New Members of the January Carp Club in RI

Prior to this year, there was only a couple of us in the state that had ever hooked and landed a January carp in open water.  That number is increasing as members of the RI Carp Anglers Group have been fishing all winter long and catching.  Catching a carp in December in fairly easy, especially in the beginning of the month.  But, January....that's a different story.  Even in a warm January as we are now experiencing, it's mighty tough to catch one. You need to find open water and then find fish that are willing to hit. But, we're a persistent group. I got out today with two of our RI CAG members, Nick and Paul. I got nothing but those two guys landed 3 nice fish.  They are the latest members of the January carp club here in RI. For those who can't fish on the ice this year and for those waiting for Opening Day to finally fish, you are missing a great opportunity to catch a big, hard fighting winter fish.  Carp will hit in the dead of winter and the pictures are proof.

Biggest January Carp

This has been a January to remember with the most carp I have ever been able to catch this winter month. However, I just made it even more memorable with the largest carp I have ever landed in January.  I got out on this beautiful Jan. 24th day.  Temperatures were in the mid fifties with a bright sun and blue skies.  I was a bit worried about ice since we have just come off a real cold spell with ice and snow.  But, yesterday's rain and a mild night broke up most of the ice along the shallow pond I was fishing though snow still covered the bank.  There was ice in coves to my right and left and I would say a third of the pond was still covered in ice, but it was ice free in front of me.  I prebaited a small amount of corn and then set up my two outfits with pineapple Pecaviva sweet corn fished ahead of a method ball.  First hit was a screamer (really a surprise in this cold water) and I landed a feisty carp about 10 lbs. An hour later, the other alarm went off and I knew I was onto a better fish by the drag screaming run. This fish was a beauty, a fish of at least 15 lbs.  It was gorgeous just laying in the snowbank in front of me. It was the biggest January carp I have ever been able to land in open water. However, I'm still looking for a January 20 lber.  Maybe this will be the year!

Carp Fishing Seminar at ASA Fishing and Outdoor Expo in Worcester, MA

I'll be doing a lot of fishing seminars this winter and my first ones will take place at the ASA Eastern Fishing and Outdoor  Expo at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA on Feb. 10 (1 PM), Feb.11(11 AM), and Feb.12 (11 AM). I'll be doing striper fishing shows on Feb. 10 and Feb. 11. On Sunday, Feb. 12, I'll be doing my latest carp fishing show for the freshwater crowd called New England Carp Fishing 101. This new show outlines everything a beginner needs to know to get into carp fishing. It also has some useful info for the seasoned veteran. The show is filled with photos and videos and I will narrate the entire show.


This ASA show, one of the biggest in NE, is loaded with everything fishing, hunting and outdoors. It features a national line-up of fishing gear representatives of various companies and features the latest in fishing gear for 2012 for freshwater saltwater fishermen. There are also lots of local and regional reps and companies at the show as well as expert seminar speakers and presenters . Take a look at this link ( http://www.sportshows.com/worcester/index.html ) for a complete show line-up of companies, seminars and other info. Getting to a show is a great way to shake the winter doldrums. Hope to see you there!

Good Luck on Friday, Jan. 13

Forget Friday the 13th superstitions.  Today was a good day of carp fishing here in RI.  My friend and fellow CAGer Nick and I got out today in a shallow water pond.  With warm temps and rain in the last two days, I figured the carp just might be active on this mid January day before the chill hits this weekend.  I was right.  We landed 3 decent size commons and a large sucker.  Everything was on sweet corn.  Nick, who catches carp most of the year in the warm months, landed his first two ever in January.  We got them all on sweet corn fished ahead of an oatmeal based method ball.  For all you freshwater anglers sitting at home and waiting till spring or waiting for the ice to come, there is some good fishing to be had for big fish in open water.  Today is proof that large carp can be caught in the dead of winter!  Friday the 13th.....lucky day for us!

A Real Challenge....Catching a Carp in January

Yes, I am still carp fishing, and I am still catching.  Realize almost no one fishes for carp in January and February here in RI.  There's good reason for that.  Carp are difficult to catch in cold water.  When the water temperatures drop into the mid and low thirties as they have this week, the carp get difficult to catch since they go into a sort of semi hibernation.  BUT, realize they can still be caught with some modification to your technique.
I'm on a roll, catching a carp or more every month in the last 2 years.  Here are some of my observations of what has worked at this time.  For bait, use sweet corn or small doughballs. Go light with the bait using only a couple of pieces of sweet corn with no method  ball. Use the smallest sinker that will hold bottom. Go small with the hook ( #8 is ideal).  Once ice forms on ponds, get into moving river waters that don't freeze.  Carp will tap lightly in the cold and rarely will you get a screaming run.  Pick up the rod and pull back on tapping rods.  I like to use a rod pod in winter since I can't sink a bankstick in frozen ground.
I got out fishing yesterday and landed 3 carp (2 mirrors and a common) in a spot that had ice along the shore (see pic).  Yes, they can be caught in the dead of winter!

2011 RI CAG Carp Fishing Video

Here is the video of the 2011 fishing season starring some of our RI CAG members as well as some our our friends. It was a great fishing year for most of us.  ENJOY!

First Carp of the Year on Jan.1

I fished the CAG FFF (First Fishing Folly) yesterday.  The FFF is a fun event sponsored by the national Carp Anglers Group.  Carp fishermen from all over North America go out on Jan. 1 and try to catch a carp.  You'd be surprised at some of the places where fish were caught yesterday......Canada, midwest near Chicago, upper New York State, California, and other southern areas to name just a few spots.  I'm guessing there were about 100 fish caught nationwide by some of the best carp fishermen in the country. Some of the fish reached up in the high to mid twenties!

I've fished this event in other years and never caught a fish on New Year's Day.  That changed yesterday as I did catch a common about 6 lbs. in a pond here in RI.  Water temps were 39 degrees, lower than I expected.  But, I did lure one fish and had another on.  I got one fish on the books for 2012 and was happy to finally come away with one fish in the FFF.

Check out the Latest Article in On the Water Magazine

My latest fishing article is in this month's issue of On the Water magazine.  It is called Wintertime Carping, and it is a primer on catching carp in the cold months.  Few fishermen would even think of fishing for carp in January and February in these parts, yet there are places where you can catch good size carp at this time.  The article covers places to fish, rigging, baits and techniques that have to be modified in winter to get these fish to hit.  Pre-ice, frozen conditions and ice out are cited as various times to fish from Dec. right through March. Lots of pictures illustrate the article.  Check it out!