Carp have often been frowned upon as trash fish even though for fly-fishers the most popular method of targeting them is sight fishing. Sight fishing is one of those buzz word terms that has many a tongue wagging in fishing anticipation and excitement. Fly fisher folk around the world talk endlessly about the fish that they sight fished and what a wonderful catch it was. Then there are carp that make most trout look diminutive in size and in our warm climate they have stamina way beyond a trout. They occur probably in the widest distribution range of any freshwater fish in South Africa. The cost of targeting them is often a fraction of what you would spend targeting trout and paying for accommodation at a trout stocked trout dam. All positive reason to target them?
I have been fishing for them for more than 20 years and have caught several 1000s of them and they remain one of my favourite target species. Even though you may be frowned upon by many a fly fisher at the mere mention of them. And not to be mentioned in the company of certain fly fisher folk. This said more and more people are looking to target them, albeit in secret.
Many of our dams have seen a rise in water levels these past few weeks and this gives the carp, and this gives them the opportunity to move into the gassy margins. They become so busy feeding that they will often be oblivious of your approach or at least a lot less spooky. Carp have keen eyesight and you will have to check your approach and apparel to go unnoticed most days. So, this is really a good time to venture out.
I always joke and say that you will need a degree in carp phycology to target these fish. They can be as moody as hell. Some days you won’t get close to them, some days you can wiggle the juiciest fly in front of their eyeballs only to be refused, time and time again. There will be days where a 100 % presentation won’t garner a single look and others where every well-placed fly will be scoffed down with gusto.
It’s very important that you understand that a tilt of a body, a pursing of the lips, literally any other body movement can indicate a take as the carp sucks in your fly. They are not predatory, so they suck in and blow out again as they feed, not closing their mouth. So, a swift and very firm strike is the call of the day. A good indication of whether you have timed your strike well or not is that it will find the hook situated in the middle of the top lip.
For the most part I used two methods for targeting them. The first is dipping. Where you stalk the fish within rods length of the fish and carefully and quietly drop the fly within 5 cm of their mouth. If placed correctly they should suck it in virtually immediately. Probably faster than you can see it move. For this I would often use a 10 ft rod or longer and a strong leader. I would use a carp devil or carp tugger for this method. If the water is dirty then I would fish a carp fritz above it in bright green or black and red. Allow for the fish to have a choice of more than one colour fly, as they can be very colour specify on the day. Fish two flies, the heavy one at the bottom also allows the weighted fly to anchor the leader allowing for more deliberate and accurate placing of the fly to the fish. Accuracy is everything when it comes to targeting carp.
Second method would be drag drop. So again, we can use the same flies and if the water is very dirty and you can’t even see the carp’s mouth, I would fish a carp tugger or carp devil with two fritz patterns above. With a good spread of flies there is a better chance of placing at least one fly close to the carp’s mouth. The idea here is that maybe you can’t get as close to the fish as you want to when you drop the fly in front of it at rods length away or they spook at the sound of the fly. So, you cast the flies away from the fish and the drag them onto the fish’s mouth with good accuracy helped by the weighted fly at the bottom of your rig. As you get your flies close to the fish you just drop the wrist, and the flies will stop and hopefully be in position to be snacked
I also guide for carp both on the Vaal River and other dams when conditions are suitable.
This is how you tie the Carp Devil.
Materials required.
Size #8 grip 14731 extra heavy wire hook.
Large bead chain eye.
Large kelly green ice chenille.
Red micro chenille.
140 UTC cotton.
Step 1
Put hook in vice. Dress hook with cotton and tie a small section of micro chenille pointing out the back of the hook. Split into two pieces weather side of the hook to split it.
Step 2
Tie your large bead chain in just behind the hook and tie in you ice chenille at the back of the hook. Tungsten beads can also be made into a dumbbell if you need more weight.
Step 3
Tie in a V section of micro chenille just in behind the beads chain and split them with thread to separate them.
Step 4
Wrap chenille forward to the bead chain and tie off. Palmer the chenille lightly as you go. Don't over dress the shank of the hook.
Step 5
Burn ends of micro chenille to create a tapered finish. This fly can be tied in many colour variations and weight to suit fishing conditions.
The fly with an alternative colour.
An average size carp that you can expect.
And another.
