Carp near Philly

[greenlander]

I'm itching to give carp a shot for the first time this year.

Can anyone suggest locations near Philly where I can try my hand at carp fishing?

Also, I've got a 5 weight rod and a 9 weight, nothing in between (besides a 7wt spey). Thoughts?

Fly suggestions, tactic suggestions, etc are welcome.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Pittflyguy]

Greenlander. I would go with the 5. I regularly fish with a 6. Unless you are really finding some monsters, you should be fine. The size fly you are throwing will be fine on a 5. You may take a bit longer in the fish fighting process but you should do just fine. I think the 9 is not only overkill, but you may have a harder time with delicate presentations in close. Basically the same thing you fish for trout on the heavy side should get you through... floating line, 9-10 foot leader, 0X-4X tippet.

I am not from Philly, so I don't know any good spots, but any warm water fishery around there is going to hold Carp. Almost any pond you come across should. I prefer small rivers, large creeks or spillways... anything that has wadable moving water but with good slow or still water pockets in it.

Good luck! Be careful... it is highly addictive!

 

[greenlander]

Found this thread for suggestions on tactics/gear, so no need to reiterate it here.

Locations to hunt carp near Philly are still welcomed, though.

 

[Fredrick]

Here is a good website to try http://www.carpanglersgroup.com/forum/index.php?showforum=26

 

[jayL]

Honestly, anywhere on the skuke is as good as anywhere else from what I've found. It's great carp fishing from Philly to Reading.

 

[afishinado]

If you want to hunt for carp and sight fish for them just like fishing on the flats for bonefish (well almost ) try the Tully. I'm not kidding!

 

[Volksnurse]

I've seen some big carp along the Delaware canal...

 

[CLSports]

The Perkiomen Creek is good because it is shallower than the Schuylkill and you can sight fish for them. I have seen them under the 422 bridge, under the Plank Rd. bridge off of Rte. 29 and under a bridge up from there that is only used as a pedestrian bridge along the bike trail.

Green Lane Reservoir has a ton that frollic in the shallows up in the Red Hill area. I have never fished for them there.

I tried to target them under 422 last year with no luck. I used a crayfish pattern and had one sniff at it, but he would not take it at all.

 

[greenlander]

jayL wrote:
Honestly, anywhere on the skuke is as good as anywhere else from what I've found. It's great carp fishing from Philly to Reading.

jay -

I thought about trying my hand on the skuke somewhere down near philly, but the water is so big I feel like I'd be constantly blind-fishing to who knows what.

I was down behind the art museum today and saw a few people fishing below the falls, though for what I have no idea. There looked like there might be some shallow water on the far side near the highway, but I couldn't tell for sure.

I've also fished the skuke up by Valley Forge, but the water's no smaller and seemingly less accessible there than it is down in the city.

Do you know suggested access points/areas to fish where one can wade and presume to find/see fish?

 

[mute]

Like already mentioned, the perkiomen over by 422 bypass in oaks park is a good spot to sight fish for them. Or if you like a challenge or i guess are talented you could fish for them all stacked around the dam.

Theres also some big carp and big suckers in the skippack in evansburg that you can sight fish to

 

[greenlander]

mute - thanks again for the specifics on the Perkiomen. I'll definitely head out to check the Perkiomen sooner than later, but with traffic that's probably an hour drive for me from center city. Trying to come up with a list of spots and see what comes up closest to downtown.

 

[jayL]

It's big water, but the best you can do is just cover it. The walking path that parallels the river along kelly drive through center city is the best place to start. It's a pretty featureless river down there, so there's no special spot (aside from the bridges and dams) There's plenty of eye candy on the jogging path too.

I have caught some nice largemouth at the strawberry mansion bridge.

 

[Volksnurse]

jayL wrote:
It's big water, but the best you can do is just cover it. The walking path that parallels the river along kelly drive through center city is the best place to start. It's a pretty featureless river down there, so there's no special spot (aside from the bridges and dams) There's plenty of eye candy on the jogging path too.

I have caught some nice largemouth at the strawberry mansion bridge.

Or start smaller in the canal at the end of Main St in Manyunk...Not sure about carp but there's some nice smallies in there...

 

[skiltonian]

I hit the Unami today and due to the chocolate milk, i didn't catch anything until I got to one of the ponds and saw carp all over the place tailing along the weed beds. I waded out and waited for one to show itself within casting range. It was textbook - see the carp working the shallows, place a cast to its anticipated location, let the fly sink, couple of small strips, line goes tight - cooper king on! did a short little run, i worked it up away from the weeds and close to the bank. dog goes it to see the fish and it takes off, into my backing, and I get it back to shore relatively quick thereafter. This fish saved me from the skunk today!
Got the fish on an 8.5' 5wt without any problems. fish took a tan BHPT, sz 12 tied to 8lb flouro.

 

[Pittflyguy]

Skiltonian,

Nice Work and Nice Fish! It always makes me laugh when they are giving a bit of fight almost like they don't really know they are hooked yet and once the do they take off like a bat out of hell. Makes me want to duck out of work early!

 

[Fredrick]

Nice Skilt what fly did he take ?
Oh just seen thxs

 

[mute]

Awesome

 

[skiltonian]

BH nyphms always worked for me with carp. Also, there was a slight drizzle and the water clarity was in the inches, which I think helped even though the fish was about 45' away when hooked. sometimes you can get right up on them and other times, they are gone so quick you never get a cast at 'em. stillwaters, while wading, is usually pretty tough to sneek up on them.