By Kirk Deeter

I already have my 2012 New Year's resolutions. Most are the same as they always are (lose weight, swear less, knock a few strokes off my golf handicap, etc.). But I've made one fishing-specific addition: I resolve to make 2012 the Year of the Carp. By that, I mean, for every day I spend trout fishing or bass fishing, I intend to devote at least one day in pursuit of Old Rubberlips. I am absolutely serious about that.

I can see the comments already. Deeter, you have officially lost your mind (to which I say, "You're just now figuring that out?"). But there are solid reasons behind the plan.

1.) Catching more carp on the fly will make me a better fly angler. Carp are harder (at least for me) to catch than trout and bass. That's not to say that I think trout and bass are easy, nor that those species bore me. But carp are very interesting.

2.) Because I can. No matter where I am, carp will be nearby. Odds are, as you read this, carp are the closest fish to most of you. Fish for carp and expand your opportunities.

3.) Because Beaver Island blew my mind, and I want to go back there with my family. I had many great fishing adventures in 2011--Argentina, Ireland, Saskatchewan, and more--but believe it or not, Beaver Island in Lake Michigan sticks out in a special kind of way. Check this out, and you'll see why.

4.) Purely economic motives. Carp fishing is among the fastest growing segments of the fly fishing industry. If you're a guide, or shop owner, or manufacturer of fly product and you aren't at least dabbling in carp now, you're nuts. Same can be said for writers (and yes, there is a book in the works).

5.) Because 2013 will be the "Year of the Bonefish" and I need practice sight fishing on the flats, and need to save my money to make that resolution feasible.

Comments (13)

from ckRich wrote 1 year 26 weeks ago

Lets see: a (possibly) large fish that can be picky as hell, pulls like a freight train, justifies the investment in a pink short-bus complete with kegorator, and gives me a reason to tie yet another box full of flies...

Hell, you may be the most sane of the bunch.

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from buckhunter wrote 1 year 26 weeks ago

I have the ultimate carp spot. In the Spring hundreds can be found tailing in the shallow backwaters. The muddy water makes them easy to approach but their heads are buried in the mud so deep they do not seem to see the fly. The best time is when the cotton wood falls onto the water and the carp are feeding on the surface. Still have not figured them out but once I do it'll be fly fishing nirvana.

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from madmike98 wrote 1 year 26 weeks ago

summer gets hot here and water gets low trout and bass season is over early but there are always carp. Havent figured out which flies work though not much luck so far. love the blog keep us updated on the carp fihing and dont forget to include the fly patterns that work

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from Joe Demalderis wrote 1 year 26 weeks ago

A challenging fish on the fly for sure. I've caught them on Clousers and nymphs when they've been rooting up the bottom. My experience is limited but what I've found is if they ain't eatin', they ain't eatin'.

Kirk, let loose with some tips... don't be koi about it ;)

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from upacreek333 wrote 1 year 26 weeks ago

Yeah, baby... Carpe ... carp!

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from upacreek333 wrote 1 year 26 weeks ago

Yeah, baby... Carpe ... carp!

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jamesti wrote 1 year 26 weeks ago

since i don't live there anymore, i'll give you a carp honey hole location. the ponds behind the dick's sporting goods in longmont. lots of them in there! you're welcome.

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from Blue Ox wrote 1 year 25 weeks ago

Honey hole- Van Horn woods in Lemont, IL. Look for the pond fed by the Des Plains river. Seen some true monsters cruising in & out of there, best time is around the last week of May.

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from backcast wrote 1 year 25 weeks ago

Carp ain't no punks, that's for sure. I've heard aficionados say that fishing for bones is good practice for carp, as opposed to the other way around.

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from bestbait wrote 1 year 25 weeks ago

Fishign carp is something I love doing. I use http://bestbaitforfishing.com for all my carp fishing bait info

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from Sayfu wrote 1 year 25 weeks ago

When I'm dry fly fishing over a big hatch with few anglers out on the water...fishing on a moving water river, in a beautiful mountain setting with big heads rising to my imitations, I'll.....I SMILE :) and reflect on the notion that maybe other anglers are out wading in the mud next to a big highway fishing for carp with Deeter.

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from themadflyfisher wrote 1 year 25 weeks ago

I have been thinking of carp for about 2 years now. hopefully this will be the year I get my butt out there and catch a couple

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from davidgray4579 wrote 1 year 23 weeks ago

Couldn't agree with you more, Kirk. 2012 will definitely be the year of the carp!

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from Joe Demalderis wrote 1 year 26 weeks ago

A challenging fish on the fly for sure. I've caught them on Clousers and nymphs when they've been rooting up the bottom. My experience is limited but what I've found is if they ain't eatin', they ain't eatin'.

Kirk, let loose with some tips... don't be koi about it ;)

+4 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from buckhunter wrote 1 year 26 weeks ago

I have the ultimate carp spot. In the Spring hundreds can be found tailing in the shallow backwaters. The muddy water makes them easy to approach but their heads are buried in the mud so deep they do not seem to see the fly. The best time is when the cotton wood falls onto the water and the carp are feeding on the surface. Still have not figured them out but once I do it'll be fly fishing nirvana.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Sayfu wrote 1 year 25 weeks ago

When I'm dry fly fishing over a big hatch with few anglers out on the water...fishing on a moving water river, in a beautiful mountain setting with big heads rising to my imitations, I'll.....I SMILE :) and reflect on the notion that maybe other anglers are out wading in the mud next to a big highway fishing for carp with Deeter.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from ckRich wrote 1 year 26 weeks ago

Lets see: a (possibly) large fish that can be picky as hell, pulls like a freight train, justifies the investment in a pink short-bus complete with kegorator, and gives me a reason to tie yet another box full of flies...

Hell, you may be the most sane of the bunch.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from madmike98 wrote 1 year 26 weeks ago

summer gets hot here and water gets low trout and bass season is over early but there are always carp. Havent figured out which flies work though not much luck so far. love the blog keep us updated on the carp fihing and dont forget to include the fly patterns that work

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from upacreek333 wrote 1 year 26 weeks ago

Yeah, baby... Carpe ... carp!

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from upacreek333 wrote 1 year 26 weeks ago

Yeah, baby... Carpe ... carp!

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jamesti wrote 1 year 26 weeks ago

since i don't live there anymore, i'll give you a carp honey hole location. the ponds behind the dick's sporting goods in longmont. lots of them in there! you're welcome.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Blue Ox wrote 1 year 25 weeks ago

Honey hole- Van Horn woods in Lemont, IL. Look for the pond fed by the Des Plains river. Seen some true monsters cruising in & out of there, best time is around the last week of May.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from backcast wrote 1 year 25 weeks ago

Carp ain't no punks, that's for sure. I've heard aficionados say that fishing for bones is good practice for carp, as opposed to the other way around.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from bestbait wrote 1 year 25 weeks ago

Fishign carp is something I love doing. I use http://bestbaitforfishing.com for all my carp fishing bait info

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from themadflyfisher wrote 1 year 25 weeks ago

I have been thinking of carp for about 2 years now. hopefully this will be the year I get my butt out there and catch a couple

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from davidgray4579 wrote 1 year 23 weeks ago

Couldn't agree with you more, Kirk. 2012 will definitely be the year of the carp!

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

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All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.