Moving into a Summer Pattern

I'm convinced we have moved into a summer feeding pattern.  Most of the carp in RI have spawned and are now on the summer feed.  For fishermen, that means the best times to fish are now early morning and right before and after dark.  The daytime action is pretty much over, especially if you are fishing on a sunny day.  Lousy, rainy days can also be good.

With summer fishing comes an abundance of pests to deal with.  Turtles are a major problem in some spots as they will pick you to death and barely twitch the rod. Large snapping turtles can play havoc with the equipment and are not predators to take lightly.  Break the line in close to avoid dealing with a hooked one.  Other pests such as horned pout, suckers, dace and bluegills are also actively stealing bait.  In the last week, my bait (mostly sweet corn) has been constantly taken off the hook by pests.  Maize is a more durable bait but less effective than the sweet corn.  However, every once in a while a screaming runner grabs hold of the bait signaling a carp hit.  My advice is to check your bait every half hour or so, especially if you notice small taps on the rod tip.