Record Numbers for July

Adaptability. It is one  of the keys to successful carp fishing.  I am talking about the ability to change baits, change rigs and change venues when things are not going well. I have learned a long time ago that I have to adapt to changing conditions if I want to continue to catch good numbers of carp.

This is one of over 150 carp landed in the month of July.
It has been record numbers for me in July's heat.

Most fishermen, including myself, will tell you that July is a difficult month for carp fishing.  The weather is hot, the water is like a hot bath and the pests are ever so pesty. Even the carp seem to go into a funk in the mid day heat. In past years, I fished my summer spots and was content to catch a few fish here and a few fish there.  That was the way I started off this year in the first week of July. During that first week, it was a scant few fish with lots of effort and little return.
That's when I made the change.  I started exploring new spots.  At first it was a hit or miss deal and then I found something hot and stuck with it. Adaptability at work!
The results have been astounding.  So far this July I have landed over 150 carp, the best July I have ever experienced.  I will tell you that the majority of these fish have been small, under 10 lbs., but small is better than nothing in my book. The biggest fish I have been able to catch tipped the scale at just over 15 lbs.
There are other changes I have made since that first week of July.  All my fishing has been short sessions in the morning, the coolest part of the day.  I have gone to using small hooks.  Number 8 hooks with short hairs have done the trick on these smaller fish. I am also using a small amount of bait on the hair, mostly a kernel of maize and a kernel of sweet corn along with a small method ball.  One more thing.....I reel the bait in often to check it.  Yes, the bait stealing turtles have been a real problem, and I seem to catch upwards of a half dozen a week, but that is the irritating part of summer fishing that I put up with.
While fishing is often slow in the summer months, it can also be quite productive as I have found out this year. Adaptability is the key to making it work.