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!

Mulberry Alert

Within the next week, the mulberries will be out and ripe all over the state. They are just about there. If you know of a mulberry tree along the the shore of a carp pond or river, you are golden. These berries can be red, purple, white and even pink. Whatever the color, carp go crazy over mulberries, like kids eating candy.

Technique here is simple. Pick a berry off the tree, and impale a size 6 or 8 hook into it (see picture) and freeline the berry in the area where they are falling. Sometimes the carp will pluck it right off the surface. At other times they will hit it on the drop or on the bottom. One other suggestion here. Sometimes the berry will not sink. If that happens, squeeze it gently and then it should then sink.

The biggest mirror carp I have ever caught in RI was caught on a freelined mulberry. That should tell you just how effective this bait is.

River Fishing Hot Right Now

My focus has really shifted from ponds and lakes to rivers. All the rivers offer hot fishing right now. So long as the flow remains slow and the water remains cool, this hot fishing should continue. Last week I was at the Ct. River for three days and landed over 20 common carp into the mid twenties. This week I am focusing close to home and catching big numbers of mirror carp up to 18 lbs. The hot producer in both spots has been homemade pineapple vodka flavored maize along with a couple of kernels of flavored sweet corn from The Bait Stop.
Check out my father fighting a tough fish from the CT River. Not bad for an 78 year old fisherman!

Successful Fish-in

Many thanks to the CAG members along with the general public who came to our fish-in along the Lower Blackstone Canal on Saturday. We had 40-50 anglers attend. Some fished, others just came along to observe and ask questions.The purpose of a fish-in is to showcase carp fishing and share information. And, yes, we did catch some fish. The group ended up with 10 mirror carp up to 12 lbs. Young Johnny Joseph (picture at right) landed the biggest one at 12 1/2 lbs.

For those new to carp fishing, the RI Carp Association is a part of the national group, the Carp Anglers Group. If you are from RI and join the Carp Anglers Group, you are automatically part of the RI Carpers. You can join the Carp Anglers Group by signing up on their website at http://www.carpanglersgroup.com/ Membership benefits include 4 magazines (NACA) a year, discounts on some online carp stores, tournaments, and a great network of fishermen as a resource. The RI Carpers frequently hold informal get togethers, send out periodic newsletters and e-mail updates of carp fishing information.