Top 5 Summertime Carp Flies

The author shows off a gorgeous summer carp, along with a couple young helpers. All photos: Rick Mikesell

Carp on the fly has come a long way since it was a fringe pursuit, and golden bones are no longer considered trash fish by most fly anglers. Today, chasing lips is a full-fledged obsession with its own gear, tactics, and fly designs that continue to push boundaries. Carp anglers are some of the most innovative in the sport, and their flies reflect that, meticulously crafted to sink just right, move naturally, and present a profile that flips the switch on wary fish. Here are a few patterns that deserve a spot in your box this summer.

Daryl Eakins’ Detroit Mop City

Daryl Eakins, founder of Nervous Water Flies, has become a modern authority on carp bugs. His design process borders on obsessive, taking into account sink rate, profile, natural movement, and hook orientation with surgical precision. I once took a fly-tying class with Daryl, and in three and a half hours, we tied one pattern. That tells you everything about his attention to detail. The Detroit Mop City (DMC), a nod to the song by KISS, is about the perfect mop fly. Barbell eyes help it sink quickly, and the “breathing” thorax creates micro movement that can trigger eats even when the fly is stationary. It’s built on a soft 90-degree profile hook, giving the pattern the right silhouette without compromising gap and hook-up success. Tested and proven on the Denver South Platte, this fly catches mustachioed cyprinids from coast to coast.

Barry Reynolds’ Barry’s Carp Fly

Barry Reynolds literally wrote the book on carp fishing. Alongside Brad Befus, Barry helped pioneer and popularize fly fishing for carp in the 1990s and early 2000s. He was also my mentor, and nearly everything I know about this species and how to chase it came from Barry’s guidance. Barry’s Carp Fly was one of the first truly purpose-built carp patterns that worked across all water types, including moving water with stronger current. Before this, most anglers relied on repurposed trout or flats patterns, often with slow sink rates better suited to lakes and ponds. Barbell eyes ensure it rides hook point up, avoiding bottom snags. The profile hits a perfect middle ground between common carp forage like crayfish, dragonfly nymphs, and mayfly nymphs. Barry was also the first to incorporate hot spots in carp flies. His subtle wraps of bright orange thread make a big difference in tracking the fly during sight fishing. Decades later, it is still a go-to in almost any water.

Trevor Tanner’s Carp Worm / Trouser Worm

In the early 2000s, before social media took over, blogs helped spread the gospel of carp on the fly. One of the most informative was Trevor Tanner’s FlyCarpin’. Trevor is a meticulous angler and fly designer, and his breakdowns of carp behavior and fly function helped a lot of us catch more fish. The Trouser Worm was designed to be a durable alternative to the San Juan Worm. It falls hook-up, rides that way, and head-stands on the bottom thanks to foam plugs strung on light mono for the tail. The result is a truly upright fly with a unique action, moving or standing still on the bottom. The micro movements from the foam tail are incredibly effective, and carp seem to love them in any fishery where aquatic worms are on the menu. The most recent version is tied barbless on a very sticky hook (Fulling Mill’s Carp Bonio), but keep in mind that carp have gummy mouths. If they aren’t stuck in bone or cartilage, barbless hooks can roll out if you do not maintain steady pressure during the fight.

Chicago Overcoat

New from MFC, the Chicago Overcoat takes the classic tungsten jigged bugger to the next level. I have long considered jigged buggers to be among the most versatile and effective flies for carp. They mimic a wide range of forage, sink quickly without too much splash, and their jig profile gives them impressive action. MFC adds tasteful rubber legs—I often trim them off other patterns, but I leave them on this one—and a dubbing-loop collar that breathes naturally in the water. It gives the pattern a little extra life that can be the difference-maker in pressured fisheries. The Thin Mint color scheme is my favorite.

Kevin Morlock’s Carp Breakfast

Kevin Morlock is the guy on Beaver Island, Michigan’s world-famous carp fishery known for its clear water and massive fish. I have come close to fishing Beaver Island with Kevin twice, but both trips fell through due to unforeseen circumstances. Still, I have spent plenty of time fishing the Carp Breakfast, and it is a staple in my box for big Western reservoirs. This is a larger pattern, easy to track and capable of provoking aggressive eats from big, happy fish. Lake Michigan carp are known to chase down baitfish, and the Carp Breakfast draws the same response in lakes and reservoirs throughout Colorado and Wyoming. It also doubles as a great bass fly.

Bonus Fly: Carp Stalker Mojo Mulberry

We may not have mulberries in Colorado, but I’ve had the chance to fish under mulberry trees in Michigan, and it is a blast. Watching carp slurp fresh fruit off the surface feels more like fishing hoppers for brown trout than hunting urban bonefish. The Mojo Mulberry floats high, presents easily, and features a proper hook gap that many production mulberry flies lack. With some bulkier patterns, the hook point gets crowded out, and you miss the eat. Not so here. If you have mulberry trees near your water, keep this fly handy. You are likely to find fish keyed in underneath.

A Worthy Pursuit

One of the beautiful things about carp is that they are omnivores. With the right presentation, they will eat almost anything. The flies above are proven performers, but the most important thing is to get out and chase them regardless of what is in your box. Just make sure your hooks are strong. Carp will put them, and your gear, to the test.