Bill Flader shares lessons learned from 75 years of fishing

That’s actually the title of a book written by a Door County guide several decades ago.  Back then carp were considered “rough fish” or “bottom feeders”, and looked down upon.  Not anymore.  Have you noticed carp showing up in Orvis catalogs and similar publications?

My experience is that they are actually an ideal flyrod challenge, altho not easily fooled.  (Perhaps you’ve heard Gary Borger say “if brown trout have an IQ of 5, carp have an IQ of 8).  He would know.  They are easily spooked and must be stalked quietly, with careful casting.

Most of my experience has been wading and sight-fishing them in Lake Michigan shallows of Door County (like fishing for bonefish in the salt, except that carp are easier to see, and are much bigger, on average 10-25 pounds in the big lake.  Many readers never see the backing on their fly reels….not unusual with hooked carp, and they stay hooked due to their rubbery lips.

Finding something they will eat is another matter.  I’ve had success with small crayfish patterns, but a leech sometimes works.  They don’t attack just anything that moves.  Detecting the take requires a wet rod tip and tight line, with a short strip-strike when resistance is felt.  Then hang on.

Unfortunately high water levels have been a problem in recent years, but hopefully that will subside.

(The author holds 11 flyrod line-class world records on carp.)