I'd back Peter about Snowbee, for the average caster they are ideal with a decent head length and a long thin running line, almost a shooting head but with better control. I've done a lot of this style of Carp fishing (mostly abroad) but also in the UK. If you're simply using pellets and getting the fish on top then its easy enough. BUT I got tired of this and started to nymph fish for them, I used a 5 weight mostly with a 6 weight Snowbee. I carried 3 types of nymph like I did for trot fishing, but in Dragonfly patterns, all dark green, with one small brighter spot on the head, long rubber legs too. One heavy for 6' plus, one medium 3' and one ultra-light. Most fish were caught in water under 3' deep. You don't get the take of a trout, you have to watch the line from tiny twitches. You also move the nymph slowly or not at all, they take on the drop or once its landed the water is mostly mudded. Some still-waters have a decent hatch of Damsel flies in summer, and they will take an imitation of them too. Blue or green worked for me, just resist the urge to move things like you would for pike or trout. Hope it works out for you Pike69.
Carp floating fly line
- Thread starter Perch@2
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I'd back Peter about Snowbee, for the average caster they are ideal with a decent head length and a long thin running line, almost a shooting head but with better control. I've done a lot of this style of Carp fishing (mostly abroad) but also in the UK. If you're simply using pellets and getting the fish on top then its easy enough. BUT I got tired of this and started to nymph fish for them, I used a 5 weight mostly with a 6 weight Snowbee. I carried 3 types of nymph like I did for trot fishing, but in Dragonfly patterns, all dark green, with one small brighter spot on the head, long rubber legs too. One heavy for 6' plus, one medium 3' and one ultra-light. Most fish were caught in water under 3' deep. You don't get the take of a trout, you have to watch the line from tiny twitches. You also move the nymph slowly or not at all, they take on the drop or once its landed the water is mostly mudded. Some still-waters have a decent hatch of Damsel flies in summer, and they will take an imitation of them too. Blue or green worked for me, just resist the urge to move things like you would for pike or trout. Hope it works out for you Pike69.
I think if your newt casting you will struggle with the line mentioned. It has an exaggerated head length, and unless you can double haul well, you may as well us a double taper, a very underestimated line. The line mentioned means you have to carry extra line in the air, and that means repeated casting. You better with a short head for carp and weighted flies, as you can make one cast and haul to reach the distance required. I'm talking now to around 100' with the Snowbee was the maximum for me. If you want to go bigger, then its a multiple cast discipline with a longer head line. Most of the carp I caught we closed to the bank and often only the leader and a foot of fly line would be out of the guides.
Perch@2
Well-known member
Thanks for reply, yes I'll be quite honest and I'm not ashamed, yes I am learning and also enjoy learning.
Learning different heads and all the benefits /drawbacks? I understand you will need many lines but I feal with the advice of members on this forum, I will benefit.
Fish safe and happy, Neil ?
Perch@2
Well-known member
Thank you ****y123 advice like this I need. Fly carp, Fly Pike is a method I'm learning and trying (once lockdown let's me )
There are river Trout anglers around myself but nobody is trying this method, so advice from yourself and others does prove benifishal.
Fish safe and happy, Neil ?
Last time I bought a double taper line for river trout fishing, it was hard to find a suitable one, either from the local shop or on the net. It seems to me that nowadays they are less popular than weight forward lines.
It takes some skill to cast a fly line. Having casting lessons would help.
It takes some skill to cast a fly line. Having casting lessons would help.
I'm with ****y123 on the double taper lines, for presentation and speed of cast - as in pickup line off water, change direction and distance to cover another fish, without any false casting - I go for the DT floating. Other tapers may add a few feet to distance of cast, but that isn't everything........even in carp fishing ?.
John Aston
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I've flyfished for 40 odd years and this thread has made me realise that I only possess one DT line now. I far prefer WF for my fishing (90% small streams and small rivers, 10% stlilwater) as it casts better , and by that I don't necessarily mean further, but faster, with less fish spooking false casting. Presentation is just as good as with a DT with the right technique , helped by the fact that I'm using 3 and 4 weight line.
I use DT on one rod as it cast like a bullet with a DT 4 , but terribly with a WF. It is the only rod I own which feels different with DT from WF , illogically or not .
For stillwater, troutfishing I'm using a WF5 on small lakes , and casting 20-25 yards is very easy with practice , on the rare occasions it is needed . Presentation is good , but I'd struggle with sizeable carp if snags were a problem, I catch rainbows of up to 7-8lbs easily on this rig ,using leaders of 5-7lbs bs, but although rainbows do fight very hard , with long runs , they don't fight smart and don't often run into snags or weed deliberately .
I use a 9-6 #7 weight for big lakes , where wind is an issue and casting 25 yards with a single false cast becomes routine. I'd feel confident playing carp , or pike , on this rod with no problem . If I were flyfishing for carp I'd use this with a 12-15 foot leader of 10-12lb bs. The leader is longer than many use , but I habitually use longer leaders than most as it gives better presentation and , with the right technique, casting is easy . For stillwater trout I often use 18-20ft (to fish with 2 or 3 flies ).
Flylines are the preserve of the snake oil salesman , with silly claims being made about how brand A gives you 8.2% more distance than brand B ,and it's almost invariably nonsense . I'd advise any beginner to get a 20 or 30 quid line, or cheaper, but buy some casting lessons . Ignore all those silly diagrams in the magazines about the sort of loop you throw , as nothing beats practical hands on experience and guidance to perfect technique . Confidence is key , and to create it the building blocks are timing and decisiveness -no shilly shallying with hesitant , and too numerous , false casts !
I use DT on one rod as it cast like a bullet with a DT 4 , but terribly with a WF. It is the only rod I own which feels different with DT from WF , illogically or not .
For stillwater, troutfishing I'm using a WF5 on small lakes , and casting 20-25 yards is very easy with practice , on the rare occasions it is needed . Presentation is good , but I'd struggle with sizeable carp if snags were a problem, I catch rainbows of up to 7-8lbs easily on this rig ,using leaders of 5-7lbs bs, but although rainbows do fight very hard , with long runs , they don't fight smart and don't often run into snags or weed deliberately .
I use a 9-6 #7 weight for big lakes , where wind is an issue and casting 25 yards with a single false cast becomes routine. I'd feel confident playing carp , or pike , on this rod with no problem . If I were flyfishing for carp I'd use this with a 12-15 foot leader of 10-12lb bs. The leader is longer than many use , but I habitually use longer leaders than most as it gives better presentation and , with the right technique, casting is easy . For stillwater trout I often use 18-20ft (to fish with 2 or 3 flies ).
Flylines are the preserve of the snake oil salesman , with silly claims being made about how brand A gives you 8.2% more distance than brand B ,and it's almost invariably nonsense . I'd advise any beginner to get a 20 or 30 quid line, or cheaper, but buy some casting lessons . Ignore all those silly diagrams in the magazines about the sort of loop you throw , as nothing beats practical hands on experience and guidance to perfect technique . Confidence is key , and to create it the building blocks are timing and decisiveness -no shilly shallying with hesitant , and too numerous , false casts !
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I started with DT lines longer ago than I care to remember, back then a big consideration was that you could turn it around when one end had seen better days, therefore getting 2 lines for the price of one.
Haven't used one for years, though, much prefer WF as Grayson says.
I fish a lot lighter these days, back then 5 weight or more was considered the norm for most rivers, whereas I seldom use anything more than a 3 these days and sometimes less.
7 is perfect for Carp, imo.
Haven't used one for years, though, much prefer WF as Grayson says.
I fish a lot lighter these days, back then 5 weight or more was considered the norm for most rivers, whereas I seldom use anything more than a 3 these days and sometimes less.
7 is perfect for Carp, imo.
seth49
Well-known member
If your fishing and there’s not much room for casting, with trees etc behind you the roll cast shown on this utube clip is worth learning, it’s a useful cast anyway.
Perch@2
Well-known member
Perch@2
Well-known member
Perch@2
Well-known member
Down river grayson I mostly use #3 or #5 for white water and enjoy learning all the time.
Reservoir work a #7-9 rod is needed, I love River and Reservoir fishing but its learning and applying correct season usage.
Fish safe and happy, Neil ?
Perch@2
Well-known member
I've used DT at first and find them a good line but recently diverted to WF and they also are good line.
For revision casting I use U-tube or books and practice over field works for me. I'm just to tight to spend on lessons, and I have the rest of my life to learn.
Fish happy and safe, Neil ?