Advice for Carp?

[wbfst...@gmail.com]

Hi all,

I spent most of the day fishing on the Potomac just south of Chain bridge and on the canal.  While on the river, I saw tons of carp, but never managed to generate any interest -- though I did land a lot of nice-sized pan fish and a medium-sized small-mouth.  Having never fished for carp, I would greatly appreciate wisdom from those more seasoned than me.  

1.  What flies do folks recommend?

2.  Do people recommend floating or sinking line?

Thanks so much, everyone!

Bill Steinman

[Eric Y.]

While I've never enticed one to munch a fly on the main of the river (especially not one of the many breaching ones), I have caught several by fishing them like a redfish on the flats - mostly on the canal. When you see them creating silt puffs as they eat, throw something ahead of them. It works best with silt-colored flies. I use little crab, shrimp, bugger, worm, or crawfish patterns - mostly flies I bought for a redfish trip a while ago - but there are tons of carp-specific patterns out there. I'd think bonefish flies would also work well. Since they're so shallow and most of the flies have bead-heads or weighted eyes, I just use 0x or 2x tippet on a floating line. I understand that mulberry patterns will be in season pretty soon, as well. I have a buddy who uses a popcorn pattern made from white craft foam for common carp, as well.

 

For what it is worth, after slicing an almost-new fly line to the core, I started tying a short leader section of 30lb mono between fly line and tippet.