Carp Fly Fishing

Sport angling for carp is steadily gaining momentum in the United States and some of this is due to the appeal of fly fishing for carp. Two adjectives that describe carp are smart and feisty; if they are hooked on the end of your line you’ll know it and they will fight you. It is because of the fight in the fish that they have gained popularity among sport fishermen. But to fish for carp, you will need special carp fishing gear.

The key component to fly fishing of any sort are of course the flies used. Many of the carp flies sold are hand made by professional anglers passing down a pattern that’s been used successfully by them. The ideal size for a fly is dependent on a variety of water conditions. Many carp anglers like a size 8 fly. Others insist that with proper presentation of the fly (how it rests on the water, etc) that smaller sizes like a 12, 14, or 16 will work better. Fortunately some flies of a particular pattern can be bought in two or more different sizes.

The fishing line recommended for fly fishing carp generally comes in 100 foot lengths. Lines will vary in weight from 1 wt. to 15 wt, from lightest to heaviest. As you will need to vary the flies due to water conditions or fish behavior, so too you will need to vary the line weight and match that to particular conditions or fish behaviors. Read up or learn up by standing side by side with an experience fly fisherman or experiment yourself with different flies or line weights.

Other aspects which affect fly presentation include line taper and line density. The lines are weighted either to sink or float on top of the water, and tapers are used to help determine the success of the cast.

Seasoned fly fishermen will recommend a six weight fly rod to catch most carp, though larger species of carp will demand an eight weight fly rod. Among the Great Lakes along the Canadian border carp can reach an impressive weight of nearly 40 pounds. Bearing in mind that even a 10 pound carp can put a fly fisher back in his stance and fighting, reeling in a carp of any size is challenging. Carp will make long, powerful runs of fifty yards or more in making a bid for their freedom.

One last advantage of fly fishing for carp is that they are prevalent enough to be found easily (found in every state but Alaska) but smart enough and strong enough to give a fight to even the most experienced angler. So get yourself some quality carp fly fishing gear and enjoy the fight!

Carp Fishing Rods

More on Carp Fishing Rods

Carp fishing in the world of anglers has been common place in Europe since the 1940s and since then carp anglers have been modifying and creating ever newer and better carp fishing rods to help them enjoy this recreational sport.

Carp fishing rods are designed according to specific environments or scenarios where you might find yourself reeling in a carp. Finding the right rod depends on what you intend to catch, how much sport you want to have while playing with your catch and possibly what you can afford.

In determining the size of carp you want to catch look at the parabolic curve weight. The parabolic curve weight refers to the weight of a line required to flex a fully loaded rod. If the carp is 15 pounds or smaller it can be reeled in with a rod having a parabolic curve weight of 1-2 pounds. Larger carp will require a parabolic curve weight of 3 pounds or greater.

Another consideration when selecting a carp fishing rod is the type of action you want in the rod. The rod’s action refers to the rods responsiveness to a bending force and how quickly it will return to a neutral position. Fast action rods will bend more towards the tip of the rod. Slower action rods will bend more toward the butt of the rod. Medium action rods will bend in the middle. Medium-fast action rods bend in the last third of the rod. The manufacturer’s label of fast, medium, or slow action is subjective but can be used to compare rods with faster or slower action than others. Fast action rods are good choices for trolling, for example.

If traveling with a carp fishing rod consider traveling with a telescopic rod. Telescopic carp fishing rods break down into several parts where the overall length is reduced to about two and a half feet. This makes it easier to transport in protective cases, luggage or smaller cars. If in doubt as to what type of carp fishing rod is right for you there are many internet sites devoted to carp angling and sharing fish stories. You’re almost certain to find an angler that can help answer any questions you might have about carp fishing rods.

After all, these specialty fishing rods are a critical piece of carp fishing gear.