Ending the Year with a Quality Fish

 

Here is my last carp of 2021 that is coming to the
net.  The fish was a whopping 20 lbs., big for a 
winter carp.

I'm not surprised that the last fish of the year, caught today on Dec. 31, was a twenty pounder.  This has been the year of the BIG carp for me in RI waters.  I can't tell you how many fish over 20 lbs. that I have taken this year.  It is the most I have ever caught in RI waters (more coming on this in a later post). Today's carp fell for a combo bait of sweet corn and a white artificial pop-up corn fished on the hair rig.

 It's tough to catch a carp over 20 lbs. around here in the wintertime. Smaller fish are more prevalent and active. Still, they can be had. A couple of years back I landed a "20"on New Year's Day in the FFF (First Fishing Folly) Tournament sponsored by the Carp Anglers Group.  That fish won the prize for the biggest carp in the northern part of the US.

With a big warm-up coming in the next two days, this will be a big opportunity to catch a carp in  January for those who go out and try.  They will be hitting.  Smaller and shallow ponds,  small rivers and streams that heat up quickly will be your best bets.