Back on Track

Back in business with four good size mirrors on the bank today.

I'm back on track after a two and a half week absence from carp fishing.  This weekend's warm weather and rain wiped out a lot of ice in the places I fish and I was able to fish my spots once again.  And, just like I left it a couple of weeks ago, the fish were still there.

Sweet corn on the hair rig
was the hot ticket today.

I landed a modest 4 carp and had two other fish on.  Not bad for a January day with temperatures in the low to mid thirties. All the fish were taken on sweet corn fished off a hair rig.  I was using small, #8 hooks.  My sinker was a 1 1/2 oz. homemade flathead.  That sinker was bigger than I wanted to use but was needed to hold bottom in the swift currents as a result of the recent rains.
Make no mistake about it...CARP ARE TOUGH TO CATCH IN JANUARY.  They are sluggish and almost seem to be in semi-hibernation. You have to have everything right to catch fish at this time.  You need to be in the right spot with the right bait.  Your rig and terminal tackle has to be just right also. You almost need to finesse them into hitting.  If there is anything out of place here, they won't hit.  I was fishing today next to several frustrated fishermen who weren't catching.  They were in the right spot, they had the right bait, but their rigs were way off and that is why they were not catching.