On several occasions I literally walked by pods of 15 to 20 midge cloopers out of lack of faith and on another got refusal after refusal on a size 12 Adams which is all I really had available.
Now, if possible, I would like a little help from my readers. If you have the time, could you comment with a list of dry flies they have actually caught carp on? I will update this post with the full list from here and various forums / social media sites and over the winter I will try and put together an arsenal based on it.
I have had dynamite luck on Dry Cottonwood Seed patterns (for the few weeks when they are falling) otherwise hoppers are my go to dry with carp.
ReplyDeleteThanks man. Both are on the list for sure. Any details on the cottonwood seed you use? I have tried to tie up a couple of ideas and mine seem to sink.
DeleteMy buddy has done well with a deer hair pellet type fly. He has caught a couple grass crap feeding off the top with this pattern. It's similar to one someone gave out in your last fly swap.
ReplyDeleteGrassies seem in general to be a more upward looking sort. I will probably just go with small hoppers to cover both hoppers and deer hair pellet flies. They would seem to fill the same purpose to me.
DeleteI caught one on a damsel during a trico hatch on Montana's Missouri. A few fish followed, so I started a slow strip across the surface and it worked. Apparently I can't paste in "comments" so I'll email you a pic.
ReplyDeleteMan, loved the pictures - You gotta give me more details on that pattern. Very sexy. I included the picture you sent in the post - and yes, that is defenitely a swap worthy fly!
Deletehave caught grass carp on small Muddler Minnows fished dry, so another vote for small hoppers..
ReplyDeleteI carry cottonwood seed dries but have never seen carp eating the seeds, so this is still theoretical.
for midge cloopers you would have to match the size at least, so #12 won't cut it. I carry some Goddard suspending midges in #16 and parachute Adams with a foam wing post in #20, in case of emergencies, but have not been able to test yet..
Hmmm....muddlers. Very interesting. I like that allot. I will look up Goddard suspending midges. I have tied up some prototypes of various suspending midges, it is hard to get the correct buoyancy isn't it.
DeleteOh, and a vote vote the parachute Adams as well. My first dry fly carp let a PA drift right into his clooping mouth
ReplyDeleteI need me some of that feeling.
DeleteA simple griffiths gnat in a size #16 has taken more topwater carp for me than anything...
ReplyDeleteThat is brilliant. I have no idea how I didn't think of a Griffiths gnat! Simple, old-school and easy to tie. That is what I need.
DeleteI try and keep it really simple. Meat and potatoes brother. Hoppers when it presents itself and a cicada as an attractor dry. Messing with midges and other small flies just doesn't cut it. I usually don't have the patience for it and can never rely on that kind of pattern for consistency so I just bring a few foam bugs and get a handful of fish a year. Have fun with it!!
ReplyDeleteI like that thinking. I have been a little freaked out about the small flies anyways because I know for a fact that you break the hooks - frequently. I will probably still give it a shot but plan on an extensive selection of hopper and bigger foam flies.
Deletesuspender buzzer is my top carp dry, followed by a foam inchworm
ReplyDeleteI will look those up Martryn. I like foam inchworms - as you may be aware I like foam worms period!
DeleteIt's not often we find common carp surface feeding. But it's certainly a worthy endeavor to present them a floating fly. I've found clooping common carp to be very selective. When throwing a dry dropper at common cloopers they seemingly always take the nymph dropper. Now grass carp are a different story. They spend more time feeding on surface vegetation so If you find a grassie in a positive feeding mode -- you have a great chance to connect using a surface fly. I have the most luck with green hoppers for the grass carp. Good luck, Trevor!
ReplyDeleteNymph dropper! Now that is something new that I haven't heard. I presume that it is droppered just a couple of inches? That would make sense to me because the only cloopers I have caught is where I could dap a nymph an inch or two under the surface. When you can pull it off they kindof back-up, drop down and then destroy the fly. Will keep droppers in mind!
DeleteIn current winter, the surface feeding has gone. You need nymping hooks. Beadhead Lava is good for carp. In south korea some shop sell lava lure thst named "modukee"
ReplyDeleteIn korea carp fly anglers likes it. Small is 6mm bigger is about 10mm. Try to find it .
and we catch csrp on carpcorn fly on surface feeding condition. Carpcorn is top fly in korea.