Did anyone catch this fish on a fly? It's widespread european lowland predator from the Cyprinidae family.
If you haven't tried to catch this fish on a fly, you've missed a lot. It is something like the european dorado or small tarpon, fish that lives a few hundred miles from you (or less). This fish can be seen chasing small fish on the surface, with splashing and "banging" which will take your breath away. Sometimes it looks like the crocodiles are fighting in the water.
It can be caught on a streamer, wet fly or even dry fly. Average weight is 2-5 kg!
Looks like a cracking fish to target.Iv'e not heard much about it as a sporting fish.Have you europeans been keeping it a secret.What countries have the best stocks.
It is not a secret - asp is ultimate sporting fish in Germany, Holland, Sweden, Poland, Austria, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary...
Find it on Google by the names: rapfen (Ger), Bolen (Cro), Bucov (Srb), Balin (Hun)...
The Asp is starting to enter French waters and has a good reputation in Alsace where they fish for them using either fry type streamers or large heavy nymphs. One report I read said that you should drop the nymph just behind them as they then react instinctively, turn and strike without taking too close a look. Apparently they are moving into the different river systems and I've heard rumors of them in the Moselle river as high as Metz but nothing concrete.
Been meaning to go to Holland and stay with Riny Sluiter (the fly tyer) who has promised ot take me....we missed each other when I went over this year!
Going next though. That is a cracker in the picture. The Rhine has them with many fish over 5kgs.
They don't call him Riny roofblei (which means Asp in dutch) for nothing.. He lives very close to the river IJssel which is a good river for Aspius Aspius..
I think they are a great sporting fish when it is summer and the waters are warm its also the only species i can use my switchrod(s) for... They are not the most beautifull fish to look at but they do scrap like maniacs..
When you see trout rising it looks and sounds like "bloop" or "splash". When you see asp "rising" it looks and sounds like someone throw a bomb into the river.
I think i have really missed something so interesting as i have never ever tried to catch this fish on a fly...my focus always remains on bigger tasty fish but never have been so particular about specific fish.
Nice asp Mixmaster! We have them in Romania, in almoast every river. They are very sporty fish once you have hooked them.
Here are some streamers i use in asp fishing
AFTMA #5 and big game for such tackle: 80cm + 75 cm asps:
If you visit Central and Eastern Europe, do not miss the fly fishing for most dangerous predator of the Cyprinids. For example, if you visit Slovenia, don't spend all your time on Soča or Sava Bohinjka. Ask your guide for exciting fly fishing downstream, in large Sava. Or, if you come to Bosnia, ask for lower parts of beautiful Una, Sana, Bosna or Drina. FF for "european silver dorado" is very exciting and much cheaper, because almost no one use to catch that interesting fish on the fly, and almost no one do a fly fishing in lower part of these rivers. Same for Germany, Austria, Russia, Serbia, Croatia...
If I'm right, Miliva is a village in Central Serbia, near the rivers Great Morava, South Morava and West Morava. All of them are very good for asp. The best time for fly fishing is the second half of the summer (august-september).
Hi Mixmaster
I think I am going to add the Asp to my list of fish to target this year.
If i would plan a trip to specifically target Asp where is the best place to go to.
Asp can be found in large and medium lowland rivers and lakes of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Austria, Czech, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey...
All you need to know is that the water is low and clear enough for fly fishing. Asp is very active predator, always happy to see some descent streamer.
here's a short video of Asp strike on my streamer the other day. There's not a lot of species to fish on the fly on large slow running waters like Danube river, but fortunately Asp is active all summer and it's a lot of fun to catch. Cheers! YouTube
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