| Montana has deservedly gained a reputation for | | | | fly is close to the fish a slow strip retrieve frequently |
| offering some of the world's finest fly fishing for wild | | | | produces a follow and strike. Setting the hook is best |
| trout. Visiting anglers come to Montana in search of | | | | done with a strop set similar to that used when fishing |
| pristine waters, large trout, great hatches and | | | | for bonefish and redfish on saltwater flats. Once |
| unparalleled scenery. Carp fishing on a Montana fishing | | | | hooked, carp always make a long powerful run so be |
| trip is not usually what most fisherman envision when | | | | ready to let the fish take some line. |
| they travel to the Big Sky state, but visiting anglers that | | | | Dry fly fishing for carp is one of the great thrills in |
| give it a try are rarely disappointed. | | | | freshwater fly fishing. Carp are generally thought of as |
| Although the headwaters of most of the famous trout | | | | bottom feeders, but they readily and frequently feed |
| rivers in the state are too cold for carp, several | | | | off of the surface when the opportunity arises. Carp |
| reservoirs and a few of the larger rivers such as the | | | | are especially found of rising in giant foam eddies that |
| Missouri hold them in abundance. The Upper Missouri | | | | occur on the Missouri river. These large eddies collect |
| river between Three Forks and Canyon Ferry | | | | debris that is in the water and a rich foam of organic |
| Reservoir has been gaining notoriety amongst local | | | | material develops on the surface. Trapped within this |
| fisherman as a must fish destination during the | | | | foam is often a slurry of mayflies, caddis flies, |
| summer. On a float trip on the Upper 'Mo it is common | | | | grasshoppers, ants and other insects. Large schools of |
| to see hundreds of carp during the course of the day, | | | | up to 50 carp at a time will congregate in these eddies |
| each between 5 and 15 pounds. Carp fishing with a fly | | | | while feeding aggressively at the surface. Fooling |
| rod is almost entirely done by site fishing to shallow | | | | these "gulpers" is harder than it looks. The fish are |
| cruising fish. The experience of hunting carp with the | | | | incredibly spooky, and all it takes is setting off one fish |
| eye and then making a quick accurate cast to the | | | | for the whole pod to go down. Carp can also be |
| surprisingly spooky golden ghosts, followed by a | | | | caught during hopper season when they take up |
| hookup on a monstrous hard charging fish is one that | | | | feeding stations along the banks of the river. A |
| becomes addictive to almost every fly fisherman that | | | | properly presented hopper cast just upstream of the |
| tries it. | | | | spotted carp will often produce a strike. |
| The allure of catching 15-pound fish on hoppers in | | | | Montana's carp are large fish, and the traditional trout |
| August is so addictive that several local guides and | | | | fishing tackle are generally too light. Saltwater rods |
| outfitters completely forego chasing trout on their days | | | | suited for bonefish and redfish are perfect for carp. |
| off during the peak of the summer in order to go | | | | An stout 7 wt or 8wt is the preferred rod of choice |
| "carping". | | | | for many local anglers and guides. The heavier rods |
| Carp fishing is best done on hot summer days when | | | | are useful when fighting the strong muscular fish. |
| the fish are more active. Sunny days are best | | | | Leaders should also be stout, there is really no need to |
| because in order to catch carp you must see them | | | | fish anything below 3X, with 2X the most common |
| before they see you. Cloudy days produce a glare on | | | | tippet strength. Flourocarbon is probably not needed, |
| the water that makes visibility much more difficult. Most | | | | but most of our guides use it just in case when sight |
| guides that go carping build special decks on their drift | | | | casting to the spooky fish in clear water. Flourocarbon |
| boats that help to elevate the anglers position in order | | | | should only be used on subsurface presentations and |
| to aid spotting fish. While floating in drift boats, the | | | | not for dry flies. |
| oarsman lines the boat up to pass by shallow slow | | | | Carp have not achieved the celebrity status that trout |
| water flats on the edges of gravel bars. The casters | | | | have claimed in Montana, but they are certainly a |
| fire flies to spotted fish. The best flies for carp are | | | | worthy game fish. Many of the guests that we fish |
| often medium brown colored patterns resembling | | | | with at Big Sky Angler each year have come in |
| crayfish and sculpins. Saltwater bonefish patterns like | | | | search of terrific trout fishing on legendary rivers like |
| Crazy Charlies are also very effective. It helps to have | | | | the Madison and Yellowstone. Occasionally we are |
| a weighted head on the flies to help them sink fast | | | | able to convince folks to take a shot at the golden |
| and to keep the flies right on the bottom. Casts should | | | | ghost. Every client that we have ever guided on a |
| be made about five feet upstream of the fish so that | | | | carp fishing trip has requested to do it again on future |
| the fly has time to sink and drift into position. Once the | | | | trips! |