Monster Carp on one of my flies

[bowmike 0]

 

 

This one was not as large but my co-workers cousing could not care less. They were fishing the outflow of a large dam not typically known for carp fishing.

 

 

I think i had posted these a while back but figured i might as well throw them in with this post.

 

I had given a few of these crayfish flies to a co-worker to test for me on small mouth. Well he caught some smallies but had more success on carp. He told me that when he and his cousin would see them cruising they would put the fly in front and dead drift it. Once the carp would see it they would twitch a few time. He said they looked like bass attacking it. I was shocked at this one. It weight nearly 35 pounds and broke the poor guys 8 weight. They ended up with over 15 on the day. I was really pumped to know that they worked that well and I really want to try this fishing. I just don't want to break my 8 weight

 

I told him that my flies warranty does not cover broken rods due to hooking into monster fish

 

If anyone wants to know how to tie this simple crayfish pm me and ill gladly break it down. Thanks for looking

[MIKE*A 0]

Holy Sh!t!!!! That is a beast!

 

Mike

[ditz2 0]

I am sure there will be several carpers ask for the pattern details so it will probably save a lot of work by adding the info here in the forum. I caught a carp about that size many years ago in Indiana but sadly it was on bait. That is a huge brute. Thanks for posting.

[bowmike 0]

Recipe: (i am not good yet at writing recipes so bear with me)

 

Thread: I typically use black on all of my flies

hook: size 6 streamerhook. can be x-long

weight: lead wire for weighting the flies

optional weight: (1) small or med lead eyes tied on bottom side of hook.

claws: (2) marabou tips (match to body color)

thorax: (1) piece of thin skin (approx. 1/8-3/16" wide and a tad longer than hook shank

antenna: (2) pheasant tail fibers

Body: chennille- any natural color will work I like to use the tinsle/pearlescent varity

legs: (3) rubber leg sections (divide these once on the fly ffor optimum movement, at least 2" long. Trim to desired size.)

 

Tying instructions:

 

I use a size 6 or 8 x-heavy Allen streamer hook. I tie this upside down in the vice.

1)i weight the hook.

2) Sometimes i add plain lead eyes at the bottom of the fly. This gives it a really nice action

3)I tie in and seperate 2 marabou tips for claws. I add 2 pheasant tail fibers for antenna.

4) Tie in some "thin skin" on top of the claws. This can be tricky but you want it to be longer than the shank of the hook.

5)once this is tied in use chennille and wrap the body with the taper of the crayfish. Keep the chennile a little bit away from the eye so you can secure it tightly.

6) Bring your thread back to a little bit in front of the middle of the fly to tie in 3 or 4 rubber legs. Try to seperate them to give them the most action you can.

7) bring the thin sking back over and secure it just behind the legs. Creat a few more sections for the tail area.

8) fold up the think sking and whip finish. Cut the remainder to look like that of a crayfish tail.

 

I have tied this with furry foam instead of the thin skin but have not gotten to test it yet. this is just the way that I tie this. Any suggestions welcome. I know this patern works how it is now but any advice is appreciated from you experts. I know there are other paterns out there but this one is very simple and as you can see effective (at least for carp) lol. I have caught a few trout and small mouth on this as well.

 

You do have to fold up the tail to tie the leader to the fly. I like this because it can hide the heavier line's knot. It is simple to move the thin skin as well. IF you do not want to do this. Stop the skin a tad ahead of the eye. I will post my furry foam version as well. This is easier because you can just tie the furry foam (cutout to shape of crayfish) to the front then pick it up. The tail looks better but i think the natural look of the thin skin is wat was making this effective. I think i can really add to this pattern with some eyes and such but for a simple crayfish this one works for me.

 

Ditz i replied to your pm as well

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

great pattern and fish when I use to fish the mullberry hatch on the Huron river you would see big brutes swim by like that one in the first pic but fishing a 7 wt you would pray they didn't go after your fly sometimes rod and reel preservation is more important then a huge fish keep posting more fish porn like that

[mikechell 0]

I envy you people who live in areas where you can see the carp swimming. Sight fishing for carp ... not possible in any of the areas I've been, yet. I am still looking. Great looking carp, that first one. The only time I've broken a rod on a fish was a micro-lite on a 5 pound bass. It was my fault, not checking the drag setting before fishing. If your drag is correct, and you know what you are doing, I don't think you'll ever break a rod. I've had rods break ... thinking it was something I did wrong, only to investigate and see where something had crimped the rod. They do seem to find the edges and crevices that pinch and bend.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

Mike if you can find a mullberry tree that overhangs the water where carp are once the berries start to drop in the water regularly wade or pole a boat about 60 ft away and start casting a black or purple floating berry pattern to their open mouths you will be able to see them very clearly

[bad fish rising 0]

try the thin skin over the furry foam back.

that way you get the natural look you like & the bulk of the furry foam

[mikechell 0]

Riffle ... very few mulberry trees here. I saw my first one in 20 years on a golf course about 8 months ago. I remember one trip on the Eel River in Indiana back in the 70's. We were fishing for bass and sunfish when we came up to a Catawba Tree. (Catalpa tree ... same thing)

The tree was dropping white flowers, not worms, on the water. The carp were eating the flowers. We all tied on the largest white fly we had, and started catching monsters. We were wore out by the time the bite stopped.

 

Anyway ... I know I'll find some carp here one day ... just haven't found them yet.

[Piker20 0]

Do you guys get elderberries? carp love them and will suck in a whole head of berries before spitting out the woody bit. if you have people living on house boats fish as near as you can as the fish mop up all the scraps.