Today we go fly fishing for carp with none other than Bill Marts. We explore Bill’s invaluable tips on targeting carp in Banks Lake and discover the story behind the Schmoots Clooper Invitational.
Plus, don’t miss the stories behind Bill’s iconic fly patterns and the tattoos that commemorate them. Grab your earphones because this one is packed with carp wisdom and captivating stories.
Fly Fishing for Carp with Bill Marts. Hit play below!
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(Read the Full Transcript at the bottom of this Blog Post)
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Fly Fishing for Carp Show Notes with Bill Marts
03:00 – Bill’s fishing roots trace back to his younger years in Oklahoma, armed with nothing more than a cane pole, bobber, worms, and a minnow. Despite the absence of any fly fishing enthusiasts in his family, Bill’s interest was piqued through books and television shows.
06:43 – Bill tells us how he started his own fly shop, Blue Dun, in Wenatchee. He worked at REI for a long time and always dreamed of having his own fly shop.
08:30 – Bill and his brother have put together an award-winning movie in 1976 called Angler’s Autumn.
10:00 – In 2005, he decided to give up his fly shop as he was offered a position in the travel department at The Fly Shop.
Schmoots Clooper
17:30 – Bill got into carp fly fishing during the early ’90s after a float trip down the Winchester Wasteway with his wife. It was during this time that his friend, Darc Knobel, who once worked with him in Wenatchee, also became intrigued by the idea.
Darc now runs his own fly shop, Desert Fly Angler, in Ephrata, Washington. Together, they eventually unlocked the secret to successfully catching carp.
21:00 – In the late ’90s, they kicked off the Schmoots Clooper invitational. The name was inspired by a paragraph in John Gierach’s book.
30:00 – Bill gives valuable tips for successfully targeting carp in Banks Lake and similar waters.
34:00 – Bill’s go-to fly for carp fly fishing is the Bugeye Carp Wooly, a pattern he’s so fond of that he even had it tattooed on his thumb.
49:49 – We discussed the difference between using a cane pole compared to a two-handed spey rod and a single-handed rod for carp fishing.
1:03:00 – Bill tells us about the first steelhead he caught on the fly.
1:06:00 – Bill’s favorite steelhead fly, known as Bill’s Bead Butt Burlap, is also tattooed on his arm.
You can find Bill on Instagram: @bill.marts
Visit his website at BillMartsFlyFishing.com
Fly Fishing for Carp Videos Noted in the Show
Related Podcast Episodes
WFS 077 – Sea-Run Cutthroat with Dave McCoy – Puget Sound Fly Fishing, Skagit, Yakima, Steelhead
WFS 434 – John Gierach on Dumb Luck and the Kindness of Strangers, McGuane and Hemingway
Read the Full Podcast Transcript Below
Fly Fishing for Carp Conclusion with Bill Marts
We hope you enjoyed Bill’s incredible journey and picked up some valuable tips for your next carp adventure. Grab your Bugeye Carp Wooly and hit the water with the newfound wisdom Bill shared.
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