[Opry99er]

Gonna try to get a carp or two on the fly today. Wish me luck!

Got this ugly ******* today at Discount Tackle.

If no luck there, I'm hitting up Sloans and I'll be using a "bolt rig" for the first time. The bolt rig essentially defies common carp logic Convention says that you should use very light sinkers (if any at all) because carp are finicky and will drop the bait if something doesn't feel "right"...

The BOLT rig is called that for a reason. You run a heavy heavy FIXED sinker and a short leader from the weight. They'll pick up the bait (in my case, the hair rig I posted up a few days ago) and feel the weight very quickly. They will attempt to "BOLT" (hence the name of the rig) and will hook themselves in the process. This type of rig requires 3 things:

1) a very sharp hook
2) a very heavy sinker
3) the "hair" rig setup

***SEE THE TOP RIG SHOWN. THE BOTTOM RIG IS THE TYPICAL CAROLINA RIG

European guys use this rig about 75% of the time and it works quite well. Youtube it, google it, whatever... Fact is, this is a tried and true method for catching carp of massive proportions.


Anyway, here are the big ass weights I bought today. They are slip egg sinkers, but will be fixed into place with a splitshot just in front of the sinker... That b*tch ain't movin.

 

[rvinson]

Hmmm. never heard of that method before...

I would think using those same weights(if you are needing to cast a great distance!) allowed to slip so the carp doesn "bolt" would be more effective... But i have never had much luck with Carp.. So what do i know. lol

And when i do try for carp i always go weightless... same with Catfishing.. Weightless... You typically dont need to cast as far as most people think.. so I am able to do without weight and still manage a few... Atleast cats.... carp are a whole diff. story.

 

[Opry99er]

Yea... That's what I thought too! But guys like John Finney (owner of the unofficial carp state record) and a ton of British dudes run it.

The point is to make the carp pick up the bait, feel the weight, freak out and take off. When they do this (because of the hook angle created with the hair setup) it hooks itself and bolts the f*** off, thereby hooking itself and ripping drag. All you gotta do is pick up the rod, make sure the hook is secure, and fight the *******.

Just learned about this method a week ago and have been dying to give it a go. I have 3 great carp ponds within 5 miles of my house, so I don't have to travel to try it out.

 

[WestSloper]

I never seen someone put more time into catching carp then you opry! I go carping once in a while just to kill time, only ever use a nightcrawler on a hook and a couple splitshot though. Sometimes whip a fly at em, thats fun. I guess we're spoiled out west, there's 10-20lbs carp in every puddle, swamp, or ditch around here and you can catch them non-stop most days. They're more of a nuisance on the western slope then anything.

 

[Opry99er]

It has become more of a challenge than anything. I want to catch a 20+ pounder before June 1st. If I can get proficient at catching them, I may just have an unlimited supply of catfish bait 3 blocks from my house. That pond has no big ones, but thousands of 12-18 inchers.

 

[WestSloper]

Come on over then, there's 20+lbs minnows in my backyard everyday! I normally shoot em with the bow and cut them up for bait or lake powell chum.

 

[Opry99er]

If I am gonna travel, I will go to Granby and go after Lakers.

Carp are a fish of convenience for me. They're here in abundance in Denver... But traveling for them... Nah. They aren't that important to me.

Thanks for the offer, brotha.

 

[NymphoStage]

I plan on using the same carp crack bought from Discount to try and get some carp for the first time ever on the platte today. I plan on using carp crack on about 1 foot of tippet, split shot above the tippet, bobber a few feet up. Is this the correct rig for carp on the Platte? I have never tried it before.

 

[pistoldog]

Go get em Opry!!

 

[NymphoStage]

If I am gonna travel, I will go to Granby and go after Lakers.

Carp are a fish of convenience for me. They're here in abundance in Denver... But traveling for them... Nah. They aren't that important to me.

Thanks for the offer, brotha.

My thoughts exactly. I can go hit them for a few hours after work and head to the gym before heading home or even go get a few on my lunch hour. If I am travelling I am going after some nice trout or something else.

 

[Opry99er]

We're going fishing at 3:00 PM. Weather should be nice. We're hitting the Platte up first for that fly-fishing endeavor. Hopefully with my new Polars I'll be able to see them rooting around. I'm just gonna drop in in the water 5-10 feet in front of them, let the current drift it down, then let it roll by a few feet, rinse and repeat.

If we can't catch one in an hour or so of trying, I'm going to take the show to the carp ponds and give the bolt rig a shot. Either way, we'll be fishing into the evening hours.


Just hope my fly rod can handle em! Will 10 lb mono work as tippet?

 

[Opry99er]

Okay all... here's the "bolt rig". This is on my actual 8' MH rod right now. I didn't go all tarty with safety clips and plastic tubing and sh**... Just the basics.

Main line-->1/16 oz splitshot-->3 oz slip sinker-->plastic bead-->Heavy Duty swivel-->7 inch leader-->Hair rigged J hook

I initially didn't think that little splitshot would hold the weight, but if you snug it right up against the weight, it holds just fine.

To convert to catfish rig, all I need to do is remove the splitshot and change the leader and hook.

 

[Opry99er]

Fly fishing was a big strikeout... Couldn't see anything under the water... Water was real high and murky. Stood on bridges to spot and nothing. Tried presenting the flies in deeper runs and on flats... Nada. Total suck. We are at the pond now, and the wind has picked up considerably. Kid is getting bored... About to head home.

 

[Opry99er]

***Post deleted... foul vile language and unnecessary venting***

 

[golden rod]

Step off the ledge , Oprah........it happens to all of us.

 

[NymphoStage]

Fly fishing was a big strikeout... Couldn't see anything under the water... Water was real high and murky. Stood on bridges to spot and nothing. Tried presenting the flies in deeper runs and on flats... Nada. Total suck. We are at the pond now, and the wind has picked up considerably. Kid is getting bored... About to head home.

I feel your pain! I had the same exact experience on the platte right by invesco. No visibility, higher and faster water than expected. Sounds like it wasn't just me! I did learn some new knots today though. I'm pretty sure some of them were originals that hadn't been named yet so that is neat...

 

[John_COSprings]

Any luck yet Owen ? Or the carp still haunting you in your dreams ?

John

 

[Opry99er]

John, I'm not specifically targeting them right now... To be honest, I was having a little trouble with tangling on the bolt rig pictured above... The guys over at CAG were helpful enough to suggest using rubber shrink tubing from the swivel toward the hair rig, but... to be honest... I've put about all the effort I'm going to put in at this point.

I'll more than likely simplify the rig back to how I had it last year, when I was catching the sh** out of the carp. Minus, of course, the 3 way swivel death setup.

 

[John_COSprings]

Sometimes, I do admit, you cannot beat simple !

I have noticed in my own fishing evolution that more > gear > complicated rigs often equates to < fish on the bank. It's hard to beat, a slip sinker, run rig, with corn stuffed onto the hook !

Most of my high tech goodies I deploy now in my fishing certainly make the process easier, more relaxing, less intensive - which is good, as I need all that extra time for filming my endeavors!

John