually swam a foot to eat my fly.

[toobnoob]

Originally Posted by fishinnick

Nice. I hit a river today for bass and carp. The bass were hitting buggers alright, then I went on to a section where I sight fish for carp and tied on a sucker spawn and nothing. They usually produce, but they didn't want any today. Did hook one on a size 3 crayfish fly though. Most of the ones I spotted though weren't doing anything, and the one I hooked was actively feeding on something and actually swam a foot to eat my fly.

Nice! Hopefully if the storms hold off I'll get another shot after work toady.

I've only had luck targeting the carp that are rooting in the gravel, those seem to be looking for bugs and crayfish. The ones that hang in the current like they think they're trout i have no idea what they are doing. I've tried everything and they just just ignore it. Not hungry i guess......

[fishinnick]

I've only had luck targeting the carp that are rooting in the gravel, those seem to be looking for bugs and crayfish. The ones that hang in the current like they think they're trout i have no idea what they are doing. I've tried everything and they just just ignore it. Not hungry i guess......

Exactly! That's what I experience too. I found if they look like they are digging up stuff in shallow rocky riffles they will actually chase a fly a short distance that looks like a crayfish sometimes. The ones I see in the softer bottom areas seem to like the egg flies more it seems, but have still caught some on other stuff. They are still very very picky fish and hard to catch.

[toobnoob]

Well apparently my abomination of a stonefly is no fluke. I hit the river real quick after work and found a few carp but not as many as usual. Found a large one in the riffles below a deep pool hanging in the current. It was a very tough cast to get it into his feeding lane. About the 6th cast I put it about a foot to his right and a much smaller one that I didn’t see charged up and nailed it. I strip set and he bolted up the riffles and into the deep hole. A little over 21” but plenty of fight in him.

On my way out I found another larger fish rooting in the shallows and after a few casts he sucked the fly right off the bottom. I set the hook and he exploded into the channel. There was just no way to stop him on that first run and he pulled my leader across a rocky ledge and busted me off. So now I’m out my stonefly prototype and need to try and remember how I tied it.

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