Trip
notes from carp fly fishing trip by two Newcastle Fly Rodders club members.
By Richard Carter
Bill Garamszegi
and I put in a little prep time at Lake Liddell the Sunday before the Newcastle
Fly Rodders annual August 'Carp Bash' club outing to the same place. Bill
was running a little late (a longer drive time wise then I told him) so
I fished a couple coves close to the place we would meet. It was definitely
not preplanned to get some hotspots to myself before Bill arrived, as it
was a very frustrating half hour. I had fish tailing all around me in sizes
from 6 pounders to 10 plus pounds - some of those tails waving in the air
were HUGE!
Trouble
was I didn't have my carp fly box on me, I had lent it to Bill the Friday
before after an evening saltwater session at Wanda Head, Nelson Bay. This
so he could make a few copies of any flies that took his fancy for the August
club outing. As I also forgotten my trout nymph box, the only flies I had
on me were estuary flies. Now these crazy Charlie variations and whiting
bloodworm patterns have worked in the past on carp but this time they were
not at all interested. Very frustrating twenty minutes but a good start
in fish numbers and size wise for the day, if a little short on success.
Once Bill
and his wife Corrie arrived around the back of the Lake Liddell in the area
I normally fish, due to the wind direction we headed in an anti-clockwise
direction on the dam along some steep banks and spotted for each other due
to the weather condition of overcast skies, drizzly rain and a slight wind
making polaroiding very hard from water level and a little algae on the
surface in a few places didn't help either. Still lots of large fish in
packs, of five or more, were cruising inside of the weed beds. While right
out wide on the far side of the weed beds were large 'rafts' of fish (packs
or schools of them). Easily seen broaching the surface and I think very
focused on pre-spawning activities given lots of mouthing motions and shouldering
in close to each other. At least an acre or so of densely packed large fish
- that's a lot of baby carp for next year once they breed - mores the pity,
will be better once stocked bass fingerlings can use the baby carp for food.
Bill went off round the next corner and I targeted some of those sex crazed
fish on the far side of a close in weed bed just at the limit of my casting
range for no result.
Having
not heard from Bill for a while I went looking for him while changing flies
from the orange head nymph to a beadchain nymph. I found him a hundred yards
away. Here he was, his 5w fly rod bent severely out of shape and one huge
mother of a carp on the end of his line. He had been whistling for a while
trying to get my attention but I hadn't heard him given my focus on other
things (like trying to catching one for myself). I hurried over, climbed
down the steep bank, hopped in the water and gaffed his fish, which was
far too large for his small trout net he carried on his back.
Now was our
young Bill pleased with his efforts or what!! His largest fish to date of
any species on fly and all on a five weight outfit. He enthusiastically
told me about the sighting of the lone fish and the few careful presentations
before it took the beadhead black nymph - not a bad size for his first carp
either. The fish was cruising the inside of a weed bed and visibly feeding.
A very close to hand fight within only fifteen feet of the bank at all times.
Lots of fun for Bill I am sure. He had to have a picture to send to a mate
of his in Victoria, who according to Bill will be very jealous!
We continued
along the steep banks scaring off a few fish every now and then with poor
presentations or looking for fish in the distance instead of those at our
feet as well (me particularly - I always fish far too fast). We then waded
along some 'firmish' backwater mud flats due to the extensive plant growth
on the shoreline. Here I spotted a small fish in very shallow water and
I began leading the fish as it fed along angling away from me. The fly used
was a beadchain nymph - a dark one with dubbing from a hare's mask - size
12 swimming nymph hook Mustad 80150BR, similar except for hook to the one
shown here.
Still
unaware of us after multiple presentation by me, it headed in Bill's direction,
so left it to him (dam fish! some of those presentations were perfect for
a change as most times I land the fly on their heads). Then before Bill
could even cast at that fish another fish materialized only two rod lengths
away right in front of me, being almost stationary I hadn't seen it so closely
did its colourings match its surroundings. Its feeding, pulsating mouth
the eventual give away of its presence. One cast in eight inches of water,
a foot in front of its nose, a pause to let the fly sink, a small twitch
of the fly, the fish moves forward, a pick up motion by the fish is seen,
a smooth firm strip strike and a solid hook up was the result. This fish
was only half the size of Bill's but what a spirited fight. It went ballistic
in the shallow water. It even made a halfhearted attempt at a jump. I was
getting worried after two missed gaff shots by Bill, as my tippet had multiple
wind knots in it (must learn to cast better or at least replace the tippet
material more often) But he got it right with the next gaff shot and off
we went to the shoreline for photos and disposal.
We
waded along and fished the next two coves resulting in a few more scared
off fish and a five foot eel that thought Bill's legs would be an interesting
place to visit - much to Bill's displeasure. I have never seen so many big
cruising eels in one day, all four to six feet long, all over the lake and
lots of them. Around the middle of the day we went back to a nice peninsula
overlooking the lake for a rest and some food. Out on the water were three
boats, all typical sport fishing rigs, better yet all were fly fishing.
Looks like a few more converts to the joys of carp fly fishing. The fish
were there but probably still in pre-spawning mode and not as focused on
feeding as the fish inside the weed beds. Their blind casting of the outer
edge of the inshore weed beds gave no results that we saw in the half hour
or so of watching them (I did hear a 'yahoo!, yehaaa!' later in the day,
so know one at least of them eventually got one). Never got close enough
to find out who they were.
We then went
back to the cars and dumped any extra lunch stuff plus other gear now deemed
not needed that were so 'must have' or 'just in case' earlier in the day.
Man those back packs get heavy after a while - you really only need a gaff,
your rod, some spar tipper/leader material and a couple of boxes of flies
(nymphs and globugs). We then headed around the shoreline of the lake in
the other direction. This area of the lake is much shallower with extensive
flats covered by only inches of water tapering off to about 3 feet in depth
before the first lot of weed beds. The whole area is covered with small
pot holes from the feeding habits of the carp. We would walk the bank looking
for the clouds of mud that signalled another feeding carp or spot those
light coloured rubber lips extending and retracting as the carp would spit
out a mouthful of mud and then eat the food morsels exposed. We cast small
dark nymphs into the clouds of mud and then slowly strip the fly out. Out
of the mud cloud would come a carp chasing the nymph fly - very exciting
fishing when they chased the fly instead of taking the fly in the mud cloud.
Time
lost its meaning as I moved forward around the shoreline of the lake scanning
the shallow water or wading the firm flats looking for actively feeding
fish, two hours went by in a flash. A tailing fish would focus our attention,
then we would stalk the fish, present the fly and feel, sometimes see, the
take. Bill got busted off on one nice fish he sight cast to. I got done
too, on a huge fish worse of all, right at the moment of saying to Bill
I would not need any help to gaff this one (wind knots again??).
Some of the
fish were right at the water's edge amongst the drowned weeds with their
backs out of the water. It was immensely enjoyable to stalk the exposed
fish, present the fly and hook the fish in just inches of water. Then to
fight a strong fish in shallow water, during which many times I was well
into my backing. You would have them in all submissive and then they would
be off again as soon as they saw Bill or the gaff (scared off by either
the gaff or Bill - could not really tell which but would put my money on
Bill).
I
haven't focused my fishing effort or concentrated so hard on catching sighted
fish for a long time (it lit the fly fishing fire again - just what I needed
after a few poor winter months fishing wise). I just love sight casting
to fish in shallow water - can never get enough of it regardless of the
species. Think about it for the moment… If the words 'trout' or 'permit'
was used instead of 'carp' in the above trip notes you would all be drooling
and screaming to go on a trip only an hour or so away - but mention the
word 'carp' and your fish-racism takes over. That's not to say I would pass
up on a trout or bass outing for a carp one, just that they are there, they
are not too far away, they readily take the fly and there are no closer
shallow water sight fishing options available at this time of year, at least
with fish this size
Yes, they
stink. Yes, they taste foul on a plate. They also are not good for natives
species but come on guys this is still fly fishing for selective hard fighting
fish in shallow water and it helps our native environment. I can't wait
for the August club outing. A report on which should be in this newsletter
somewhere. With daylight saving time here soon (27th August) it will give
me plenty of time to head there after work and get in a few hours fishing
before sunset. Anybody thinking of heading up there for a carp session give
me call or an email. I don't need much of an excuse if its got scales and
fins I'll be in on it. So many opportunities, so many fish - so little time!
That reminds me the mullet season should be starting soon too (flathead
as well).
Ain't
life grand being a Fly Rodder! So many local species to choose from and
they all take the fly.
Picture:
Dusk reflected on Lake Liddell
Now a few
thoughts on fly fishing for carp
Reasons Why Carp are fun on fly?
As long as
they don't go back in the water fly fishing for them is also good for the
eco systems. A point of interest that was recently highlighted on several
items on local fishing internet chatboards but not recommended by most aussie
anglers (excluding some relocated Europeans and most of them coarse anglers)
- putting carp back in the water is not an offence. Even so once
netted or gaffed kill them quickly and dispose of the carcass responsibly.
There will always be plenty of carp, the same cannot be said for our native
species.
I look at
carp fly fishing this way, carp are here so lets make the most of them.
Our country and some its past (and present) practices have degraded our
rivers systems to such a level our native species cannot even breed let
alone survive. Carp have slipped into a niche our fore fathers have created
and some current irrigation practices maintain. They have made a home in
water most fish would die in. Their presence does make it harder for our
native species to increase in numbers. The next best thing is to increase
stocking of native species, caring for our freshwater environment via Landcare
and other groups and to target the carp. At least till the balance is more
in favour of the native species, who with their aggressive feeding habits
can more then hold their own once the balance is in their favour.
Given the
fun you can have catching them, what a great way to help our native fish.
Dave Whitlock (American fly fishing icon) calls them the "Golden Ghosts"
and holds them in high regard as a sportfish. He and a lot more prominent
world fly fishers are coming 'out of the closet' so to speak and speaking
up about their secret pleasure in targeting and capturing carp. Such is
there value for sight fishing, a practice species for more highly valued
sportfish and just for the fun of it. Why not see how much fun they can
be before you write them off as a waste of time.
Suggested
Equipment
9 - 10foot rods anywhere from 4 - 8 weight depending how long you may wish
to fight the one large fish that may take your fly offerings. You could
get by most of the time with just a floating line and a standard tapered
leader. There will be times when the most delicate of presentations are
required for success, long leaders, double tapered lines, but just around
the corner will be an easier target. You will need backing when fishing
lakes as while one out of ten trout might take you into your backing, 1
out of three carp will see your backing getting quite a stretch. A willingness
to use strong tippets and straight rods hand lining techniques on the bigger
carp is sometimes required. Depends on your fly fishing ethics and if they
apply to carp but what ever setup the carp will provide plenty of activity.
If in any doubt just use what you would normally use for lake trout fishing
or estuary swoffing. You will have the setup for 90% of the carp situations
you may meet.
Suggested
Flies
Flies can be numerous, but brown, olive and black nymphs 10, 12 and 14 will
do most times. Simple nymphs made from 5 -6 strands of peacock herl twisted
into a rope with some copper wire, wrapped to form a tapered body with a
large thorax will do the job if that's all you. Damsels and even small baitfish
streamers have been known to take their share of carp. Shrimp, scud and
water boatman would be successful too. Globugs, corn kernel and bread flies
catch their far share too, especially when berley of a similar size is used.
Lets not forget imitative flies of the local food forms - San Juan worms,
New England Yabbies and snail patterns.
Main method
I use - at Lake Liddell and most other carp locations right across the
east coast from the Logan River, QLD to Swan Reach o n the Murray River
in SA.
The
method is casting floating lines with standard leaders and tippets to selected
polaroided fish or to spawning packs. Whatever you would use for your normal
setup will work nothing fancy required. I have more success on the polaroided
fish then the casting of your fly in to the melee and hope a spawning fish
would swim into the path of our flies. I mostly used fluoro orange globugs,
bread flies or bead change nymphs. Some globugs were soft, fluffy and about
8 - 10mm in size. But mostly I use firm 5-7mm pompoms from Spotlight (only
5cents each) on straightened size 12 Mustad 540's with small beadchain eyes,
this so the sink rate was faster (method - tie in eyes, a little thread
bed along the shank, a touch of superglue and slide on pompom over hook
point till pressed against eyes - too easy! See examples below).
Areas berleyed
earlier hold more fish, at these we would catch (or annoy) a couple of fish
then visit another bay giving the berleyed area time to calm down before
getting amongst them again. Berleying with a mixture of bread, creamed corn
and water twenty-four hours earlier can result in cricket score numbers
of banked fish. Another method used effectively by Newcastle Fly Rodder
members at each year at the clubs August carp bash is applied in the deep
water sections of the lake. Basically berleying heavily then with a globug
or bread fly (or two flies) suspended under a strike indicator. Then just
watch the strike indicator for the take. A little too much like float/bait
fishing for me I like to hunt my car in shallow water and sight casting
to them
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Carp are a
great way to teach beginners on how to sight cast to fish, fight strong
fish and hopefully get a result for there first outing. My kids loved it,
especially when they can sight the fish, stalk it cast to it and catch them
on flies they can easily tie themselves. With so many targets if they stuff
up one fish there is another on twenty meters further along the mud flats.
They are not easy but if you get the basics right you are in with a chance.
There
is nothing better then to fish with a few mates and help the environment
at the same time. Plus have a blast sight casting to big fish in shallow
water and have them so willing (sometimes) to take the fly.
Long casts, tight lines and fast fish
Richard (LIPS) Carter
