# Carp trouble



## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

Ok guys, I've been trying to get a carp on the fly for a while now, with no luck. I have a spot with plenty of carp and I see them working all the time, however they tend to be a bit skittish. I'm usually throwing some type of clouser, woolybugger, or a crayfish pattern, but never get them to take it. Do you guys have any tips for me?


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## meathelmet (Aug 4, 2008)

A ghillie suit and slowwwwly sneak up to them and drop a fly perfectly in front (1 inch) of them.


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## toobnoob (Jun 1, 2010)

I have a lot of luck on smaller backstabers, buggers and stonefly nymphs size 10-12. Black, olive and brownish/rust have been the best colors.

I primarily fish rivers and creeks and not much still water.

As mentioned already, sneak up on them. You probably don't need a ghillie suit (sometimes it seems like you do!! ) but you do have to think about trying to hide your profile and not wearing colors that stand out. Not making noise or vibrations either. Carp in some areas can be super spooky and if you can see them, they can see you. Long leaders in the 10-12ft range are ideal but they are a pain in the butt when you're in tight spaces too.

Happy hunting!


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## CarpRule (Jun 18, 2013)

Fake bread or Cottonwood seed.

I have used the gorilla body foam from Cabella's tie a number 6 hook on. And let it float down to them.



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## CarpRule (Jun 18, 2013)

They are hittting too Stonefly and cranefly 

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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

Backstabbers are a great fly choice. Is the water clean or dirty where you are fishing? I fish a lot of still water that has low visibility, and sometimes you about have to knock them in the lips with the fly to get them to take. I primarily kayak fish for them and can get very close in it, closer than you would expect. If the water is dingy, try an all black fly, whatever pattern you choose. I catch 90% of my carp on black patterns, it shows up well in dirty water and the fish seem to see it easily. In cleaner water I go with oranges, browns, and olives. If the fish are actively feeding (rooting, tailing, mudding) they can be had. Keep at them!


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## jhammer (Jun 13, 2011)

In my opinion, a black woolly bugger can be hard to beat. I tie mine with dumbbell eyes and a pair of crazy legs added. I usually toss the fly within two feet of their noses. If they don't come over and vacuum it up when it lands, let it settle on the bottom and give it a twitch. It'll create a little "poof" of mud/silt on the bottom and for some reason, many carp cannot resist it. 

The carp that are slowly cruising by can be caught, but the easiest ones to get are the ones that have their backs out of the water and "rooting" in the mud. 

No carp is the same when they take either. I've had some that nail a fly harder than a smallie and I've had some that barely create any movement on the line. Some I only knew by actually seeing the fly being sucked up. 

They all have personalities to them as well. (For a fish anyway.) I've had ones that bolted as soon as the fly hit the water, (Even with a perfect Joan Wulff/Lefty Kreh cast/delivery) and some I've actually smacked right on the head repeatedly and stayed.


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## jhammer (Jun 13, 2011)

I 100% agree with Cream. Black is your best bet. Most of my carp have been caught on black flies. Rust brown and orange work great too. Surprisingly, I have only caught a couple carp on olive flies. Another simple and awesome carp fly is called a DDH Leech. It was designed by a gentleman named Stu who fly fishes the Red River for giant Channel Cats and Carp. I've talked to him a few times too. I tie mine with a Crawdad Orange rabbit fur tail and orange ice dub for the body.


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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

The water is usually a bit more on the dingy side, but still has some clarity to it. I've been trying olive/brown crawfish patterns, but will try a black woolybugger if I get a chance tonight. Do I need any kind of strike indicators, or will I do fine without one?


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

Jmsteele187 said:


> The water is usually a bit more on the dingy side, but still has some clarity to it. I've been trying olive/brown crawfish patterns, but will try a black woolybugger if I get a chance tonight. Do I need any kind of strike indicators, or will I do fine without one?
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


You'll get the "elitist" carp fishermen (is that an oxymoron?) that swear you don't need strike indicators and think you shouldn't ever use them. I don't agree with that, I use them when I can get away with it. In clean/clear water you may spook fish with them and have to avoid them, but usually in dirty water I can use them with no problems. The way I personally look at it, it's so hard to get these things to eat that there's no point in taking the chance that you can't detect the eat. Some carp strikes are easy to read without an indicator, it's true. I've had just as many that were incredibly subtle even WITH an indicator. If you're content with doing it the "hard way" and not detecting as many strikes as you could with an indicator, knock yourself out. Carp fishing is plenty hard enough _with_ them, so I will continue to use them when I can.


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## Jmsteele187 (Dec 22, 2011)

For now I'll stick with NOT using them, only because I'm a ways away from anyplace I could buy them. Ever since they changed over our gander mountain to a gun super center, I have no place very close to get fly supplies without a 20 min drive. If I find myself missing fish, I might have to bite the bullet and take a drive for some indicators. 


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## imalt (Apr 17, 2008)

You could just tie a piece of yarn for a strike indicator. Really there is all kinds of things that would work that you probably have laying around the house.


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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

In Kirk Deeter's book he even talks about a dry-dropper for carp, which is obviously using the dry as an indicator/possible fish catcher. So far, I have never seen common carp rising to the surface for anything other than an artificial hatch, but I know it happens. I'm planning to have a box full of cicada patterns for the 2016 summer that I hope to be an epic carp-on-the-fly period.

By the way, by "artificial hatch" I mean tossing out food to them and getting them to rise to it. It can be done with bread, dog food, even Cheetos.


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## CarpRule (Jun 18, 2013)

I love using mini marshmallows

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## jhammer (Jun 13, 2011)

TheCream said:


> You'll get the "elitist" carp fishermen (is that an oxymoron?) that swear you don't need strike indicators and think you shouldn't ever use them. I don't agree with that, I use them when I can get away with it. In clean/clear water you may spook fish with them and have to avoid them, but usually in dirty water I can use them with no problems. The way I personally look at it, it's so hard to get these things to eat that there's no point in taking the chance that you can't detect the eat. Some carp strikes are easy to read without an indicator, it's true. I've had just as many that were incredibly subtle even WITH an indicator. If you're content with doing it the "hard way" and not detecting as many strikes as you could with an indicator, knock yourself out. Carp fishing is plenty hard enough _with_ them, so I will continue to use them when I can.


I would have to agree again Cream. I have used them before and with some strikes, I wish I had used one. My opinion, they have their places and it certainly cannot hurt to use one.


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## sbreech (Jun 6, 2010)

Carp love Cheetos. If I remember correctly, there is actually a Cheeto "Fly" pattern out there somewhere, as well as a corn kernel "fly."


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## CarpRule (Jun 18, 2013)

Corn pops too

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## TheCream (Mar 19, 2009)

sbreech said:


> Carp love Cheetos. If I remember correctly, there is actually a Cheeto "Fly" pattern out there somewhere, as well as a corn kernel "fly."


As far as I know, I invented the Cheeto fly. 

And yes, it works if there's an ongoing Cheeto hatch.


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