Why Carp?
Common carp is arguably one of the fastest growing species to target in the fly-fishing community. While the popularity has soared out west, carp on the fly is still in its infancy in our region of the United States and I’m excited to introduce and educate fly anglers to the exciting challenge that is Carp On The Fly.
A fish that is widely distributed across the US , with the ability to adapt to various conditions, the common carp can be found in many lakes and rivers of our area.
Like cattle, these fish spend most their day grazing in shallow water. Despite the size of the average common carp, they are typically targeted with fly’s just slightly larger than your average trout fly.
Fly fishing for carp is sight fishing at its purest. It requires patience, stealth and accurate casting presentations to get these “Golden Bones” to eat. The reward? A hard fighting fish that will make several runs, put a substantial bend in your rod and often leave your forearm burning as you finally bring the fish to net.
Who is Carp on the fly for?
Fly fishing for carp not recommended for beginner fly angler. While shots at fish are often not taken at a great distance, accurate casting and proper presentations without spooking fish is a must.
Whether you’re an avid saltwater flats angler or have the trip of a life-time coming up to some international destination where you may only get one shot at the fish of your dreams, targeting carp on the fly close to home is a great opportunity to fill that void or get some pre-trip practice at a fraction of the cost.
A day chasing carp..
Rather than blind casting all day, we’ll spend our time stalking individual fish in shallow water out of my 16’ flat bottom aluminum boat. Similar to what you would experience fishing the flats of your favorite saltwater destination, the boat is equipped with an elevated casting platform at the bow and a poling platform at the stern. This setup allows for both stealthier approaches and better vision of the fish.
Some days we’ll have dozens of opportunities. Other days, weather and water conditions may only provide a handful of chances. Our goal is quality encounters—not simply numbers. A single wild carp landed on a fly rod is an accomplishment that many anglers remember for years.
While I cannot guarantee a landed carp on every trip (because carp be carp and anglers be anglers) I’m confident anglers will have multiple quality shots at fish. Im so confident that if an angler books a full day of carp fishing and does not have multiple quality shots at fish, I will happily re-book another date for no additional cost.