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.