Carp Leaders

[teamtrout]

What size leaders do you guys use for carp fishing? I did a little last year, and just used my trout leaders. I caught dozens ranging from 2-12 pounds on 9 foot 6x leaders - a bit thin , but I got away with them.

 

[ejsell]

9 ft 3x is my standard warm water setup. A nice carp broke of my 4x tippet late summer while I was fishing for trout and small mouth. I'd caught several small mouth off a rock ledge, indicator fishing and thought I had another on until he took off and snapped my tippet above the indicator. I watched my thingamabobber run up and down the river for a while before I gave up on trying to retrieve it.

 

[turbineblade]

I fish for carp on the Potomac, which is a large, open river with frequent wind. The flies I use tend to be a size 6 and are weighted, somewhat "leechish" in appearance.

I can't imagine using a 6x leader and won't ever think about it further.

I tend to use a 8-12' leader of 30 > 20 > 10 pound monofilament and have hooked a couple of "hot" carp that ran quite a lot of backing out.

Frankly, I don't see the point in using light tippet for carp given the size of fish, conditions, and the quick-sinking flies I need to make a presentation to them. the heavier stuff just makes your life a lot easier and given the little room for error, why be a moron? (Read below -- I'm still a moron). With carp, it seems to me that stealth (or staying completely out of the water, or on watercraft if at all possible) is about 95% of the game with sight casting. The rest is getting a good cast out in front of a feeding fish and hoping to get an approach. If I choose to wade, I don't even expect to see carp since they skip town long before I can reach 'em.

In the interest of being honest, I did hook one last year (probably a 20-25 pound fish) usiing a TFO finesse 3-weight that I was *planning to use to catch the sunfish on a calm day out there. He ran me out, under a concrete bridge pylon and wore my leader through (4x leader).

I like to think I'm no longer dumb enough to not have my 8-weight in May, but we'll see this coming year .

YMMV

 

[Vans]

I fish the Columbia and generally use 0x-2x 9' leaders. 10-12 pounders are common, lots of 15-20lbs and bigger to be had. Have to have a strong leaders to hang onto the tanks, especially when they head into the salad.

 

[ditz]

Contact Joni and buy a couple of her leaders. She doesn't seem to have any problem hooking and landing lots of carp

 

[teamtrout]

I can't imagine using a 6x leader and won't ever think about it further.
YMMV

Haha! Yeah, I usually cut them down so they were about 7 foot and ended in like 4x, but I did land a few bigguns on the 6x!

I appreciate all the info everyone. I'll tie up a few new leaders.

 

[dc410]

I use 3' of 40 lb. maxima chameleon (it stretches and forgives a multitude of bad decisions), 3' of 20 lb. flourocarbon and 3' + of 1X tippet. Double surgeon knots between all connections. My experience is that carp really are not leader shy as long as you don't drag it across their back. I use an 8 wt. and with this leader set up I can apply side pressure and turn some pretty good fish with confidence to keep them out of the debris that they usually head directly at when hooked. Most of the fish that I lose are due to my laziness in not retying the fly to the leader periodically and not because of a failure in my leader system.

 

[clever_nickname]

I guess I'm the only one who uses a 9 foot piece of 10 lb mono then ha

 

[dc410]

Having a leader turn a fly over properly is one of the most important parts of the presentation. The presentation of the fly is absolutely critical IMO in carp fishing.

 

[bambam]

I guess I'm the only one who uses a 9 foot piece of 10 lb mono then ha

Me to. The carp I catch are in a local drainage ditch, all sight fishing. Any cast near them spooks 'em. You need to be in the water before they come close. Flip it out and wait for them then slow strip to put in strike zone. Works for me.

 

[fisher46]

I guess I'm the only one who uses a 9 foot piece of 10 lb mono then ha

I use about that on to a 30 butt so it doesn't cut into my line. It turns a weighted wooly bugger over just fine for me. I think it's little stealthier than a tapered leader. The waters I fish are fairly clear.

 

[lthrnk03]

I've taken to twisting my own leaders. I bought a spool of 10lb and 12lb flouro. I make the butt section of the leader around 6-7 ft long and then add a section of 10lb "tippet"

 

[jjc155]

my carp leader (for my 7wt) is:

All flouro.

1.5-2ft, 25lb
2ft, 20lb
2-2.5ft, 15lb
3-4ft, 10lb.

Works well for where and how I fish.

I have run just straight 10lb when I am in a place where I am essentially dapping for them.

J-

 

[spameggsandrice]

Carps are very easily spooked fish, but when they are hooked it is fun. I've been using 14lb flurocarbon 3ft right off of the fly line itself.

 

[flyfishgirl]

When I'm fishing for Carp I use my 6wt Fenwick HMG with floating line with a straight 14lb fluorocarbon leader, I have never had an issue with the 14lb! The lakes here in New Mexico are all different when it comes to Carp, some of them get spooked easy where as others do not.

 

[ghostrider408]

I tie my own leaders for carp and they turn over everything I can throw with my 8 weight, from size 12 nymphs all the up to 1/0 clouser minnows.

Here's what I do.

-30 lb. Trilene Big Game butt section starting with a double surgeon's loop (stronger than a perfection loop), 4 ft. long, attach surgeon's loop to your fly line loop (or if line doesn't have a loop, make your own loop in the end of the fly line by putting a couple of nail knots with 20 lb. line to secure the loop).

-20 lb. Trilene Big Game tied to butt section with a double uni knot (makes a clean, in line connection), 2-3 ft. long.

- 10 or 12 lb. Stren flourocarbon tippet, 2 ft. long, attached by a triple surgeon's knot.

I use this same basic leader formula for bass as well with good results.

 

[jrob]

I have been using a basic nylon bass leader cut to the larger diameter section, then ad 12lbs invisix fluorocarbon tippet. Working great.

 

[clouserguyky]

Mine is very similar to ghostriders. I like a 7 weight line for carp. I either use a 7 weight TFO Mangrove or a 6 weight TFO BVK usually for carp, and I'll use the same 7 weight Rio Smallmouth line on either one. The seven weight is good because although most carp flies are small, I usually have some patterns heavily weighted, and the 7 weight line helps turn them over in close on a longer leader, especially when I overline the 6 weight rod. Most of the carp I've caught have been on casts shorter than 20 feet.

For the leader I use 3.5 of 20 lb Big Game in green, 2.5 feet of Seagar 15 lb flouro, and however much tippet I need in Stren 10lb flouro. Works great. I use that for smallmouth a lot too. I've had luck with level leaders for carp, but a little taper helps me go longer with my leader. If they notice your fly line splash down, the fish is gone, so I try to keep my leader at least 9 foot except for when I'm stalking the banks for them. Another thing with the level leaders is that the smaller diameter line will cut into your fly line loop if you use one.

 

[jhammer]

It's been a while, but I used to use FC furled leaders and a piece of 10-12lb fluorocarbon. If I recall, I used to use the bass or bullwhip ones.

 

[fisher46]

It depends on the fly weight, water clarity and wind. A. 30, 20, 15. 12 or 10 lb step down works for most every thing I'm throwing on an 8 wt. if you want a longer leader, most times I extend the butt instead of the tippet. Keeps things casting smooth. Furled leaders make casting and presentation sexyer if your throw small stuff. Kinda expensive for carp though. At least here in the states.

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