Have you ever tried to catch a carp on a fly and with a fly tackle? With that challenge in mind, Slovenia is quite interesting. Here are a few tips on how to do it.

Carp is very well presented in the Slovenian waters, especially in various lakes and ponds. We’ve always been thinking of carps on a fly tackle and last summer we finally made it land something nicer.

Carps are all eaters. They will grab everything in front of their nose when they are hungry. Sometimes they even rise to a surface, but not in a manner as graylings or trout do, but rather a bit different. Whenever you have the opportunity of seeing carps in the middle of a feeding frenzy, try fly fishing.

Strategy

First of all, take into account that carps can grow much larger than other average freshwater fish species. Therefore, tackle must be stronger. We recommend using rods around #7 (AFTM), but heavier come in handy as well.

We usually use floating line as we fish in shallower parts. Wherever there is deeper water which is clear so you can see them biting, try sinking line. Among flies, we use glow bugs, various shrimps, olive green wooly buggers and large nymphs of lighter weight.

Try casting the line not in front of the carp but a few yards away from it. See if he reacts. If yes, give him time to suck in the fly and strike sharply. If not, try twitching the fly a little bit. Change flies regularly to find a proper imitation.

When hooked, carps are strong fighters. They tend to run to the weeds or underwater branches. Hold tight during the fight and do not let him go too far. A backing is mandatory as they usually unreel all the fly line.

When at the bank, carp might still be strong. We always use landing nets, so the finish is nice and smooth. After a quick photo, do not forget to clean his mouth with an antiseptic solution. Release all carps so they can live and you can enjoy watching them grow and strive.