Flies for Carp

I have to admit that I'm always a little surprised and disappointed that so many fly fishers are dismissive of carp. Most of their disdain is rooted in ignorance. For example, the most common misconception I come across is that you can only catch carp on stinkbait. For the record, stinkbait is for catfish--carp won't touch it. Misconception No. 2 is that doughballs are the only way to catch carp.

The fact of the matter is that carp spend most of their time eating the same things trout and bass eat: Nymphs, crayfish, aquatic and terrestrial insects. They'll also eat berries and seeds when they can get them. So most fly fishers already have the right patterns with which to catch carp.

Fly size is another matter. Carp are extremely strong fish, and they're not stupid. They won't eat a fly that's ridiculously oversized, but it's pretty unlikely that you'll be able to land even a 20-pound carp on a size 14 nymph--the hook will probably straighten before you can land the fish. My own preferences run to nymphs and crayfish imitations in sizes 8 through 12. These are small enough that they don't make the carp too suspicious, but have enough iron in the hook so that you can put some real pressure on the fish without straightening the hook.

The following are just a few of the patterns I use for carp. But more important than fly selection is presentation. Carp are extremely skittish and seem to live by the philosophy of scoot first and ask questions later.

Fishy's Baby Crayfish


Hook: Mustad 9671 wetfly/nymph, size 8.
Thread: Black or dark brown 6/0.
Weight: No. 30 lead wire tied to either side of the hook shank and secured with a few drops of superglue.
Antennae: Any long, coarse, dark brown hair.
Mouth: Fine, dark brown deer tail and orange hackle.
Claws: Any soft, cream-colored wool or wool-like fur. Dyed sheep, raccoon, coyote, or arctic fox all work well. (Remove the guard hairs before tying in the claws.)
Legs: Brown grizzly saddle.
Claw tips color: Any reddish brown waterproof marker.

Carp love this fly. It's one of the only patterns I've found that will make a carp move a foot out of its way. Plop this down in front of a tailing fish, then drag it slowly along the bottom. When the line stops, tighten up and hold on!


Kim's Horsefly


Hook: Dai Riki 074, size 8.
Thread: Black 8/0.
Eyes: Small bead chain.
Tail: A bit of fluff from the base of a black saddle hackle.
Body: Black chenille or dubbing.
Hackle: Small black saddle hackle palmered up the hook and tied off behind the eyes.

This pattern began life as the answer to a different problem: catching big bluegills that were hanging around the first drop-off. It later proved to be an excellent carp pattern. Since it was my wife Kim who dubbed it the Horsefly, I've appended her name to the pattern.

Use the smallest bead chain you can get for the eyes when you tie this for carp. It doesn't have to sink like a depth charge, and you want it land with as little disturbance as possible. Once it's in the water, the eyes will make it land on the bottom hook-point up. Crawl it along the bottom right in front of a tailing carp. (Incidentally, this is also an excellent pattern for largemouths in cold water. In early spring, I like to bounce it down a steep bank on a tight line. Bass that are too lethargic to eat a streamer apparently find this to be a fine snack.)


San Juan Worm


Hook: Wet fly hook, sizes 8 through 12.
Thread: Black 8/0.
Body: Brown, beige, or black Vernille, toasted at the tips with a match.

A deadly and incredibly simple pattern, the San Juan Worm imitates that ubiquitous fish food, the aquatic worm. You can work this for tailing fish, or drift it down to fish that are sunning themselves at or just below the surface.


Generic Nymph


I'm not going to bother providing a recipe for this fly because it doesn't really matter. Just about any conventional (or even unconventional) nymph pattern will work just fine for carp. I've caught them on stonefly nymphs, Bitch Creeks, Montanas, and Hare's Ears. What's really important is presentation: Accurate casts with light deliveries, and extremely slow bottom-crawling retrieves.