Going Small with Artificials

This nice common, landed this morning, was
part of a 7 fish haul. This fish fell for
one aritificial, white corn on the hair rig.

This has also been working.
It is a combo bait of one small
kernel of maize with a
small, orange artificial
corn on the hair rig.

I've been experiencing very good carp fishing in the last week as the fish have been very active in this warming weather. Plastics, specifically artificial corn, has been the hot producers. Much of my tactics have been focusing on turtle avoidance since they, too, have become very active. 
I have been going small with my rigs using either a #8 or #10 hook along with short hairs that will hold either one artificial corn or an artificial corn along with one very small kernel of maize that I hand-pick. In many instances I am not using a method ball since the method really attracts the turtles.
I have also kept my baiting to a minimum and I try to keep the bait in a tight, small area close to shore.  I generally will bait up three or four spots near where I am fishing.  If a snapping turtle is spotted, I move to another location.
We are now in a summer carp fishing mode. The best fishing seems to be occurring in the morning, evening or nighttime with mid day being less productive. The exception to all this is a rainy day.  In that case the fish remain active all day.