Five Weight Wonders of the World

It is that time of year again.  The time when some local still water ponds have finally lost their lids.  The time when McTage goes chasing the 5 weight wonders of the world.

What these pond carp lack in size they make up for with stupidity.  But of course they aren't as stupid as they used to be.  At least the slightly bigger carp are slightly less stupider seeing as how the odds are very high I have caught just about every danged one of them at least once.  There is no doubt about it, over-educating your favorite pond is a real phenomenon.  It is noticeably harder to catch a carp in this pond than it was five years ago when I first stated harassing them.

Nevertheless, I can still go out this time of year and do some pretty respectable damage numbers wise in these local ponds.  Just not BIG damage.  Nothing big about it since the 7 carp I caught this weekend probably averaged 2 to 3 pounds.  Most fell to a very lightly weighted (no bead, small bead-chain) Trouser Worm.

The first carp this weekend was a clooper that was slurping on a scum film.  He couldn't see me and I couldn't see anything but his lips protruding through the sum so I could get really really close.  Close enough that I just dabbled an olive Primordial Carp-Stew about a quarter inch under the film where the carp could see it like a leach slow-swimming under the scum.  That carp just calmly back-fined back and a quarter second later laid down one of the hardest takes I can remember in a while on my suspended fly.  It was awesome and earned a itty bitty grip and grin!

The next 5 carp all fell to a lightly weighted Trouser Worm.  Trouser Worms can be really really effective for post ice-out carp and are my first choice in March.

Yes, I was wet wading.  I am so sick of waders.  I can't stand waders now.

The last one fell to a Montana Hybrid which is a peacock bodied soft-hackle with a worm tail.  It was the first cast to the first fish that I saw after tying it on, a really really good sign!

It wasn't just my first carp on one of John's Hybrids.  It wasn't just a carp caught on a swap fly which is a total bonus.  At 1lb 2 ounces was also my official personal best smallest carp and earned another itty bitty grip and grin!  It was so small and cute I had to crop myself out of the picture or you would miss the fish.

Carp Fly Fishing Guides - Montana

You are viewing Montana carp fly fishing guides. Return to the guide directory map to select a different state.

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Montana Fishing Outfitters

Location: Helena, MT

Website: Montana Fishing Outfitters carp page
Waters: Missouri River system
Other Species: Trout
About: "We have some amazing carp fisheries here in Montana, and we love to fish them.  Our carp fishery offers a unique and challenging opportunity that is as close to saltwater flats fishing as you can get. Tailing, selective and sensitive fish that average in the 10-15 pound range make for a fun and spirited angling adventure."

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Montana Troutfitters

Location: Bozeman, MT

Website: Montana Troutfitters.com carp page
Waters: Missouri River, tJefferson River, Canyon Ferry Reservoir, and a handful of other ponds / reservoirs.
Other Species:  Trout, Pike, Bass, and Walleye
About: "At Montana Troutfitters we believe Carp have been overlooked for years by the fly fishing crowds in favor of the more beautiful species out there. However, over the past two decades, we've been happily pursuing these golden beasts with fly rods around Montana and having a blast while doing it."

Carp Fly Fishing Guides - Minnesota

You are viewing Minnesota carp fly fishing guides. Return to the guide directory map to select a different state.

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iEscape Outdoors

Location: Minneapolis, MN

Website: http://www.iescapeoutdoors.com/
Other Species: Bass, pike, panfish and Musky
About: "You'll be catching ten pound fish less than a rod length away from you. Add their massive fight, running up and down the bank, and twisting around trees, you'll be lucky if you can last the whole day. Ready to get to work? "

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Roughfisher

Location: Detroit Lakes, MN

Website: roughfisher.com
Waters: Otter Tail river
Other Species: Buffalo, Redhorse, Goldeye and more!
About: "Roughfisher Fly Fishing specializes in the pursuit of roughfish on the fly. Guided trips typically take place downstream of Fergus Falls, MN. Enjoy the opportunity to sight fish to tailing carp, nymph to holding buffalo, or fish dry flies to rising goldeyes in the evening."

Carp Fly Fishing Guides - North Carolina

You are viewing the North Carolina carp fly fishing guides page.  Return to the guide directory map to select a different state.

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Carolina Bonefishing

Location: Charlotte, NC
Website:  carolinabonefishing.com
Waters:  Catawba River Chain Lakes
Other Species: Trout, Bass, Redfish
About: "My most well known and popular trip is a flats style excursion stalking the Carolina Bonefish from the bow of my Hells Bay Skiff. Experience multiple shots in gin clear water during an outing. Be aware fish are measured in pounds not inches."

Fly Swap Summary Page Complete

Not sure where you would go to find a more kick-butt summary of carp fly goodness than the now complete Fly-Carpin 2013 Fly Swap Summary Page.

Thanks to all the swappers for putting so much love into their submissions.  The quality and creativity of these flies was incredible.  

Thanks to CarpPro for the multi-faceted support.  Thanks to Orvis for the fly boxes.  Thanks to Trout's and INTHERIFFLE for stickers.  

I declare thee done.  Kaput!  Next up, the Fly-Carpin fly fishing for carp guide directory!

CarpPro Issue 2

CarpPro's second issue is out and includes a full layout on the fly-swap.  This article was a ton of extra work by Dan Frasier and it turned out great!  Seeing all the awesome flies in the article was fun, but for me personally what was really cool is that CarpPro went out and got a picture and short bio for everybody who participated in the article.  I really enjoyed learning a little more about so many of the participants!

http://issuu.com/carppro/docs/carppro_issue_2

For those in the swap who received a copy of Will Rice's Blue Monkey - Be sure and get to his section of the article (page 75) because he is offering a bounty on his fly with a mysterious reward.  How do you know if you got a Blue Monkey?  If you got one of Will's flies it will be in a separate baggie with a Trout's carp sticker.  Don't worry, you still got a Trout's sticker with or without the fly. 

The next logical question will be, can people who did NOT get a blue monkey in their swap package (or even participate in the swap altogether) get in on the bounty by tying up a Blue Monkey on their own?  I will have to find out.  Particularly since I did not get one myself!

The Carp Fly Fishing Twitter-Stank

Twitter is an enigma to me.  That in me which loves chaos (the slob) revels in the chaotic flow of information on Twitter.  Unfortunately that in me which demands order (the engineer) fears it to the point where I ultimately find using Twitter uncomfortable and confusing.

In order to start to meaningfully interact with the fly fishing for carp crowd on Twitter I need something that controls the chaos a little. Enter Twitter-Stank which will filter Twitter for carp fly fishing content. Hopefully it will help me (and fans of the blog) get past the information overload such that I can actually get to the carp on the fly stuff and enjoy Twitter a little.

To know what I am talking about look for the item that looks like the picture in this post called "Twitter-Stank" on the side-bar.  To start it will be using the following search setup, but if anybody has any hashtags or search terms feel free to drop me a line.  Or a Tweet!

"goldenghost" OR 

"carponthefly” OR 

"Fly Fishing For Carp” OR 

“Carp On The Fly” OR 

“flyfishingforcarp” OR 

“carp flies” OR 

“carpflies” OR 

“carp fly fishing” OR 

“fly fishing carp” OR 

“carp on flies” OR

 “carponflies” OR

 “carp fly fishing” OR 

“goldenbonefish” OR

 “fly for carp” OR

 “carp fly rod” OR

 “flies for carp” OR

 “carp on a fly” OR

 “flycarpin”  OR

 “carp” and “fly” and “fishing”