Has anyone had a chance to fly fish for carp on Blackfoot res. yet? Not even sure if the ice is off....I've done this the last 4-5 yrs and WHAT A BLAST! It's usually in April/May that those monsters really group up in the warm-shallow water and you can get them to strike. Crayfish imitations with lead eyes and dragon fly nymph patterns have produced the best. If you've never done this....it's something you need to do![sly] A great place to hit while the rest of our waters are clearing out due to spring run-off. The largest I've landed was just over 30lbs...I was lucky enough to win the local "carp on a fly" tournament 3 yrs ago but that fished was only 17lbs. I will try to load a pic of a couple we landed 2 yrs ago.
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I've been wanting to give it a try for a couple years now. I have read a little about it in F&H News, and it said to fish crayfish patterns and leeches. Where do I find these flies, carp-pulltunnels and such? Those are some dandy's in the photo! Can you PM me with some info I might need before I give it a try?
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great pics i can imagine they put up a great fight on a fly rod
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Oh, I almost forgot. What weight rod are you using? Do you use floating line with a long leader or a slow sink tip?
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Don't PM him, put the info out where we can all see it.
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No private msg needed here...there are SOOOO many carp in that place and everyone should get into at least one of those things. Ok-first : flies....I tie all of my own so I'm not sure where to buy a cray-fish imitation but I think a large rubber legs on a #2 hook would work. Dark brown with a little burnt orange and straight black are good colors. Jimmy's all season angler in Idaho Falls has a few patterns that will work as well. You can order some great ones online too. I use an 8 weight rod with floating line. Leader needs to be 10-12 ft long (15#) with about 3 ft of 8# tippet. Sink tip will work if you need to wade deaper and fish deaper water. I spoke with a friend/local farmer today and the rd hasn't been plowed out yet and I'm sure it still has a lot of ice.... But, it will be ready to fish within 2-3 weeks. You can watch 20-30lb fish come completely out of the water!...I believe they spawn this time of yr. Here's a couple more pics of a different trip. Get there late enough that the air is starting to warm up but not too late where as the wind is almost always blowing across that res. Let me know if anyone has anymore questions...Good Luck!
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Sorry-forgot to download pics....
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you dang near need a bigger net.
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I used to do a bit of carp fishing on the fly, and I also found glo bugs to be pretty effective. The actively feeding fish would take them, but I was also able to take quite a few of the cruising fish as well. I would just have to cast a ways in front of them and time it so it would sink down to their level about the time they would reach the fly. They would often lunge forward and take it at this point. They're seriously an under rated fighter. I used a 6 weight, and they sometimes ripped me into my backing on the first run. Some would take a good ten to fifteen minutes to land. It's been a while, I think I need to give it a try again this year.
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I have been fishing with many ppl that get a 10 lb carp on then complain when they get it in and find its a carp, but i am with you they put up a helk of a good fight. They are my wifes favorite fish to fish for. They are fairly easy to catch and if you play them right you can usualy get them in the net but boy they can sure make some good runs.
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i have some friends that did that last year. they foregot to remind me of it. but i haven't let them foreget this year. so yeah i'm excited to try this. so what side of the res do you normally fish for them by poisin creek or henry or where????
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ill be trying for a carp on my fly this year ive been looking for some patterns to tie up.
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How about fishing from a boat. I have never been there but would like to try it from my boat. Are there accesses and such?
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There are a couple of boat launches so yes-you can use a boat and do fairly well there. I've seen some monster rainbow come out of there too from people trolling that thing. I have a boat but never taken it up there-I know the road from Bone to the res has eaten up plenty of boat trailer tires so make sure you have at least one spair[laugh]! I fish the northwest end... there is also a creek that dumps in there close but I don't know the area well enough to tell you what the name of it is.
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If you take a boat, check the water level. The dock by the damn is impossible if the water is to low. Also watch out for sand bars when the res is low. It is not very deep. The road from Blackfoot or Bone as mentioned has eatin many tires, take spares, and take it slow. Spring you are usually ok on water level. If you do not have a boat or do not want to take it, fish below the damn in the pool on the right side (facing down river) where the water comes out. I have seen monsters in there. I have also broke 30lb line on those carp there.
One other place to try for Carp also is American Falls Res either at Sportsman Park or McTucker on the north end. You will need your boat, but when they get in there spawning, they are everywhere. I hit them last spring on the toon there and it was wild. You could not look at the shore with out seeing them thrashing in the willows and onto the rocks. I also cruised over a few schools of some monsters in the 20lb+ range.
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