Flies
Published: 10th of August 2022 • Last updated: 2nd of April 2023
Fly fishing for carp is not easy, but the reward is worth the endeavour. For some, it has become a passion, with some fly fishers almost exclusively targetting carp.
To catch them on the fly, the flies you need mainly consist of a well-presented forage. There are numerous types of patterns you can choose from. The designs are patterned after different aquatic insects, different nymphal levels of other water critters, which mainly include dragonflies, or they’re patterned after other more traditional lures like a piece of bread. Here’s our top 5 carp flies:
The carp bitter is a wonderful option for when fly fishing in muddy waters. However, it’s going to take you a bit of time and practice to fully master the fly because it has numerous components purposely designed to seem ultra-realistic and natural. The bitter has an additional hackle, there are rubber legs attached, and it has bigger, dumbbell eyes. It will almost seem that the product is designed by a 5-year old. However, this is all to ensure the fly is clearly visible in mucky and muddy waters.
Moreover, if you need the fly to be more clearly visible in the water, you’ll have to keep moving it around, luring in the carp for a nice, firm bite. The carp bitter perfectly imitates crayfish.
If you’re an avid fisher, the first thing that you’re going to probably think about is how the San Juan worm is primarily used to catch bass or trout. The San Juan worm is masterpiece in terms of versatility and is perfect for carp fishing as well. The worm comes in bright pink and red colour, perfectly imitating the actual aquatic creature. Getting the carp’s attention is going to be easier with the San Juan worm, the rest is up to your skill and experience.
Read more about the San Juan Worm here.
While the Clouser Minnow is popular amongst a lot of professional and avid anglers, the Clouser Nymph is beginning to get a lot of attention thanks to its design and forage. It’s the perfect carp baiting fly. The product comes in two versions (beadhead and non-beadhead). Strip the line in like you would be nymph fishing for any other fish. Long, slow strips are best. If you’re sight fishing it’s all about an accurate cast where the nymphs lands very closely to the carp’s mouth. Then let it sink slowly, and if nothing happens give it a twitch.
Don’t be fooled by the Headstand’s size, this carp fly packs a pretty powerful punch. The Headstand fly easily sinks right to the bottom. This is advantageous when carp forage for food and feed in a downwards angle close to the bottom. If so, they will take a mouthful of whatever they find. The fly comprises of a beadhead that’s meticulously placed right at the bottom of the fly while the rest hangs upwards.
A tip is to twitch the fly to disturb the sediment on the bottom to lure in suspecting and hungry carp.
The Backstabber is another fly that’s designed specifically for carp fishing. The pattern is quite similar to that of the Deceiver fish. But if you take another look, you’ll quickly notice that the Backstabber is made with a beadhead that’s on a more downwards angle on the fly hook. This helps evenly distribute the weight of the fly, helping it perfectly balance while keeping all the moving parts situated at the bottom.
Carps will probably think of the lure as an appetizing weed and they’re more likely to take a bite out of the fly.
While carp fishing is adventurous and challenging, don’t think of it as an impossible undertaking. Once you gear up for the hunt for a large carp, you’ll have the time of your life. Carp are incredibly strong fish with a lot of stamina and pulling power. You’ll need all the help you can get to get one to take the bait. However, with these flies, you’ll have a great start!
Run by fly fishers and completely free!
Create accountLocations
Explore Sweden's fly fishing opportunities under Allemansrätten, emphasizing responsible practices to safeguard the pristine natural environment.
Locations
In this tranquil and heartfelt video, Rolf embarks on a spontaneous fishing adventure near his home, inspired by rumors of brook trout in a nearby lake.
General
Deep dive into Nylon (monofilament) and Fluorocarbon for your tippet and leader. Explore the pros and cons, features, and performance of each material to make an informed decision for your next fishing adventure.
Locations
Summary of NZ's proposed Designated Waters Licence: managing angling pressure, affecting resident/non-resident anglers differently, and next steps.
Fish
In this article we cover the differences between Pike and Musky, from their species distinction, visual identification, global distribution to fly fishing tactics.
Flies
Discover the thrill of fly fishing with terrestrials! Learn techniques, best flies, gear, and tips for targeting many species with this exciting fly pattern.
Run by fly fishers and completely free!
Create accountAll these locations are curated by local fly fishers. Wether they're guides or hobbyists, they're all experienced so you'll get the best information straight from the source.
New Zealand 🇳🇿
Sight fishing in clear mountain rivers and streams
Stream
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
France 🇫🇷
Serenity and trout between the cows
Stream
Brown Trout
Sea Trout
New Zealand 🇳🇿
Big trout in a big river
River
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
New Zealand 🇳🇿
Immersive sight fishing against a picturesque backdrop
River
Stream
Brown Trout
Perch
Rainbow Trout
Switzerland 🇨🇭
Pike and perch on lake Gruyère
Lake
Perch
Pike
Switzerland 🇨🇭
Fly fish the unique Cherry-Salmon Breed on the fly
Lake
Arctic Char
Grayling
Rainbow Trout
Austria 🇦🇹
18km of river among beautiful mountains
Stream
Brook trout
Brown Trout
Rainbow Trout
Germany 🇩🇪
Ample opportunities for all levels to catch trout and grayling
River
Brown Trout
Grayling
Sweden 🇸🇪
Over 30,000 islands and endless fishing possibilities
Sea
Lake
Pond
Canal
River
Stream
Atlantic Salmon
Bream
Brook trout
Garfish
Ide
Perch
Pike
Pike-perch
Rainbow Trout
Roach
Rudd
Sea Trout
Discover different fish species. Learn about their habitat, feeding patterns, the flies that work best, and more.
Learn fly fishing knots. All knots are clearly illustrated with step by step instructions.
The study of insects. An entomology library focussed on the information relevant to fly fishing.
With an account you make suggestions, keep track of the rods you own, save favorites, stay up-to-date on the latest knowledge and much more.
FlyFish Circle is run by fly fishing enthusiasts and is completely free!
Already have an account? Log in here.
I just wanted to let you know that FlyFish Circle is built and maintained by fly fishing enthusiasts. And that's why it's free.
Consider creating an account to join our community. You don't necessarily have to contribute, but this helps us in understanding what to build next for fly fishers around the world.
Joost
Founder of FlyFish Circle
Already have an account? Log in here.
Save favorite species, flies, locations, countries and articles from the library.
FlyFish Circle is run by fly fishing enthusiasts and is completely free!
Already have an account? Log in here.
You need an account (this is free) to shop in the Boutique. This makes the shopping experience better and safer both for you and the independent fly tyers that you purchase from.
Already have an account? Log in here.
Make FlyFish Circle better for all fly fishers by suggesting an update. We process these regularly and will always get back to you once we've made changes.