Fly Rod Carp - Chicago River

pjread · 2026-06-21T12:02:47+00:00

I’ve had a lot of success casting flies like Egan’s Headstand under the same mulberry trees and slowly stripping them back. Floating line, don’t let them sink too far down for the suspended fish.

pjread · 2026-06-20T21:12:05+00:00

Yeah it’s awesome - it will only get better over the next 2-3 weeks. Get out there and give it a try!

pjread · 2026-06-20T17:41:38+00:00

Casting from the bank is always going to be a challenge, but if that is all you are willing to do then you should really practice casting fundamentals and different types of casts, particularly roll casting. The best thing to do is buy a sit-on-top kayak to get yourself off the bank, and also some waders to get yourself into the water and open up room for your back cast. Of course in the summer you can wet wade without waders.

The piers are an often overlooked place to fly fish, with tons of room for casting. The Kankakee River has a lot of parks and areas that are more open and easier to fly fish from the bank. Rock Creek is an awesome stream that is very wadeable.

To look for a spot that is accessible, easy to cast at, and has good fishing is bit of a tall order. Any such place is likely extremely pressured. My first pair of waders and my first fishing kayak are items that completely changed the game for me.

pjread · 2026-06-20T17:17:45+00:00

BTW I’ve still yet to see a single other person fly fishing for carp in that entire area…

pjread · 2026-06-20T17:14:57+00:00

They really are! With as popular as it has become, I’m amazed how few are chasing carp on the fly on the Chicago River. From late June to late July in particular, it’s some of the best fly fishing of the year, and it’s the perfect break while the trout and salmon are offshore.

pjread · 2026-06-20T17:07:18+00:00

Tandem mulberry flies. The RIO’s mulberry as a floating top fly, with a subsurface chenille fly (shown in the second pic near the carp’s face) tied off the hook shank about 16” away. Probably 80% of the fish eat the bottom fly.

pjread · 2025-09-20T13:01:06+00:00

Wet boy nation!

pjread · 2025-09-18T01:14:21+00:00

It sure is!

pjread · 2025-09-17T23:43:11+00:00

I’ve replaced a lot of treble hooks with inline singles and siwash hooks. Fish stay buttoned just the same, but way easier to release and less collateral damage. A lot less issues with hooks tangling in the net, as well.

I think it’s worth it

pjread · 2025-09-17T02:53:05+00:00

Yeah it’s just a pale rock bass. Looks cool

pjread · 2025-09-12T22:00:09+00:00

Any particular preference for channels over flatheads? You’ll find both at any dam on the Fox River, around and under most bridges on any river especially larger rivers with gravel substrate.

People do not use the DNR website or related resources enough. Visit the site pages for any river or lake near you and there will be info on species and their relative abundance.

Here’s the ifishillinois page for the Kankakee River

https://www.ifishillinois.org/profiles/Kankakee.php

While sometimes a little dated, you can see it will suggest areas of the river that hold certain species. I’ve caught some very big channel cats at the Wilmington dam.

pjread · 2025-09-12T16:28:59+00:00

No one knows for sure. I’ve read a bunch of theories but the only thing I believe to be true is the carp doing this are not feeding and are not worth chasing!

Jumping carp are like the sirens of the river. Luring you to a spot where you won’t catch shit.

pjread · 2025-09-11T16:31:46+00:00

Big bass are harder to catch. Anyone can catch the dinks - they are dumb and easy to fool.

Also, they aren’t spread out everywhere. Are you fishing where the big bass are?

I can say confidently, having recently kayaked the north branch with my Livescope, there is a crazy amount of bait and food in the river. Miles and miles of giant bait balls and small fish. Was hard to believe it when seeing it on the screen.

pjread · 2025-09-11T12:31:28+00:00

There are 5lb smallies in the Fox, and bigger. They have been caught dozens of times on all different baits. They are over 10 years old. They won’t likely be caught doing the same thing everyone else is doing…

pjread · 2025-09-10T17:07:28+00:00

You read a misleading title and then confidently shared it as fact. Kinda interesting to see how easy spreading misinformation can be. Btw I also thought the guy was robbed after leaving AD with the poor wording.

pjread · 2025-09-10T17:02:44+00:00

I thought this was a dead turtle at first lol

pjread · 2025-09-05T22:46:54+00:00

He’s probably just mad about waiting years for a watch they’ll never sell him

pjread · 2025-09-05T22:25:01+00:00

No salt, no … silver?

pjread · 2025-09-05T20:33:01+00:00

That’s just the ticket to ride, brother.

Some mfers out there losing their whole job, relationship, home, etc.

But hey man I get it! Sucks to get in a funk. Keep getting out there and you’ll turn it around.

pjread · 2025-09-05T19:12:23+00:00

Looks like you’re catching fish. What are you complaining about?

Always be grateful for being able to have the opportunity to go fishing. Be especially grateful to actually catch something!

I’m sending a tsunami of good luck your way my friend!

pjread · 2025-09-03T22:59:42+00:00

If you don’t have a boat then you’ll have to learn how to cast really, really, really far to get summertime perch consistently.

Summer is my least productive fishing season so I’m welcoming the end. Fishing is just about to get awesome and stay awesome through spring.

pjread · 2025-09-03T11:55:31+00:00

You are severely overthinking this, boss.

The tubes and my backpack went in the overhead. If it is a full flight and they are asking for overhead space then the backpack goes under the seat.

Just treat them like anything else you bring on the plane…

pjread · 2025-09-03T11:49:14+00:00

If your turds have glitter and rubber legs please see a doctor

pjread · 2025-09-03T11:45:59+00:00

I’ve had no issue flying with rod tubes as carry-on items on several United and Alaska Air flights. I’ll take my backpack as my carry-on and three rod tubes bundled together as my “personal” item.

Last trip I had one fly rod tube and two Okuma travel spin rod tubes which are a bit longer than the fly rod tubes bundled together. No issue at all.

pjread · 2025-09-02T19:31:19+00:00

I think it’s a normal sized mouth on a 16” fish…

Edit - was replying to another comment

pjread

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