Carp is one of the most popular freshwater fish all over the world. They are smart enough to dodge the inexperienced anglers, which makes carp fishing challenging, yet interesting. If you live in the United States and love carp fishing, consider visiting North Carolina at least once. It covers plenty of fishing spots for the carp hunters. You will find the common carps in sandy coves and calm portions of almost every slow-flowing lake. Let’s know about their history first.
Are Common Carp Native to North Carolina?
Well, the common carp are not native to NC. They were imported 144 years ago. The river system of North California was blessed with the perfect waves and the food supply. Due to their surprising population growth, the number of other natives started to decrease. Many effective measures were taken for carp cultivation because of their hardiness and big size. Though the efforts were limited for a few years, several lakes got impressive carp populations by 1883. Carp fishing lost its reputation in the next century due to bad taste and outshining the native fishes. But things have changed again. Now, they are considered as a fantastic part of North Carolina’s water ecosystem. Every year, the anglers come to this area to catch bighead carp, grass carp, and silver carp. Sometimes, they find black carp as well. The authorities bought these varieties during the 1960s to ’70s. The motive was to control the population of some unwanted plants, snails, and multiple pest organisms.
Carp Fishing in North Carolina
Fly fishing
Fly fishing for carp is an excellent way to deceive fishes using artificial and light-weight lures. Of course, you must find out the right combination of rod, reel, and line as well. In North Carolina, you can get carps weighing 10 to 30 pounds with this method. The big catches will cause you lots of struggles and time as they always fight back. Once you spot them, they can cross more than 150 yards within a blink of the eyes. But they will be in your hand if you can handle the fishing gears properly. You have to try with patience, and determination to trick their sharp eyesight and sense.
Best Time to Come
The best time of active carp catches starts from April to August. By the second week of April, the carps get ready for spawning. The sunlight makes the pond water warm. Then, the hungry fishes search for food in the shallows to get energy for pre-spawn and post-pawn periods. They become so desperate that they chase down streamers, sometimes. So, the anglers can quickly grab them with flies during these moments. You will definitely find them roaming near the foods and shelter, which will be the ideal fishing spots.
What to Take with You
Choose one of the fly fish rods in the AFTMA 7 and 8 categories. A 9 feet long rod will be ideal for the best performance. But some exceptional cases may require AFTMA 9 rods such as grabbing carps from distant coves or water barriers. It should be sturdy enough to endure the pressure of long-term use and fights with big fishes. Select such a reel that is compatible with your rod and capable of handling the fly line. The rude carps usually tend to pull the line harder than your expectation. So, have a backing line to tackle these situations.
Flies mimic the appearance and movements of other fishes or insects. A common problem of fly fishing is, the fly becomes invisible if you cast it farther. Fly fishing should be larger than the regular ones to be visible for both you and carps. Buy the deep-colored flies for quick identification, even if it is on muddy water. You can use swimming nymph, carp tuty, wooly bugger, bread flies, pseudo-flies, etc. However, the same fly may not be useful for all lakes. That’s why check the past details of the catches of your chosen lake. Note that these flies require robust and sharp steel hooks. Otherwise, they may get disconnected due to long-time fights with heavyweight fishes or obstacles.
Next, you need to take some preparation for yourself. It is a common thing to face challenging weather conditions, rough terrain, and so on. Wear breathable, light-weight and fast-drying clothes. Many also prefer weatherproof clothes that provide strong protection against different weather. Use sunscreen, hat, polarized google to avoid the radiation of the sun. Above all, bring your fishing license.
What to do Before Casting
The carps of North Carolina are quite intelligent. You must spend some time stalking their movements before the final approaches. Don’t waste time on carps splashing on the surface and quick swimmers. They hardly take the carp bait. Keep eyes on the sunbathers and slow-moving groups. Trace them following the bubble lines. Target places that have a hard seam, feed, and visible bubble line. When you see a fish in such an area, wait more minutes. More craps may be arriving there. Estimate the speed of fishes and the depth of water. Make sure not to create noise and vibrations, as they are susceptible to these things. Avoid getting into water and cast from the river’s bank if possible. The swimming direction and location of carps also vary according to wind and heat. Therefore, check the weather forecast before heading to the place.
The Right Casting Tactic
Without precision and casting accuracy, carp fishing will be a disappointment. You should be able to cast longer than 60ft or more. The flies should be within two to three feet range of the carps. If you see a group of spawners are coming, cast the flies carefully before their arrival. Too much false casting can alert the carps. So, practice hard before the final mission. Take help from the professionals to learn the proper casting basics.
And that’s all for today. Don’t miss the splendid carp fishing nc opportunities if you have chances. We are sure that the prime fishing locations will give you a memorable experience and also your favorite fishes.
