Still Worthwhile

I took a break from striper fishing today to get out and fish for carp. I hit three different spots in a four hour time frame and caught 2 commons. It was not hot and heavy fishing, but was typical for late season fishing. With water temps hovering around 40 degrees right now, the fish are not that active. I saw no jumps, no whirls, nothing moving around. However, the fish are still hitting if you take a cold water approach.
Here are the basics for this time of year. Go with small hooks (I like a #8) tied on a short hooklink. Go with small sinkers like about 1/2 ounce or less. Use sweet corn instead of maize and use 2 or 3 kernels on the hair. Pineapple is a good cold water flavor if you like to use flavored corn. Small doughballs are a good second choice in baits. If your are using a method ball, make it small. The fish are not voracious feeders at this time. I still like to prebait my spots, though I prebait with less bait. Target small ponds or places where they have been caught in big waters in the past at this time (experience is big here). Finally, lower your expectations. Expect to catch far less fish than the summertime, but still expect to catch some. Usually, the fish will continue hitting until the water temps drop down in the mid thirties or when the ice arrives.