Carp fishing

[Ralph]

Anybody guide for carp on the fly around here? I need help. My goal for this season is to figure those babies out. I love sticking them, but can't do it with any consistency.

~Ralph

[Hogan Brown]

Ralph I guide and fish for carp around chico (lower sac back water and various lakes and reservoirs) quit a bit and would be happy to help you get dialed in on them. That said they are not easy. they are by far one of the hardest fish I have ever fished for - permit, bones included - and every body of waters carp are very unique in how and when to target them. Mandatory reading is carp on the fly by Barry Reynolds, Brad Befus, and John Berryman. anyhow shoot me and email or check out my website for more info

hoganbrown@hotmail.com
www.hgbflyfishing.com

[Dan LeCount]

Dave Stanley and Andy Burk have both had the carp bug for quite a while. Those 2 and a few of the Reno shop guys fished the river, surrounding lakes, irrigation ditches, etc, hard for em and caught quite a few dandies, especially Dave and some other guys the last few summers. Im sure you have his number, if not let me know and I can get it for ya. I dont know if Andy still fishes them, but he had a period about 7-8 years ago where he was off the deep end, reading hundreds of euro mags/articles/books about them. He even got into C&R carp bait fishing with hand made boilies(doughballs basically) he cooked at home with all sorts of weird extracts. It was pretty entertaining.

edit - that book that Hogan linked really is a good read if you want to get into these guys.

[Jay Murakoshi]

Hey Ralph,

I fish carp at least 5 days a week this time of year. I have a bunch of waters around my house where I fish. I've been fishing carp for over 20 years way before it became famous.
Even to this day, I know at lot of people who turn there noses up to carp
It's a tough fish to catch, a hard fighter when hooked and for a fresh water fish it can get big.
My biggest last year was around 26lbs on a 7 wt. I prefer walking the shorelines when stalking carp. They are definitely sensitive to noise. When I get home, I hope to start my new video on carp fishing

This year, they are fluctuating the waters so much for the oncoming snow melt, I think they are screwed up. I have seen a few in the grassy shallows but not many. Actually, this was a couple weeks ago, I'm now in Baja getting ready to chase big roosters and dorado. I have a couple friends who will be keeping me updated on the carp fishing at home.

Jay

[Ralph]

Hogan-
That is EXACTLY my experience. Just like permit, you can do everything "right" and they roll their eyes, but the very next cast, three fish will race each other to the fly. I get them often enough to keep me coming for more, but just when I start to think I know what I'm doing, they teach me otherwise. Over all I don't feel like I've had ten years experience, but one year's experience every year for ten years.
Time to get off the plateau - I'll send you a PM and book a date.

[jbird]

Ill be living in wisconsin starting this summer. Im pretty excited about the carp fishing they have along the shores of lake michigan. fishing crystal clear limestone flats for big carp actively feeding on bugs and crawdads.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGNOn6K9LkA

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Hi Ralph

This is exciting because we have heard and read about it for years now.


Another Carp guy is our Umpqua Rep Darin Elmore in Reno. He has offered to take some of our staff out this year.


Another Sacramento Carp guy is Wayne Chubb who is a member of the CFFU in town. He is hosting a CFFU fly club outing on a Saturday, April 30, 2011, on Folsom Lake for Carp on a fly:

http://www.cffu.org/CFFU/FolsomApr11.html

[Ralph]

Dan-
Those Euro rough fish tourney guys are probably the best finesse anglers on earth. I've fished with a few and their dedication to detail is amazing (bordering on mind-numbing).
Don't make fun of Andy's bollies! Wheaties, anise seeds, molasses, peanut butter and some loose cotton fibers all rolled up make a great bait for foothill carp, but at Stillwater, they want white bread dough (I think it is Mike Sevon who insists his bread get moldy before carping on the Lower Truckee). For being the same fish, they definitely seem to have distinct tastes and traits. The one thing they ALL seem to have a weakness for are floating cottonwood seeds. Casting dries to these guys is about as much fun as you can have.
JM-
Put me first on your list for your carp vid. It should be a great seller.

[Jay Murakoshi]

My go to flies are san juan worm- red rubber band, dough ball - made from egg yarn and soaked in Scotch Guard, let dry for a few days and a rusty colored wooly bugger. I also have cotton seed flies, mulberry seed and corn fly

No carp in baja, none that I can find

Jay

[ptychocheilus]

Casting dries to these guys is about as much fun as you can have.


hey R.,

Wish your trip east hadn't fallen through. Early this summer cicada Brood XIX is due to emerge around here, which means some ridiculous topwater carpin' (and every other fish around). Not trying to rub salt in an open wound, just sayin'...

cheers,
Dave

[Ralph]

Salted right to the bone. Ouch! Watch out for them tornados Dave. Karma brother, karma.

I think your horoscope says you'll be back in SF in a very dark, very small room somewhere in the bowels of the Academy reeking of formaldehyde and sorting dead fish during the cicada hatch.

[Dan LeCount]

Hi Ralph

This is exciting because we have heard and read about it for years now.


Another Carp guy is our Umpqua Rep Darin Elmore in Reno. He has offered to take some of our staff out this year.


Another Sacramento Carp guy is Wayne Chubb who is a member of the CFFU in town. He is hosting a CFFU fly club outing on a Saturday, April 30, 2011, on Folsom Lake for Carp on a fly:

http://www.cffu.org/CFFU/FolsomApr11.html

yeah, Darin can catch some carp. Him and Mario Walther, a guy who used to work our Reno Shop were the "other guys" I was referring to in my first post. Mario got a submarine on the river last year that was 15-20lbs, was pretty awesome.