The Everyman Fish
Carp are more than able to handle any pressures we put on them.
One other “why carp” point to make has to do with the issues of access and angling pressure.
The popularity of fly fishing, especially fly fishing for trout, has had a negative impact on our fisheries. Without getting into a political debate, we might all acknowledge that the more people there are who fly fish, the more pressure that puts on certain rivers and lakes.
It’s good to have a larger constituency of people who care about trout and rivers. And where stream access laws allow people to own and control waters, fly fishing for trout has become a pay-to-play situation in some spots. (Believe me, there are still thousands of miles and acres of streams and lakes for the public to enjoy, which is what makes fishing in America the envy of anglers around the world.) Still, not everyone has the money to join the private fishing club, or pay for a guide trip. And not everyone has the funds to jet off to a tropical paradise for some flats fishing.
Carp are the “everyman” fish, and you can make an exotic adventure, and develop your fly-fishing skills, almost anywhere–from the river running through downtown, to the ponds of a municipal golf course, natural lakes, manmade reservoirs, spillways below dams and on and on.
Are there situations where carp threaten the habitat and compete with other game fish, such as trout? Absolutely. In some places, there are too many carp. Which is all the more reason to fish for them.
It’s one realm where the fly anglers, and the bait fishermen and the bowfishing folks can all get along.
Carp are more than able to handle any pressures we put on them. There are plenty to go around. And plenty to learn and enjoy by chasing carp.
This chapter is excerpted from The Orvis Guide to Fly Fishing for Carp: Tips and Tricks for the Determined Angler (2013).
Also, check out KD’s new book: A Fishable Feast: Fly Fishing and Eating Your Way Around the World–out this year and published by Rizzoli in New York. (order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million.) If you want a personalized copy with an inscription from me for yourself or a gift recipient–e.g. “to Susie, the greatest fly angler ever to grace the rivers of the Americas”–sure, I’m game. Just visit kirkdeeter.com to order and tell me what you want me to write.
 | A guest post by
|
I have told people that a carp, which we have and catch on a fly in northern Nevada, makes me think of a bonefish that has spent a lot of time in bars, smoking, staying up late, and generally being a brawler!!
Carp suck!