Carp?

When is the earliest time a guy can start targeting carp? About what water temp?

I know it's tough to get them during the spawn, but how long does the spawn last?

Usually a week, maybe two. After the spawn, they will be famished and eager to take just about anything, provided it is presented properly.

Thanks for the response spey, but is that a week or two from now... or a week or two after the spawn?

And by any chance do you know what the water temp should be? I know it can varry from lake to lake, depending on location.

Thanks again!

They go crazy for about a week or two while the spawn is on. Kinda like a teenager in a whore house. When it starts will be dependent on water temp. Sorry, I don't really know exactly what that temp may be. You might check out a book called Carp on the Fly by Reynolds, Befus, & Berryman.

Excellent! Thanks!

They are active right now here, but I know on most the stillwaters May is going to be the month for them. For the past four weeks I have been consumed with those guys. What a blast!

usually it starts around May. Water temps around 55 key it up

I like water temps to hit 55-58 here on the e side.

Usually 2nd or 3rd week of May for pre spawn

I don't know if you have some small pools where carp live. We have one here in an Industrial area. I have been going quite often for the past two weeks and always manage a few. It is great. The smallest was 28" and the biggest 36". Sometimes the wind stirs up the pond making site fishing tuff though.

They typically spawn during the last half of May here. June & July are good carping months.

If I work at it, I can get some in April. They're available before smallmouth are. Our smallies start biting at 52- 55, May 10- 15.

I got my first several on a fly last night at Blackman's. My daughter and I were feeding ducks and they showed up. I ran home for a rod and put on something white and fluffy looking to match the hatch. Bingo. I still find them pretty vile to look at but I admit it was a hoot to pick up a few on a dry fly in very shallow water and they seem to fight about as well as any other freshwater fish of equal size. The first run was great, in particular.

The more you fish for them, the better looking they get. LOL Did you notice they are not slimy like other fish?

RIGHT ON! What white and fluffy? They still like my yellow egg

they seem as grotesque as ever to me, but i will definitely keep targeting them.

I really don't know the name of the pattern, or even what it was tied to imitate. Just something I picked up from BigYFly.com cause it looked like it could approximate a little piece of bread. You can see it pretty cleary in the fish's gob in the second pic.

I'm dripping with envy. I've only hooked five in my life, and had them on only for a second or two.

This one was on the new ALLEN'S AST 9' 6wt:

This one on a BIIx 9 foot 8 wt.

Blue... I have that exact same rod (also in a 4wt). I want soooo bad to actually tag one. I've put many steelies on the bank with that rod, and a few salmon, but no carp yet. Maybe this is my year .

I got out again today, but took the Orvis 10' 8 weight. Caught a NICE big one and then realized, "I forgot my net" ARGH! My net is too small for these guys, but enough to scoop the head up. Anyway, I had to play him for a long time. Back and forth, trying to get his tail. I finally was able to slide him up on the wet grass for a picture and hook removal. Then my fishing partner showed up and I was able to help him and vise versa. Great Carp day althought they were a little smaller, they were fuuuuuun! Now here is the kicker. The first one was on the Yellow softhackle glow bug as a dropper off a clouser, the rest what the glow bug, but as a dropper off an Elk Hair...I know, weird set up, but they would bounce the caddis then go under for the egg.
They were very interested in my Popcorn fly too, but my timing was way off.