Start of the Fall Feed

 

This brightly colored common was one of many 
carp landed today. The fall feed has begun!

There has been a significant uptick in carp fishing in the last five days for me since we have been having these cold nights.  I call it the start of the fall feed. Every year about this time, dropping air and water temperatures signal to the carp that winter is coming.  This sets in motion increased feeding in preparation for winter. I've seen this uptick this week.  I had not been doing well and all of a sudden, I'm catching good numbers and some larger fish.  In the last week, I have landed three carp over 20 lbs. I've also landed some good numbers of smaller ones.  I had 12 carp in the last two days, real good numbers.  In addition, I've seen bubble trails and fish jumping in the places I have been fishing.  I didn't see that several weeks ago. The activity level has jumped.

So, if you are a carp fisherman, right now is one of the best times to get out and fish. 

Two Tournaments Running at the Same Time

 

Here's a nice 20 lb. common that I
have in the net.  Carp fishing recently
has been slow here in RI.

The fall carp fishing tournaments are now underway.  Here in RI, CAG members can take part in our RI CAG Fall Combo Tournament.  This runs until the end of November. You enter by length your biggest common, biggest mirror and biggest bonus fish (catfish or sucker). We add up the points and that gets the total. The early leader is Brian Savage who entered a good size mirror carp at 30 inches.

On the national level, CAG is running their popular Fall Big 4.  Members can enter this event. Basically, you enter your 4 biggest carp by weight.  You need photo documentation. At the end of the event, your weights are totaled up and that is your total.  There are some very nice prizes for those finishing in the top ten. I currently have a 20 and a 22 lber. on the board which has put me in 6th place in the early going. I am hoping to get at least 100 lbs. of fish. 

This has been a slow fall of carp fishing thus far for me. I have found no evidence that the fish are on a fall feed before winter.  In addition, the invasive weed has been a real problem in a lot of places although it is dying off. Finally, I've spent a lot of time striper fishing which has been lights out in the last three weeks. I I'm hoping to get back in the groove in the coming weeks.