Hello everybody, I recently got into fly fishing and picked a 8'6" 5wt rod and reel about 6 months ago to fish for trout, panfish, and bass. However now I mainly fish for carp, bowfin, and bass. I know that I would be better off with a larger rod for the bowfin and carp, but I would like to know if there is anything I can do in the meantime to make catching larger fish more enjoyable with my 5wt? Right now I'm using a 7.5 4x leader with 4x tippet. Its not working out too well as it takes me a very long time to land 10lb+ carp. What is the largest leader and tippet I can use with 5wt line? Would it be better if I upsize to 6wt line? I don't really need to be able to cast far as I mainly fish small, murky waters. Also I pretty much only use #10 bead head wooly buggers that I tie but wouldn't mind being able to cast larger flies. Thanks
5wt To Handle Carp
- Thread starter flyromper
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ditz
Well-known member
You should not have much problem casting up to a #6 carp fly on your 5wt if you don't weight it very much. I will say I took my 5wt to a carp river once and after seeing the size of some of the bigger carp I decided to take my 7wt the next day. I tend to fish light rods. Mostly a 2wt and sometimes a 5wt but not for those carp. Could it be done? your bet but a 7wt looked to fill the need much better IMO. If you are fishing small water with short casts a 6 or even a 7 line might work better for you anyway.
T
turbineblade
Guest
Are you coming into carp and warm water having started as a trout fisherman?
What do your typical carp waters look like? I'm in the DC area and when I fish for carp I use a 7-8 weight with a 30 > 20 > 12 or 10 pound mono leader. That 4x stuff is worthless for the weighted leech patterns I use for sight casting, in the wind, and for the big carp on the Potomac river. Plus, they can run under bridge pylons at will and rub-rub, and *ping.
My experience with them is that the tippet size could probably go even heavier (15-17#) and I'd still get into them...it seems to be more about making a good, accurate cast quickly.
Actually, I'd venture a guess that there are few instances where you'd want to go to 4x unless you're casting over very clear, shallow water to carp that are quite small. I'm sure someone could show me a scenario where I might be using smaller nymphs or soft hackles and I might choose lighter tippet, but not here.
If you find large carp it will take a very long time to bring them in using a light rod. When I lived in VA. I used to catch them in the lake behind the house and a 7 weight was about as light as I would use. They are strong fish that can easily reach 10 pounds and some much heavier. I suggest that if this is going to be a targeted species you get a rod that will drag these things in quickly. Even with an 8 weight you can find carp that will not be easy to bring to shore.
I originally got into fly fishing for trout and occasionally panfish. I find fly fishing funner/ more rewarding than spinning/ bait casters so all I use now for any fishing is my fly rod. The waters I fish are small rivers, creeks, and ponds. There are structures like bridges, logs, and bushes so I would like to be able to control the fish better. I guess what Im really asking is, does it matter how large of leader I use on 5wt line? Would it be better if I us 6wt line to be able to use a larger leader and tippet? Or should I just keep this rod for trout and save up for a 7wt?
---------- Post added at 03:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:44 PM ----------
---------- Post added at 03:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:44 PM ----------
Ok thanks. Yeah last week I caught a carp that was around 10lbs and it took me an 1hr and 40min to land him. Thats when I decided I need to get some different gear.
Honestly, you're gonna need a heavier rod. I can cast any size fly including pike flies on my five weight rod. You can use a level 25 pound leader on a 5 weight but if and when you are hooked solidly to a really heavy and strong fish the 5 weight is going to be bent in half throughout the landing process. Big carp or any other fish that doesn't want to go to shore will bend a 7 weight in half also but the rod should take it. For landing carp regularly I would want a rod that I wasn't afraid of snapping while trying to drag one into shallow water.
I'm a long ways from carp fishing now but this would be the equivalent of me using my five weight to target salmon. I catch a few while trout fishing and they can be handled but (no boast intended) I've been catching salmon since 1979 and in that length of time you get good at handling a fish regardless of what the rod is. However, when fishing specifically for salmon or steelhead I use heavy rods and am way happier that way when I hook up.
Ard
I'm a long ways from carp fishing now but this would be the equivalent of me using my five weight to target salmon. I catch a few while trout fishing and they can be handled but (no boast intended) I've been catching salmon since 1979 and in that length of time you get good at handling a fish regardless of what the rod is. However, when fishing specifically for salmon or steelhead I use heavy rods and am way happier that way when I hook up.
Ard
T
turbineblade
Guest
You can fish tippet as heavy as you want on a lighter fly line -- there's no real penalty for it. You don't need a heavier fly line to unroll a heavier leader and tippet. I frequently use a 9' 5-weight with 5-6x tippet one day (trout), and then 4x - 12 pound test on another day (warm). Of course, generally if I am using 12 pound tippet I'm also throwing bigger, heavier stuff where a 7-8 weight line would probably be more suited, but use what you have by all means. The problem is sometimes at the other end, where you might fish a 8-weight rod with light tippet.....because the rod won't flex enough to keep the tippet from popping.
Most folks in my region fish for carp with 6-8 weight rods using 7-10' 0x-2x leaders. I like 0x as a minimum, up to 12 pound test. Like I said, I don't think the tippet size is really a deciding factor vs. the rest of your presentation.
Your 5-weight is fine so long as you can cast the flies and know how to fight fish.
To make life easier, I would use a shorter overall leader if using a 5-weight for carp.....closer to 7-8' would be my choice.
Later on you can decide if you think a 7-8 weight line would cut the wind better and/or make casting easier on you. Also, stouter rods make fighting fish a bit easier, but IMO fighting fish is more a function of angler skill....especially with a lot of trout folks who have never had to use a reel to slow a running fish.
Just saw your reference to a 10 pound carp -- yeah, for those sized fish I'd certainly opt for the 7-8 weight. Also, be sure to watch SW (or steelhead) videos where someone demonstrates how to use the butt of the rod to tire out the fish. It's hard to explain, but you want to be essentially trying to "pull" the fish to you from the handle of the rod. Think "low angle".
Most folks in my region fish for carp with 6-8 weight rods using 7-10' 0x-2x leaders. I like 0x as a minimum, up to 12 pound test. Like I said, I don't think the tippet size is really a deciding factor vs. the rest of your presentation.
Your 5-weight is fine so long as you can cast the flies and know how to fight fish.
To make life easier, I would use a shorter overall leader if using a 5-weight for carp.....closer to 7-8' would be my choice.
Later on you can decide if you think a 7-8 weight line would cut the wind better and/or make casting easier on you. Also, stouter rods make fighting fish a bit easier, but IMO fighting fish is more a function of angler skill....especially with a lot of trout folks who have never had to use a reel to slow a running fish
.Just saw your reference to a 10 pound carp -- yeah, for those sized fish I'd certainly opt for the 7-8 weight. Also, be sure to watch SW (or steelhead) videos where someone demonstrates how to use the butt of the rod to tire out the fish. It's hard to explain, but you want to be essentially trying to "pull" the fish to you from the handle of the rod. Think "low angle".
I've been using my 11' 4 wt Cabelas CZN nymphing rod for carp lately. Caught a bunch on it including 25" and 28" over the past couple weekends.
I'm using 1x tippet.
I was using the 4 wt when I broke the spool off my reel a few days ago, so I finished the session with the reel in my pocket.
No drag, no nothing. Sort of an unplanned tenkara.
Here's the result:
I'm using 1x tippet.
I was using the 4 wt when I broke the spool off my reel a few days ago, so I finished the session with the reel in my pocket.
No drag, no nothing. Sort of an unplanned tenkara.
Here's the result:
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5wt seems a bit light in my opinion. I'd think that you'd get taken into your backing nearly every time you hooked one. Mind you I have yet to land a carp, but the ones that I have hooked into have been POWERFUL fish. I go after carp using an 8wt and they but a might bend in the rod.
What part of NC are you in?
What part of NC are you in?
wee hooker
Well-known member
10# fish on a 5 wt is a problem I'd like to have.
Perhaps you could close youe eyes and pretend its a 10# trout.
Perhaps you could close youe eyes and pretend its a 10# trout.
I haven't had them get into my backing yet, they just like to do runs back and forth. Im in Durham btw.
It's pretty fun but I would like to catch a few fish when I go out, not just spend my whole time getting one in haha10# fish on a 5 wt is a problem I'd like to have.
Perhaps you could close youe eyes and pretend its a 10# trout.
I'm in Apex, we should get together and go carpin'.
Hey that sounds good to me. I don't know anybody else that even fly fishes around here
jml43
Well-known member
I use a 10wt 7'11" TFO and with a 10wt reel and have no problem landing the carp. But were I fish in NC there is alot of trash in the water...
Thats a pretty heavy duty setup for carp. How do you like the shorter rod?
dc410
Well-known member
I've caught carp on my 5 wt rod (and it was a lot of fun) but my preferred rod for carpin' is my 9' 8 wt. I like to have the option of applying some serious side pressure when fighting a carp to either turn them or keep them from getting tangled up in some debris. The 8 wt with 1X tippet usually allows me to do that with a lot of confidence. I love matching wits with them, hooking up with them and then the adrenaline rush and the ensuing fight but I really don't have the desire for it to take an hour or more to bring the fish to hand.
Unknownflyman
Well-known member
The carp around here would turn that 5 weight into toothpicks. 20 lb fish are regular common and go up to the high 30 s, I have a pic somewhere of me with a 40 lb monster. I think my spey rod is about right for the mighty Mississippi river.
The places around me here in NC, I have to think the same thing. I would say that all the carp that I have seen are easily in the 15-20 pound range. No little pups that I have come across. Which is why I always use my 8wt. I have an old fiber glass rod that has an 8wt line on it, but is probably more like a 6/7wt. I have been toying around with the idea of stalking carp with it.
I'm new to carping and have never carried a scale. Is there any way to sort of approximately roughly convert length to weight?
The carp I've caught in the LA River have varied somewhat in body thickness, etc, but none of them have been anywhere even close to the obese-huge-distended-belly-types I've seen photos of in other waters.
Our carp are kinda "normal." Does that mean something?!
Anyway, for "normal proportioned carp" what would you expect the following to weigh?
22" (around our standard length)
25" (first carp I caught)
28" (biggest so far)
Thanks!
Andy
The carp I've caught in the LA River have varied somewhat in body thickness, etc, but none of them have been anywhere even close to the obese-huge-distended-belly-types I've seen photos of in other waters.
Our carp are kinda "normal." Does that mean something?!
Anyway, for "normal proportioned carp" what would you expect the following to weigh?
22" (around our standard length)
25" (first carp I caught)
28" (biggest so far)
Thanks!
Andy