National CAG Fall Big 4 Tournament- 7th Place

 I competed again this year in the national CAG Fall Big 4 Tournament.  This tournament features over 60 of the very best carp fishermen from all over the country. The idea is to enter your 4 biggest carp (measured in pounds) from Oct. to the end of November. You could fish anywhere in the country!  I know a guy from RI who fishes RI  has no chance of winning, but my goal every year is to finish in the top ten, the "prize places".

Once again I was able to finish in the top ten, making it to 7th place with a total of 121 lbs.  That's an average of over 30 lbs. a fish.  It was my highest total in this fall event that I've ever gotten. My four fish that I entered were 33 lbs., 12 oz., 30 lbs., 8 oz., 30 lbs., 4 oz. and 26 lbs., 8 oz. That 33 lb., 12 oz. carp, my biggest in this event, was a potential state record that I released. All my fish were caught in RI waters.

For my 7th place finish, I will receive a $35 gift certificate from Big Carp Tackle.

My biggest carp of the tournament was this
33 lb., 12 oz. common.

This was another 30 that I landed in the tournament.
It tipped the scale at 30 lbs., 4 oz.

Winners in the RI CAG Fall Combo Tournament

New member Evan had the biggest mirror
at 32 inches. He won the gold medal!

Our 2024 Fall Combo Tournament has ended.  It was super close and the bonus fish (catfish, horned pout or white sucker) made the difference between first, second and third place. All the fish below (common, mirror, and bonus fish) are measured in inches.  New member Evan scored the highest point total with 87 points.  He also had the biggest mirror at 32 inches. Dave had the biggest common at 37 inches. A shout out to Scott, another new member who scored some very fish for his first combo tournament.

First, second and third place finishers will receive engraved medal donated by the national CAG.

Thanks to all who participated

Here are the final results:

1st place- Evan- 35 + 32 + 20 = 87 points

2nd place- Dave- 37 + 31 + 16 1/2= 84 1/2 points

3rd place- Tom- 34 1/2 + 31 + 15 =  80 1/2 points

Scott- 29 1/2 +30 + 0 = 59 1/2 points

Brian- 0 + 32 + 21 = 53 points

Biggest carp entered in the tournament was this
37 inch, 33 lb. common.

Tom Perron was our
third place finisher with
three good sized fish.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Loyal Readers!

A rainbow forms right above me on this fall day.
I'm thankful for a great year of carp fishing here
in RI. For a small state we are fortunate to have
some of the best carp fishing in New England!

 

500

This mirror was carp number 500 on the year!

 I landed my 500th carp of the year today on this beautiful late fall day. It was a mirror that weighed about 10 to 12 lbs. I keep extensive logs on my fishing so I knew I needed just one fish to reach number 500.  I ended up getting 10!  If you asked me back in July if I'd get to 500, I'd say no way. This year I was committed to chasing down big fish, and it's often difficult to catch good numbers of big ones as well as big numbers. But, the second half of 2024 proved to be very good with good numbers as well as many big ones.  In fact, this has been the best second half of the year (from August to now) that I've had in a long time.

I attribute the good carp fishing in the second half of the year to low water.  Carp are always easier to catch when the water is low rather than when it's high and flooded.  In high water the carp have just too many places to hide.  Many places are inaccessible in high water.  River currents are also hard to fish when the water is high and really moving.

The window on carp fishing is slowly closing as the ice is coming soon (maybe next week), and that will put an end to pond fishing. Even today I found skim ice along the shoreline this morning. While carp can still be caught in river currents in the dead of winter, they are often lethargic and unwilling to hit.

Mirror Madness

 I have targeted mirrors in the last two days, and I came away with a bunch of them. Hot fishing for me with over 20 mirrors landed up to 15 lbs.  I was using maize and a white, pop-up artificial corn (white color) on a hair rig.  I had lightly prebaited before fishing.

All of this happened with NOTHING showing- no jumps, no bulbble trails, no fish moving around in close. I suspect this beautiful 60 degree weather had something to do with my success. 

As I said before, I plan to keep fishing until the ice arrives (if it does?).  In past years I have caught in open water right through the winter.

I've landed over 20 mirrors in the last two days
in this beautiful weather.  The carp are on a pre-
winter feed right now. I landed this beauty today.

Still Going

 

Here, in the weigh sling, is a big
common that I landed in the past week.

We've got this beautiful weather, and it has extended our carp fishing. In most years the cold weather is here by now and the fishing is headed downhill.  But, not this year. In the past week I have gotten out just about every day.  Last week I landed a good number of hefty commons. In the last couple of days I have targeted mirrors and I landed good numbers.

I will continue fishing for carp until the ice arrives.

Here are some suggestions to anyone fishing for carp in late November here in RI:

*Small bodies of water are far easier to fish since the fish have no where to go.  In larger bodies of water, the carp are heading out into deep water for the winter and they can be hard to find.

*Fish the warmest parts of the day.  Late afternoon until dark is the best time.  After dark can sometimes produce on a warm night.

* Go light on the bait.  I tend to fish just my bait on the hair rig without a method ball. I will prebait if I can but even that will be lighter amounts.

* Hits may not be screamers.  The carp's metabolism is slowing in the cold water and sometimes the hits will come as just bangs on the rod tip. Pick up the rod and pull if that happens.

*I tend to catch smaller fish overall in the cold weather. I've never landed a 30 lber. after Nov. 15. Not complaining, though, about 20's which I have caught.

*Dress warmly and good luck if you get out!

Here is a good size mirror coming to the net.
I landed this fish and others this afternoon.

Fall Combo Tournament Results So Far

 

Tom Perron entered
this hefty 34 1/2 inch
common.

We are 2/3 of the way through our RI CAG Fall Combo Tournament and the results are posted below. This tournament runs for three months from September to the end of November.  Members who entered post their biggest Common, their biggest Mirror and a Bonus fish (catfish, horned pout or sucker).  We measure everything in inches, add it up and that's the point total.

Here are the latest results:

Results- Common + Mirror + Bonus

Dave- 34 1/2 + 31 + 16 1/2= 82 points

Evan- 35 + 27 + 20 = 82 points

Tom- 34 1/2 + 31 + 15 = 80 1/2 points

Scott- 27 +30 + 0 = 57 points

Brian- 0 + 32 + 21 = 53 points

Check this out- A FANTAIL Common!

 

Brian Savage (right), one of our best carp fishermen in RI.
landed this fantail common recently while
fishing in the CT Open Carp Tournament.
This is Brian's PB fantail.
These fish can be found in the CT River but I 
have never seen one in RI waters.
Congrats to Brian on a terrific catch!

Warm Weather Heats Up the Fishing

 

One of several hogs landed in the past week
in this warm weather.

This warm spell of the past week had a big effect on the carp fishing here in RI. I've gotten some real bruisers in the warm-up. This frequently happens in mid to late fall.  The water temperatures will drop sending the carp into a non feeding funk.  Suddenly, we'll have a warmup which will elevate the temperatures slightly, and that sets the carp on a feed.

I am currently fishing in the national CAG Big 4 Tournament.  That event has sharpies from all over the country competing to catch their 4 biggest carp. My current score of 110 lbs. was bolstered by some big fish in the past week. So far, I've landed two 30's and two mid 20's in the tournament.  I've landed a bunch of 20's in the last week.  All of my fish have fallen for a combo bait of a kernel of maize and a white artificial pop-up.

Get in while it lasts because this fishing for big fish will end in a couple of weeks when the cold really sets in.

So Far, October Has Been a Struggle

Here's a good looking 18 lb. mirror that I landed
a few evenings ago. So far, October fishing 
has been a struggle with a fish here and there.

 I am coming off two real good months of carp fishing.  August was the very best August I have ever had with big numbers of carp as well as many big ones.  September was not quite as good but still good with lots of big fish and good numbers.  And, along comes October, and it all goes downhill.

This month has been a struggle.  I have fished just about every day in multiple venues.  I have managed to land exactly 8 carp so far in the month of October, very poor numbers for this time of year. My one highlight is that I did get a 30 lber., my seventh 30 of the year. But other than that, I haven't even banked a 20 lb. carp.

October can bring slow fishing.  I have seen it in the past.  There are big weather changes this month and the cooling water tends to have a chilling effect on the fishing. Carp sometimes do not adjust well to rapidly dropping water temperatures, and I think these 40 degree nights are responsible for the slow fishing. In the past I have done the best in mid to late fall on unusually warm days or days followed by warm nights.  A warm rain can also light up the fishing.

All About the PB

Evan, one of our newest members, landed this
PB common earlier in the month. It weighed 
19 lbs.

 PB, Personal Best. In carp fishing, that's what every carp fishermen strives for.  They are constantly out to beat their personal bests. For some, that might be a carp in the high teens.  For others, it might be a carp in the 20's,  a fish considered "big" here in RI.  And, for others it might be a mega fish in the 30's or even 40's (yes, they do exist around here).

We are currently running our Fall Combo Tournament. Many of our guys are out looking for a big common or a big mirror.  For two of our newcomers, they landed a couple of PBs while fishing in our tournament.  Evan landed a PB common which tipped the scales at 19 lbs. Scott, another newcomer, scored his PB mirror, a carp that weighed in at 19 lbs. also. Huge congrats on those PBs. I'm sure these guys are now out there looking for a PB of over 20 lbs.  Stick with it....it's coming.

Scott, another new member, landed this PB 
mirror that weighed 19 lbs.

When I first started, my goal was to get a 20 lber.  It took many years for that to happen, and for at least 10 years, my PB was stuck at 27 lbs. I looked long and hard for a 30.  Finally, the search was over when I landed a 36 lber. here in RI.  It took me ten years to find that one thirty, and the next year I had six of them over 30 lbs. You just seem to figure out how to do it. My next goal was a 40.  That took only a couple of years, and soon I had a 40 lb. PB mirror and a 40 lb. PB common. Those are my current PBs.  My next goal is to get a mid 40. Not easy to do, but possible. In fact, I might have had it on this spring, but the hook pulled right at the net (I hate when that happens!). But, rest assured, I am out there looking!

Fox Micron X Bite Alarms with Receivers

 Recently I purchased a new set of Fox X alarms. I've used Fox alarms in the past and find them to be very durable and high quality. These alarms came in a set of 2 along with a receiver (see link- https://www.bigcarptackle.com/bite-indication/fox/fox-micron-mx-bite-alarms.html ).

The alarms work great.  They have volume and tone control.  They also have the ability to change color with the push of a button.  The receiver is really neat. When turned on, it will sound when an alarm is going off.  It will show the specific color and tone to determine which alarm is going off.  Today I used the alarms with the receiver. I was fishing a peninsula and set up rods on opposite sides.  I could see one outfit but could not see the other.  So, I turned on the receiver and attached it around my neck. Suddenly, the receiver went off signaling a hit on the alarm I could not see.  I ran over, hooked the fish and soon a 20 lb. common was on the shore!

These engineering marvels are not cheap, but in my mind, well worth the money.  The two alarms along with the receiver were $219.  It also came in a sturdy hard case.

RI CAG Fall Combo Tournament Underway

 Our annual Fall Combo Tournament is underway, and already we have some big carp entered. Here is how it works.  The event goes from September to the end of November. All fishing is done here in RI. Members enter their biggest common and their biggest mirror and it all goes by length (inches).  In addition, we have a bonus fish that can be a catfish, horned pout or sucker.  We add up all the lengths and that is the point total. Medals donated by the national CAG group are awarded for first, second and third places. In the past some of our sharpies have entered some very impressive fish in this tournament.

One of our top carpers, Tom Perron, entered this 25 1/2 inch
mirror carp.  Our Fall Combo Tournament is underway!

Photo of the Day- "Yes, They do Hit at Night"

 

Yes, they do bite at night.  With the cooler nights and darkness
setting in earlier and earlier, it might be time to fish a
night session.  I landed this high 20 tonight after dark.

15 Minutes of Insanity

The biggest fish of the day was this 31 lb. 
common. I was the biggest carp I have ever 
caught in August here in RI.

 I went out carp fishing yesterday. I was fishing a spot that had been producing some fish in the last week. It was interesting that in recent outings I would catch my fish in bunches. Nothing for an hour and then two or three fish in a short period of time, like in a half to an hour.

On this day, I put two rods out baited with a combo bait of a kernel of maize and a white artificial pop up corn on the hair rig. I sat for an hour and a half without so much as a twitch on the rod tip. Then, a screaming alarm broke the silence and boredom, and I was onto my first carp of the day.  Nothing special, maybe a ten pounder. While I was unhooking that one, my other alarm goes off.  This time it was a bigger fish, and soon I had a twenty pounder in the net. I unhooked and released that one and casted out both rods.  I no sooner put those on the alarm when I get another runner. I knew I had a bigger fish on since this one moved very slowly and hugged the bottom, a sure sign of a biggie. I never saw this fish until it was right at the net, and it was a "wow" at first sight.  This was a big fish. Once on shore I got it into my weigh sling, attached the scale and it pulled the scale down to exactly 31 lbs., 6 oz., making this the biggest carp I have ever landed in  the month of August. After a quick photo and a release I went to cast out this rod when the other alarm went off. Once again, I was onto a decent fish. Once close to shore I knew I had another large one, but not a thirty.  This one turned out to be 25 lbs.

ALL OF THIS HAPPENED IN A TIME SPAN OF 15 MINUTES!!!

And, that was it.  I stayed another hour and a half and never got another hit. But, today's action would turn out to be one of the best and wildest 15 minutes I ever experienced in carp fishing.

Photo of the Day- "Another Double Header in the Net!"

 

It's another double header in the net. The fishing has
been better than average lately as I have scored good
numbers of carp as well as some big ones.

What is a GHOST Carp?

 Yesterday I had a carp on that I fought to the net.  When I looked in the water, the fish resembled a white sheet swimming around.  I knew right away I had a ghost carp or a "ghostie".

Ghost carp are common carp that have a whiteish glow to them in the water.  Once out of the water you can see they are very light in color with almost a white/gold body.  They tend to have white/gold heads with splotches of normal coloring.  They also tend to have white dorsal fins, and frequently they have orange colored tails and orange bottom fins. They are some of the most beautiful carp you'll ever see. In all my years fishing. I've only caught a few, so yesterday's fish was special!

This is yesterday's ghost carp. Note the light body,
gold splotchy head, white dorsal fin and orange
tail and bottom fins.

200th Carp of the Year- A DOUBLE HEADER!

 

A double header in the net-
fish nos. 200 and 201 on the year.

I landed my 200th carp of the year and at the same time got number 201! Yup, a double header.  It's always a frantic event when you get two on at the same time.  Today, I was fighting one fish and just barely got it to the net when the other alarm went off.  I scooped fish number 1 into the net, and quickly grabbed rod #2.  I fought that one and scooped it into the net which already had a fish in it. In all the confusion, I never got a good look at the fish until they were in shallow water.  As it turns out, the smaller one was 15 lbs. while the larger on was 20 lbs., real decent fish for the dead of summer.

Surprisingly, the fishing in the last few days has been very good in this heat.  I am getting them all sizes from small 3 and 4 lb. footballs up to 20 lb. hogs.  The hot bait continues to be a combo bait of one kernel of maize along with a white, plastic pop-up corn on the hair rig.  I have been chumming maize before fishing and during my sessions.

Bait Preferences Can Change

 

Here's the hot bait right now.
It's a combo bait of a white,
plastic artificial corn with a
kernel of maize on the hair rig.

A couple of weeks ago, I was catching pretty good on a combo bait of a pink Mainline Quad along with a kernel of maize on the hair rig. This was a good size bait and those bigger baits tend to work well right after the spawn. Then, the hits stopped, and I went a couple of days without a fish.  So, I decided to go back to my old favorite from the springtime.  That was a combo bait of a white plastic artificial corn along with a kernel of maize on the hair rig. It was also a smaller bait.  Well, that did the trick as I am now catching again with some consistency.  In the last week, I was able to catch good numbers of carp from 5 to 20 lbs., all on the pop-up and maize. By the way, I have not been using pack bait or method mix because the turtles have been super active in this heat.

The fish also continue to hit in this heat.  I've been mainly out in the cooler time of the day, the morning, and generally fish until early afternoon when the weather is too hot to stand. I've seen a good amount of activity in this heat as fish are jumping and bubble trails can be seen on the surface.

Results for 2024 RI CAG Spring Big 3 Tournament

 Our 2024 RI CAG Big 3 Tournament has ended.  This event ran for three months.  Members who took part entered their biggest carp for the month of April, their biggest for May and their biggest for June.  We add up all those weights and that is the total number of points.  All carp had to be caught in RI and all had to be released in good shape. Gold, silver and bronze medals donated by CAG will be awarded to the top three finishers. Congrats to everyone who entered.  Some real quality fish landed!

Here are the results:

1. Dave- 29/12 + 32/2 + 31= 92/14

2. Brian- 25/8 + 25/14 + 22/11 = 74/1

3. Tom- 12/6 + 20/11 + 19/4 = 52/5

4. Evan- 10/6 + 16/9 + 16/6 = 43/5

5. Tony- 19 +10 =29 

6. Scott- 10/10 + 9/1 = 19/11

7. Manny- 19

Dave- gold medal. Here was the biggest carp 
in the tournament at 32 lbs., 2 oz.

Brian- silver medal.  Here was the biggest mirror
entered at 22 lbs., 11 oz.

Tom- bronze medal. Here is a 20 lb., 11 oz. common,
Tom's biggest in the tournament.

Hitting in this Heat

 

Here's an upper teen common
coming to the net. The fishing has
held up well in this heat.

Carp fishing has held up well in this latest heat wave.  I've been out just about every day in the past week, and while I have not been killing them, it has been a steady pick of fish here in RI. I've also landed a good number of carp in the 15 to 20 lb. range, so the sizes are there too. I'm getting a mix of commons and mirrors.

I've focused my fishing on the coolest parts of the day, doing double duty of fishing in the mornings and evenings. With striper fishing dreadfully poor, I've been focused more on carp in the last week.

It might be my imagination, but I do believe the carp have moved into slightly deeper water that I believe is cooler. I'm not having as much luck fishing the shallows as I was a few weeks ago.

My hot bait continues to be a combo bait of one pink Quad (from Mainline Baits) along with a kernel of maize on the hair rig.  I am not using method mix these days due to the high level of activity on the part of snapping turtles.  Those tanks just love this heat and seem to be everywhere.

Photo of the Week- "Nice Job, DAD!"

 One of our premier carp anglers in RI, CAG member Tom Perron, holds a near 20 lb. mirror carp that he caught on Father's Day.  His kids accompanied him on this outing, getting up at 5 AM to go with Dad. Now, that's a memory! Nice job everyone.

7th Place- CAG National Big 4 Tournament

 

This year I came in 7th place in the popular CAG Spring Big 4 Tournament. This is a real competitive event as 60 of the best carp anglers around the country duke it out, entering their 4 biggest carp landed from March 15 to June 15. You could fish anywhere in the US. It's tough to compete with these guys who fish some of the famed big carp waters and big rivers throughout the US.  Still, I managed to stay competitive, and I landed all my fish from RI waters.

I entered four thirty pound carp, no easy task here in RI, as thirty pound carp are few and far between. I had carp of 32 lbs., 2 oz., 31 lbs., 31 lbs. and 30 lbs., 4 oz. My overall total came out to 134 lbs., 6 oz. Gift certificates are awarded to the top ten finishers. I will be receiving a gift certificate from Carp Angler.com who sponsored our event.

I always try to shoot for a top ten finish in this event.  So, overall, I'm pleased with the results.

My final entry, a 31 lb. hog of a fish!

Post Spawn Feed is On

 

Here is a nice common landed in the last week.

The carp have spawned for the most part here in RI.  In the last week and a half I have been experiencing the post spawn feed.  That occurs after the female fish spawn (during which time they are not eating).  Their bellies are sunken in from expelling their eggs and they are often bruised and battered after their spawning. But, they are now hungry and on the prowl looking for food.

Bigger baits can be more effective at this time simply because the spawned out carp are looking for a bigger meal. Boilies are now a good choice to use. I have friends who have been doing well on these- either a 12 mm or 15 mm boilie.  Combo baits are also a top choice.  In the past ten days I have been doing very well with a combo bait of a Mainline Quad (square boilie in either a white or pink color) along with a kernel of maize on the hair rig.  Mainline Quads can be purchased from Big Carp Tackle.  I am using the Essential Cell Pop-up variety. Because turtles are now very active I have not been using a method ball. 

Most of the fish I have landed in the post spawn have been large spawned out females. I have been getting a lot of fish from the high teens into the mid twenties- very respectable fish here in RI.

These Mainline Quads have been a hot
bait for me in the last ten days.

Boilies will also work well.  Here is 
a homemade strawberry boilie along
with a kernel of maize on the hair rig.

RI CAG Big 3 Results for May

 

The biggest fish entered in this year's tournament
so far is this 32 lb., 2 oz. common.

We have completed the second leg of the RI CAG Big 3 Tournament. CAG members who entered tghis event entered their biggest fish for April and their biggest fish for May. Here are the standings and the results for April and May.

1. Dave- 29/12 + 32/2 = 61/14

2. Brian- 25/8 + 25/14 = 51/6

3. Tom- 12/6 + 20/11= 32/17

4. Tony- 19/0 + 10 = 29

5. Evan- 10/6 + 16/9 = 26/15

6. Scott- 10/10 + 9/1 = 19/11

We have one more month to go so it all comes down to June.  Good luck everyone!

Tom Perron has moved into
3rd place thanks to this 20 lb.,
11 oz. common. The one on the 
mat is also not too shabby!

WINNING PHOTO- CAG Essence of Carp Fishing Photo Contest for April

 Every month CAG runs a photo contest for their members called "the Essence of Carp Fishing".  Any member can enter a photo that depicts some aspect of carp fishing (not necessarily a photo of someone holding a fish. The winner receives a $100 voucher or a prize of that value. The contest has become quite popular with members.

It was a big surprise when my photo took first place for the month of April. It was a photo of a large common carp being released with the fish swimming underwater.  The reflection of the tree branches in the water gave it a bit of a surreal look. Nothing was altered here- this was the photo!

Take a look at it below:

First place- CAG Essence of Carp Fishing- month of April

 

Catching in the Slop

 

Several fish landed today up into
the low 20 lb. range. A combo
bait of a quad along with a kernel
of maize on the hair rig did the trick.

Wow, it was one heck of a rainy, stormy day here in RI, but like so many of these similar days in the past, the fish were, once again, hitting. Carp just love this weather.  The stormier the better.  They tend to throw caution to the wind, and often go on feeding sprees in the slop. Today was no exception as I landed several nice fish up into the mid 20 lb. range.  The bait of choice was a combo bait of a quad (small square boilie) along with a kernel of maize on the hair rig.  I had one outfit with a pink quad and one with a white quad. Both have been producing lately.  I went with no method ball to avoid the turtles which have come to life in recent weeks.

The fish here in RI still have not spawned.  We have had very little warm weather to promote spawning and the water is still quite cold.  Carp tend to spawn when water temperatures reach about 65 degrees.  That usually happens around here in mid to late May, although in some cool years it could happen in June.

Combo Bait with Quads the Hot Number Right Now

 

Here's a carp that was landed
today on a Quad/maize
combo on the hair rig.

Though small, I've been catching good numbers of carp this week. My hot bait has been a combo bait of a kernel of maize along with a pink or white Quad on the hair rig.  I am using no method ball since the turtles and horned pout have bee super attracted to it.

I wrote about Quads last year.  These are little square boilies that float, and they are made by Mainline Baits in the UK. Big Carp Tackle sells them here in the US.  They come in pink, white and green colors. They are scented with a sweet, rosy smell.  I've been catching mostly on the white and pink and have had little success with the light green. I'm using these in combination with a kernel of maize at the end of the hair. I suspect the Quad gives the bait some lift and the carp find this appealing.

The pink and white Quads have been most effective for
me.  They are fished on the hair rig along with a kernel
of maize.

April Results- RI CAG Big 3 Tournament

 Our guys have been out catching some big fish here in RI for our RI CAG Spring Big 3 Tournament.  The idea is go out and catch your biggest carp for April, your biggest carp for May and your biggest carp for June.  We add up all your weight totals and that's your score.  All carp must be landed in RI waters. Medals are awarded to the top three finishers.

Here are the results for April (pounds/ounces):

1. Dave- 29/12

2. Brian- 25/8

3. Tony- 19/0

4. Tom- 12/6

5. Scott- 10/10

6. Evan- 10/6

Nice job, everyone!

First place- 29 lbs., 12 oz.

Second place- 25 lbs., 8 oz.

Photo of the Week- " Release"

 

A good size common carp swims away after being released. Spring
weather is here and the carp are hitting!

Warm-Up Brings Uptick in Activity

 After a dismal start to spring carp fishing, I am hoping this warm weather sticks around because it has improved the fishing for me. I've seen a noticeable uptick in the last couple of days.  These days have been warm and fairly tranquil, and I'm guessing the water temperatures got a bit higher and that has gotten the carp feeding. Prior to this week, I went five straight outings in multiple locations with nothing on some cold and miserable days.

Your best bet in this early spring fishing would be to hit a shallow water location that tends to warm up quickly.  It doesn't have to be a small pond.  It could be a shallow cove in a larger body of water.  I sense that the fish are moving into those warm shallows. Most rivers are not fishable due to high water right now.

If you can, prebait.  It really helps. I prebait with the same bait I intend to use.  I have been scoring in the last few days with my ole favorite of a kernel of maize and a white, artificial, plastic pop-up corn on the hair rig. The best pop-up color for me has been pale pink. Sometimes I add a method ball and sometimes I don't depending on the number of turtles in the area (yes, they are getting active in this warm weather).

Here's a mirror carp that I landed tonight.  Notice the bait
is a combo of maize and a white plastic corn on a hair rig.

Two Big Tournaments Kick Off

 Two big tournaments happen in the spring for CAG members.  Here they are:

1. CAG Spring Big 4- This is a big national tournament that runs for three months. You enter your 4 biggest carp by weight.  Participants enter from all over the US, and it features some of the very best carp fishermen in the country.  We have several of our members entered this year, and in the past RI anglers have done quite well. Last year I came in 3rd place overall, one of my best finishes in years. Prizes in the form of gift certificates are awarded to the top ten places.

2. RI CAG Spring Big 3- This is strictly a RI tournament.  It runs for three months from April till the end of June.  RI anglers enter their biggest carp for April, the biggest for May and the biggest for June.  We add up the weights for the total. Medals donated from the national CAG organization are awarded to the top three finishers. All fish entered must be landed in RI waters.

Springing Into a New Season

 It's early March and the spring carp fishing is starting locally.  I got out several times in the last week trying multiple venues. I ended up with 2 mirrors and 1 common.  It's a start.

I must say that these fish were super active unlike the ones I was getting in the cold of winter. Each fish sent the alarms screaming on the take.  They were also feisty on the fight unlike the sluggish fish of mid winter.

It all tells me that the new season is here. Now, as soon as I get the first 20 lber., I can really say it's really here! That's coming soon.

Just a reminder- if you plan on carp fishing in RI, you must now have a new 2024 fishing license.  Also, any waters stocked with trout are closed to any kind of fishing until after Opening Day (second Saturday in April).

I landed this beautiful mirror today. Spring carp fishing 
has started!

Some Ice, Some Open Water, Some Fish

 Hey, it's still February and the fishing reflects this. In the last week I did some exploring and was surprised by how much ice I found in many of the ponds in RI. Some places had almost no open water.

I did, however,  find a spot that was fishable, and I tried today.  I did manage a few fish but it was not hot and heavy.  Once again, it's February, not May.

Your best bet at this time of year is to look for a small pond that is ice free. If the pond is shallow all the better since the water will warm up faster on a sunny day. Small rivers are also a good bet.  Look for deep, slow moving water in small rivers.

There are no pests around at this time so sweet corn is a good bait at this time. You can either use a hair rig or just thread a few pieces on a small hook. Method balls are optional. I caught my fish today on a combo bait of a small piece of maize along with an artificial pop-up corn fished on a hair rig off a #8 hook.

 I landed this mirror carp today in some ice free water.
They will hit in February but don't expect the action to be hot and heavy.

Next Stop......Springfield Sportsmen's Show

 My next stop on my winter seminar tour is the Springfield Sportsmen's Show on Saturday, Feb. 24 at the Big E in Springfield, MA. I will be doing seminars at 1:00 and 4:00. 

For anyone who has never been to this popular show, it is a mix of everything outdoorsy. There's hunting and fishing stuff, camping stuff, outfitters, charter boat captains, tackle shops, boats, kayaks, etc., all in a massive venue. It also features an all star line-up of seminar speakers.

I will be doing my striper and carp fishing shows. My striper fishing show is called Finesse Fishing for Stripers. This show is loaded with info on using a finesse approach to catching stripers from shore and kayak when the bait is small (which it was most of the time last year). The show is filled with tackle and plugging ideas. Some terrific video footage and photos from last year's fishing are in the narrated presentation.

My carp fishing show is titled Carp Fishing Strategies.  This show focuses on different approaches to catching carp. also nicknamed "freshwater tuna"! These monsters of freshwater can be difficult to catch on rod and reel, and I'll offer many suggestions on how to do it that should appeal to beginners as well as seasoned pros. I've got some serious photos in the show that include multiple potential state records.

The striper seminar is scheduled for 1:00 while my carp fishing seminar will take place at 4:00.

Hope to see many of my loyal readers at the show! Form more info, check out the show information at  www.osegsportsmens.com

Back in Business

 

Here's a mirror that I landed today.  Yes, carrp
can be caught in the dead of winter!

I'm on the board with my first ones of 2024.  I was out twice this week and landed 3 mirrors.  They all looked like clones in the 6 to 8 lb. range.

Yes, you can catch carp in the dead of winter in ice free waters.  However, realize these are not the voracious feeders you find in the spring when the waters have a chance to warm.  In the very cold water of February, these fish will feed sparingly.  Everything about them has slowed in the cold.  The takes will be just subtle bangs of the rod tip.  The fight will be sluggish. Most likely, you won't catch a lot of them and the ones that do hit tend to be smaller fish.

Still, on beautiful winter days like today, it feels great just to just get out and wet a line. Carp tend to hit on these warm, winter days. If you plan to try, here's a few tips. Go light with the bait. Today I was using one small kernel of maize with a white, artificial corn on the hair rig. I was also fishing a "small" spot.  Big waters don't tend to produce in the wintertime. Best times will be a sunny afternoon, or the warmest part of the day.

Fishing Seminars this Weekend- NE Fishing Expo

 I will be at the NE Fishing Expo this weekend on Saturday and Sunday doing my latest carp and striper fishing seminars for 2024. The NE Fishing Expo is a pure fishing show that has gotten rave reviews in recent years.  This year it will move to the Royal Plaza Trade Center in Marlborough, MA which is right off Rt. 495. This is a show that caters to both freshwater and saltwater fishermen with loads of vendors, tackle dealers and the latest equipment on display. Show info can be found at their website at www.nefishingexpo.com

Here is my schedule.  Hope to see many of my followers at the show.

Saturday- 2:00 PM- Seminar- Finesse Approach to Catching Stripers.  This show is loaded with info on using a finesse approach to catching stripers from shore and kayak when the bait is small (which it was most of the time last year). The show is filled with tackle and plugging ideas. Some terrific video footage and photos from last year's fishing are in the narrated presentation.

Sunday, 11:00 AM- Seminar- Carp Fishing Strategies.  This show focuses on different approaches to catching carp. also nicknamed "freshwater tuna"! These monsters of freshwater can be difficult to catch on rod and reel, and I'll offer many suggestions on how to do it that should appeal to beginners as well as seasoned pros. I've got some serious photos in the show that include multiple potential state records.