fly rod Carping the Jordan

[bpete]

I attempted for the first time going after carp with a fly rod on the Jordan over the weekend. I didn't get any but learned some lessons.

1. watch your back cast and adjust accordingly. I was casting in some areas that had fly eating bushes and trees.
2. be ready to change plans and or flies quickly.
3. sight cast to fish when possible. they were feeding on the surface but it was a fast snatching a morsel so I was casting after the fact.

I did not go to far but was unable to spot any fish to cast to other than after they had already grabbed a bite from the surface. I started out with a olive wooly bugger but switched to using foam beetles and Cherynobyl ants since they were feeding on the surface. the feeding was a fast splashy type rather than a hoover vacuum at the surface. I was not sure what they were feeding on. I will be trying again soon, any tips or experiences would be appreciated.

[Cowboypirate]

I don't have much advice on tossing a fly for carp, just not that good at it myself,, but I have noticed a local guy on Facebook post some really cool videos about this.

Here is a link to one of them - might be some help

https://fb.watch/ewRtsHRvMb/

Maybe fishskibum or one of his partners in crime can offer some suggestions - they are very good at this.

[joshomaru]

bpete, I have some observations I would like to share.
I started fly fishing for carp because I thought it would be easy- and any big fish on a fly rod is fun!
What an incredibly humbling experience.
I was sight fishing in a canal and had a "perfect" presentation right in the feeding lane of a carp. I watched it move out of the way of my fly and move back into position after the fly passed.
I went to the Jordan without a rod and just watched to try and learn. Here are the observations:
1- When you can't see the fish, look for their signs instead. There was a herd of maybe five or six fish, but I couldn't see them. What I COULD see was the dust plumes from their feeding off the bottom. They were sucking on the bottom for invertebrates, moving in a slow line going up current. At some point, they would turn and go back down stream and turn around and shift over. They were working the mud flat in a grid!
2- Knowing when they are feeding this way, your presentation has to be right on the bottom. Through a lot of experimentation, I determined that a strike indicator fouled my presentation more then helped. I also found the putting a small split shot about 1" above the fly worked better than a bead head or weighted fly. This allows the fly to drift barely off the bottom instead of banging on the bottom as much. But you have to get that fly down in their feeding lane when they are feeding this way. Pink and orange Glowbugs have worked best for me on the Jordan.
3- When fishing this way, it is really important to pick your fish you're presenting to. If you line a different fish, it's game over, man. One spooks and they all spook.
4- Without using your indicator, you really have to watch your line for a slight movement. In water where I could see the fish, I have seen them suck a fly in and spit it back out before I reacted.
5- If you don't already, you need to train yourself to do a line set instead of a rod set. A rod set has a tendency to pull the fly out of their mouth. I had more hookups doing an aggressive line set with the rod pointed toward the fish.
6- You really need to bring a net. Some fish are small enough to muscle to hand. When they aren't, it really sucks to try and get a hold of them for release.
7- I have found when fishing this way, a straight leader (like 0X) about 8ft works better than a tapered leader. When you hook a female close to spawn time (they are less spooky then, too) the males accost the female when she is hooked. My theory is they think she is trying to break her egg sac open. Males will roll and jump on your line between you and the hooked fish. It's a little Thunderdomish!

These are just some of the things I learned while spending time on the Jordan pursuing the mighty carp with a fly rod. I have much more respect for their intelligence, eye sight, and resiliency since I started this over 12 years ago. I by no means preach this as gospel, they are just my observations, and I hope it helps in some way!
I have attached my best carp from the Jordan on a fly.

[bpete]

great information. I have a great respect for the challenge of catching carp. I love the fight they put up on conventional tackle, especially river fish. I think it is a great idea to just spend some time observing. hopefully i will have some pics to post soon.

thank you.

[fishskibum]

well its an odd addiction
like most addicts id advise not startin
jordans tough access to throw, limited vis, lots of lumber, shopping carts etc and game enders
supped most of it theyre in there
i like 2700ish but its pretty well full of weeds last i checked and  always goat head haven

used to wade fish a bit along thanksgivin point but its a long walk in since the rail road shut down access from the i15 side
I fish the bear in the nwr more than the jordan as its got more targets with better elevated clearer  banks

but 100 buck fillups been limitin that
fished well a couple weeks ago

if ya wanna cast to em with decent backcast space
deckers
has been my go 2 lately



josh summed most of it up it can be pretty easy at times and frustratingly tough at others
id prefer to fish clearer water and watch em eat and learning to read the body language of the eat takes some time
theres happy poopers and unhappy ones
the unhapppy ones bolt or slink away
and dont eat
happy ones will eat about anything presented in a manner that continues to brings happiness
best advise i can pass along
would be throw less especially to big domers and pods and wait a bit for the best shot
far as flies id prefer to not throw weight and throw a lot of hollow chain eyed crustation stuff
and small barbelled heads in current or need to git down to deeper water fish
but the throw past and drag and drop into their vision vacuums mouth is what most of the kooks i know who spend a good bit of time doin it
and while troots only live in beautiful places
the carp can hang in da hood as well

[bpete]

great pics fishskibum. that first one is almost in the backyard of where i used to live. right now I am at the south end of the valley. the jordan is close for a fast trip. I have to admit I have received a lot of great feedback and encouragement from this post. I really like the third photo. thanks for posting them.

[Panchodog]

Got my first carp on a fly the other day. Not gonna lie it made fill pretty accomplished cause I had been trying for awhile. They were happy that day for sure. Slow strip through the pod and when you got one to turn his head he was gonna eat it no matter what! Was targeting some smallish bass so I got them on a 5 wt. I gotta get back after em!

[joshomaru]

Congrats Panchodog! Welcome to the addiction!
The only mirror carp I have caught on the fly was snagged on accident at Pineview. I think I pulled it out of another fishes mouth and into this one's back. It was on the outside of a pod. Sure made a long fight bringing in a carp sideways on a fly rod lol.

[fishskibum]

that viddy was pretty good
the sups a game changer
used to fish willard and the outlet into the bear quite a bit theres some good 30" domers in there


used to git em good from the dike

its a beach thing now



 but theyre still there
they did clean up the tamarisk and the banks on the outlet so its better back casting now from shore
banged a few at deckers thurs

[up2nogood]

Thought we would get a post out of the Flygodess about fly fishing the Jordan river . Have not seen a post by here in a long time . Nor anywhere .

[flygoddess]

Thought we would get a post out of the Flygodess about fly fishing the Jordan river . Have not seen a post by here in a long time . Nor anywhere .

Better late than never.  I am fishing for carp pretty much daily.  Carpgoddess on Facebook.