In a Slowdown

Well, you know summer is here when carp fishing slows in the daytime. And, it has slowed big time. We're past the post spawn feed, past the mulberry binge, and entering a period of slow fishing.
However, there are strategies one can use to increase your catches during this time. Fish moving waters in rivers. Pond fish tend to sulk and expend little energy at this time, but river fish are constantly fighting currents and far more active in the dead of summer. If you fish ponds and lakes, focus on the best times. Right now the fish are hitting best in early morning and late evening. Even after dark is very good. Cloudy and rainy days are also good. Prebait if you can, since that will also get the fish in the area you are fishing.
Last summer I caught the majority of my fish in two locations.....the Blackstone River and the Merrimack River. That should tell you just how effective rivers are at this time.

Freelining and Sight Fishing

In this video we are sight fishing along a shallow shoreline where carp are feeding on mulberries. Very simple concept.....see a fish, toss the mulberry a foot or two in front of it and hopefully it takes. You must be very quiet and stealthy for this to work. You use no weight when freelining, just the hook and the bait. Watch for the line to start moving and pull. I'm using standard, heavy duty spinning equipment here. I've had success in the past doing this with mulberries and doughballs. Note the start of the video in which I am pointing to a fish I've targeted that is moving along the shoreline.

Beginner's Clinic Scheduled

I will be holding a beginner's clinic at Lake Mashapaug in Cranston on Thurs. evening, July 9 from 6:00 until dark. This will be a good opportunity to fish for carp, ask questions, see the rigging that is used and see the Euro and non Euro techniques that can be used. I'll also bring a variety of baits to use. Corn as well as doughballs work real well here.

Lake Mashapaug is located off Niantic Ave. in Cranston. From the north, take Rt. 146 south to Rt. 10 south to the Cranston St. exit. At the exit, take a right to the light, and then another right. Go past the bridge and take a right onto Niantic Ave. Proceed to where you find a baseball field (opposite Enterprise Rent a Car). Take a left at the ball field and go to the end. Take a right at the gate and park on the grass along the shore. From the south, take Rt. 10 to the Niantic Ave exit. Take a right onto Niatic Ave. and follow the directions above.

RI Carp Fishing Hot Right Now

I've landed the most carp I have caught this year in a five day period......70 fish. I don't know if the heavy rains of last week got them going or if it a post spawn feed. Whatever, they are very active right now and hitting a variety of baits such as doughballs, corn and mulberries.

Even those who are new at the game are catching. My son, Jon, has been taking his buddies fishing in a pond down the road from our house. A whole bunch of kids who have never caught carp are catching with regularity. They are mostly freelining mulberries, an easy and quick way to catch carp at this time of year.

Carp Gone Wild

It was a wild weather day here in RI with thunderstorms, wind and heavy rain. It was my kind of carp fishing weather, the type of conditions in which I have scored big all year. Today was another one of those banner days.

I began the day searching under mulberry trees along the Blackstone River, the canal and a few ponds. The rain was knocking berries all over the place and the carp were going nuts for them. I landed 6 carp up to the low teens on berries and lost several more. Later, I hit one of my favorite ponds and fished my pineapple vodka flavored corn and vodka flavored sweet corn. I landed 9 more fish up to fifteen pounds and lost several more. In ever spot I fished, the carp were charged up like the weather, breaking and rolling and moving around in groups in low water.

My total for the day was 15 carp with a mix of commons and mirrors. It was my type of fishing weather day, and I would guess the carp found it favorable too.

In-line Leads

The key to fishing fast water in a river is using large sinkers or leads that are needed to hold bottom in a fast current. Three ounces seems to be the choice among most fishermen since that weight will hold bottom as well as hook a fish on the bolt. There are two rigging choices that employ semi fixed set-ups. These include in-line leads or the use of lead clips. Semi-fixed rigs ensure that if the fish breaks the line on the fight, the lead will eventually fall from the rig, freeing the fish from the weight.
I like to use in-line leads in which the line passes through the lead. In the video below, I am rigging a Wacker Bait Quick Change In-line Flat Pear. The first step is to pass your line through the tail rubber that is up front. Continue to pass the line through the sinker, and then tie off a premade hook link leader that is set up with the hook. The key here is that the swivel should just fit into the rubber sleeve that is in the lead. Generally, a size #8 swivel (bought at Wacker) is the standard size. Pull the swivel into the lead for a semi-tight fit, and you are ready to hit the river!

Battle from the Kayak

I frequently paddle around carp ponds in my kayak just looking for mulberry trees at this time of year. That's where you are sure to find carp feeding. They are easy marks when feeding on mulberries. Well, I found some today and fished a berry under several trees. The first fish I hooked tore off along the shore and took me under a tree and escaped. I got smarter with the second fish. Right after hooking, the fish headed for a snag, but I immediately stuck the rod under my knee and paddled like crazy into deeper water. Once in deeper, snag free water, the fish pulled me around a bit, but I was able to get the fish along side the kayak and netted a nice 10 lb. common. If you are looking for a challenge and own a kayak, give this a try!