Carp on the fly was awesome!

[Ctrl_Alt_Dlt]

Posted this in the CARP section too, but decided to post it here as well since I was fly fishing.

Who wants fun carp action? Go to the river that runs by the Mermaid in Mounds View off HW10 and HW35W. Went there this past friday. Finally had the opportunity to fly fish for carp. Successfully pulled in 4, but lost many more due to small trout hooks that would straighten out. Carps were hitting weighted san juan worm. Just tied some more worms with better hooks now. Buffalo are hitting too. Planning to smoke the ones in the picture.

To avoid the rush, go on a weekday during the day.

My buddy just told me that he went again on Sunday and saw a bunch of people with stringers of 5+ carps each. He caught and released 5.

Best action I have had in many years. I cannot wait to catch more this year.

So glad I finally made use of my 9 wt.

[Slabasaurus]

Nice to see they're active. I try to avoid that spot, it gets pretty crowded over there as you alluded.

Hopefully I can manage to get out to some of my spots and catch a few before the spawn picks up. Some of yours look like they're gettin ready.

[Ctrl_Alt_Dlt]

Slab---I don't blame you. I was desperate for some action, especially on the fly. Need to scope out more carp areas.

[Ufatz]

Smoked carp is a real delicacy and very popular in Europe. It is just starting to catch on here. Glad to see new flyfishers discovering how much fun those big mouthed beasts can be. A small bunch of us old time fly fishin; guys started fishing for them with DRY flies more than 20 years ago. What a hoot!

Treat them with respect: if you are not going to eat them use normal catch and release practices. Barbless hooks make it way easier to get your fly out of that rubbery mouth!

Have fun.

[Ctrl_Alt_Dlt]

UFatz--- would love to catch them on the dry fly. What dry fly worked best for you?

[Ufatz]

Oh, it doesn't seem to matter, but you have to find them in the mood and that is not always easy. Ya gotta tease 'em. Last time I think I used a large Royal Wulff or maybe a big Sofa Pillow-something like that. Maybe a big Humpy. Anything that is bushy.

First find the carp and then tease them into getting the fly. Not always easy and that was the challenge. It was fun for a bunch of old time fly fishin' guys-names you might know. Or maybe not! Ha Ha Ha.

Have fun.

[Ctrl_Alt_Dlt]

UFatz---that sounds awesome. Going to try for some this summer for sure.

[OnAFly]

You'll have to go for a place with clearish water. I wonder if they'd go for a hopper in the summer...that would be fun.

[Ufatz]

I am sure that under the right conditions they would eat a hopper pattern. Be aware that this is not super hot fishing at all times. I cannot remember how this little private "tournament" started but most of the guys were old school who had caught thousands and thousands of fish, both salt and fresh water, and had come to the point in life where it was not so much catching a fish as just being on the water, or watching somebody else learn to catch fish. So they cooked up this idea. There has to be a good population of carp, nice calm waters and the ability to see the fish: instead of sight casting to a tarpon you are casting to a rubber mouth and trying to tease it into slowly rising up and slurping your fly. And HANG ON....those babies are strong! Ha Ha Ha....like a big redfish!

And who cares if you land 'em anyway!

[Ctrl_Alt_Dlt]

I just spent the past 3 hrs looking at royal wulff, humpy, and other thicker bulky flies. Very productive day. Wish I had a portable tying kit at work.

[OnAFly]

Oh, trust me, I know how frustrating carp fishing can be.

[River Rat (dan)]

Grew up on that Rice Creek .I always looked forward to the spring carp run.. You can reach arms alongside bank and pull them out from behind the grass by hand. Spent 100's of hours fishing carp there as a teen.

[Ctrl_Alt_Dlt]

River Rat (Dan): Memories like that will be forever cherished.

[MN BassFisher]

Well done! I went there once a few years ago. It was slammed, the water level was lower, and the carp were pretty on edge at that point. I would love to hook into a few on the fly or any of the other roughfish in that stretch!

[Ctrl_Alt_Dlt]

MNbassfisher---they sure are fun. So fun, that I just went again and pulled up a few more. Here are two:

Both caught on a weighted san juan worm:

Saw so many jumping and surfacing.

[Comit 2]

Carp will take dry flies that look like Cottonwood seeds. As always match the hatch.

[Ufatz]

By golly I'm mulling over a new fly pattern right now. Something I'll call Cotton Candy.....

Or Carpin' Candy.