Many anglers are surprised to learn how much fishing can be found right here in town, throughout the Denver area and along the Front Range. In fact, these varied opportunities were the inspiration for the original, Mile High 25 On the Fly (the 9th annual event is coming up later this month).
Don’t let runoff conditions be an excuse to stay home. If you want to enjoy some fishing close to home, warmwater species are a ton of fun. Warmwater fish provide anglers with great opportunities during runoff season and throughout the summer.
Among all warmwater species, fly fishing for carp is arguably one of the most accessible and exciting opportunities for anglers anywhere in the country. From neighborhood ponds to local reservoirs, and even right here on the Denver South Platte, you can find carp almost anywhere.
Plus, how many other fish within 10 minutes of your house can take you into your backing? Fly fishing for carp has increased in popularity in recent years. But they’re still an underdog fish, considering their accessibility, size and challenge.
As we get ready for another Mile High 25 tournament and thinking about the excitement of carp fishing in general, we made a list of 8 of our favorite carp flies.
The list begins with a couple of original patterns from our resident carp fishing guru and Umpqua Signature Tyer, Daryl Eakins. Plus, a few more patterns from tying legends Jay Zimmerman, Barry Reynolds and Lance Egan, all Umpua Tyers as well. Dive in and take notes, these are patterns that every aspiring carp angler should know…
1. Detroit Mop City
“When asked about this fly, I have been quoted as saying ‘a mop fly with moxie,’ and I still feel this way,” Daryl said. “There are quite a few mop patterns out there and I felt that if I was going to throw my hat in this controversial ring, then I had to really approach this with a balance of meticulous fly design and not taking myself too seriously. When it came to designing the Detroit Mop City, I had a vision of a plump grub or morsel that had legs to give it the appearance of being alive and moving.
“I love fishing this fly on my local urban haunt, the Denver South Platte,” Daryl said. “In addition to the more accessible fish along the bank, I can get the DMC out on fish that are holding in the middle of the river, picking off food that is tumbling down stream.
“Was it my intent to bring some respect and stature to mop flies?” he asked. “No. However, I’m not mad at it, as fish hammer this pattern with intent and confidence. This fly has successfully caught carp (common, mirror and grass), smallmouth bass, bluegill, crappie, catfish, trout and sucker.”
2. H.V.R.T. Carp Fly
“When I was still new to chasing carp, I needed to come up with a real confidence pattern,” Daryl said. “I have always and will continue to fish a Hare’s Ear. It’s a pattern that continues to be a consistent performer and one of my go-to confidence flies. So, I sent the Guide's Choice Hare’s Ear through my ‘carpwash’ and the result was a buggy, soft landing, slow sinking, very natural offering fly pattern I call the H.V.R.T.
I love this design on picky, selective fish or in clear, shallow situations where I want to match the substrate,” Daryl added. “This pattern has successfully fooled carp (common, mirror and grass), bass (largemouth and smallmouth), bluegill, crappie, catfish, trout, and white sucker.”
3. Wakame Salad (Wah-KAH-May)
“Wakame Salad translates to Seaweed Salad, you know that deliciously crunchy cold seaweed salad with sesame oil?” Daryl asked us. “That is the name of one of my more ‘underground’ patterns. Not many know the secret powers of the Wakame Salad, but those that do understand the versatility.
“This design was influenced by one of our many local carp gurus that is known throughout the carp community, Mr. Barry Reynolds,” he continued. “I had read about Barry observing carp eating vegetation on the river one afternoon, and how he went home and came up with the first version of the Carp Bitter. So, I had a little pond near work where carp were doing the same thing, eating vegetation lazily throughout the warm afternoon. I had an idea for a vegetation fly that would be slow-sinking, in order to fish the top and middle column whilst on the way to the bottom column.
“For starters, I needed this fly to be a dry fly for the front half of the presentation, and then slowly fall off the edge and sink,” Daryl added. “Once the fly is totally soaked, it sinks in a consistent and slow manner, but until then it will hang on the surface and hover. This allows a few options for the angler: First, you have a fly to fish to high-column cruising carp sipping off the top, most notably grass carp. Second, you also have a fly that can be presented on the leading edge of vegetation that carp are already feeding on. And third, once fully wet, it's a slow-sinking bug that doubles as vegetation or a plump dragonfly nymph.”
Daryl’s Wakame Salad has some unique design elements that are understated but will deliver in a myriad of ways. It has been used to catch carp (common, grass, mirror and koi), bass (largemouth and smallmouth), bluegill, crappie, catfish and white sucker.
4. Hipster Dufus
“My Hipster Dufus is my first labor of love, and quite honestly the one pattern that I designed rather than tied,” Daryl began by explaining. “Jay Zimmerman is my tying mentor and Jay’s Banksia Bug was the inspiration for the carp fly design that would eventually become the Hipster Dufus.
“The design process led to a dramatic taper, as well as using more flare/accessories than was needed, on purpose,” he continued. “It became a silhouette-driven fly, accompanied by barred wood duck and duck butt. This fly is an absolute fish magnet, and I will fish the Dufus regardless of the situation in most fisheries. The exception being, I will usually avoid the Dufus in shallow, clear, and highly visible situations, as it sticks out unnaturally in my opinion. This is where I would tie on my H.V.R.T. Carp Fly, which is perfect in those situations…but that is another story. With the Hipster Dufus, species caught include carp (common, mirror, koi and grass), bass (largemouth, smallmouth and white bass), bluegill, crappie, trout, chub and grayling.”
5. Headstand
“The Headstand is my go-to Carp fly,” Lance Egan comments. “Designed specifically for sight fishing to Carp, it has just enough weight to slowly sink and invert the hook but is just light enough to cast near feeding carp without spooking them.
“The curved shape of the strong TMC 2457 hook, along with bead chain eyes, creates a fly that inverts, riding hook point up,” he added. “This is important because of the shape of a Carp’s mouth, and to keep the fly from collecting too much moss or snagging on the bottom. Carp have a mouth with a lower lip that is shorter than their upper lip. A fly riding hook down is more likely to slide out of the fish’s mouth without penetrating. An inverted hook point is more likely to penetrate the top side of the carp’s mouth.
“The bead chain eyes, and curved hook create a profile that stands up off the bottom,” Lance explains. “Add legs for side-to-side stability and movement, and you’ll see why I named this fly the Headstand. Sneak into casting range of some feeding Carp, carefully place a Headstand right in their feeding window, and then hope you have enough backing!”
Lance likes the chartreuse version as an attractor type pattern since it’s easy for the angler and the fish to see, even in water made murky by mudding Carp. He says the rusty orange version is more popular for picky fish or clear water. It also works great wherever Carp feed on crayfish.
6. Backstabber
Speaking of Jay Zimmerman – he is responsible for one the most widely successful carp patterns, the Backstabber.
The Backstabber has just what you need in a successful carp fly while remaining perfectly simple. The combination of marabou and hen hackle provide lifelike movement in the water. The brass dumbbell eyes provide a soft landing and gradual sink. And the very strong SL45 hook gives you the ability to use a stout leader and lift that 20-pound fish.
7. Barry’s Carp Fly
Another one of our go-to carp fishing patterns is Barry’s Carp Fly. It was crafted by Barry Reynolds, one of the trailblazers in fly fishing for carp. Its design mimics the natural appearance of a crayfish or dragonfly nymph, and its ability to ride hook-up, allows anglers to strip it into the feeding zone with less chance of snagging on the bottom—a crucial advantage when targeting tailing carp.
The inherent buggy-ness of Barry’s Carp Fly adds to its effectiveness. Whether you're stalking carp in a river or in Stillwater situations, this is a must-have fly in your kit.
8. Barry’s Carp Bitter
Also from the vise of Barry Reynolds, the ingenuity of Barry's Carp Bitter is in its versatility. This fly can effectively mimic crayfish and a plethora of larger aquatic insects, including damsels, large mayflies and leeches. Suspended or slowly sinking, the olive color can even look like a piece of moss and can be used to target grass carp. Anytime you’re in pursuit of carp, this is another fly that’s worth keeping at the ready in your fly box.
Looking for more fly pattern options for Carp and other warm water species, shop them HERE.
Contact Us With Questions
Have questions about fly fishing for carp, or not sure where to begin? Our crew is here to help! If you live along the Front Range, visit one of our fly shop locations in Littleton or Denver. Or you can give us a call at 303-794-1104. We’re happy to help you with flies, tackle, rigging questions and techniques for targeting carp on the fly.
Carp fishing is a great opportunity close to home – have fun and let us know how we can help!
