Labor Day Weekend Outlook- Fall Fishing is Here

 

I landed this decent size common today. There's
been an uptick in carp fishing in RI since the cooler
weather arrived.

In the last week I have noticed the water temperatures have really dropped in the places I have been carping. That's all due to these cooler days and nights as well as the decreased amount of sunlight. To me, that signals the start of fall fishing. 

This time of year can be as inconsistent as the weather. It's simply a matter of getting out and fishing. My fishing in the last few weeks has been up and down but it has generally trended upwards.  Good numbers one day. Go back the next day and maybe one fish. In places I prebait, I'm usually able to consistently land a fish or two.

I've also been catching a few decent size ones, mainly in the 20's, in the last week.  This is another indicator of fall fishing as these bigger fish begin to feel a need to fatten up as fall and winter approach. I've found fall to be the second best season of the year to catch large carp here in RI (spring has been the best for me).

My best bait continues to be a combo bait that consists of a kernel of maize and a white artificial on the hair rig.  I am still not using a method ball due to the numbers of turtles and catfish that have also been active.  I've caught more catfish and horned pout in the last two weeks than I have caught all year. I suppose they are also feeding up in the cooling waters.

So, if you have the time this weekend, get out and try.  Water levels are low everywhere right now and that generally makes for easier fishing and access.  And, the fish are hitting.

Lousy, Windy, Cold Weather Perks up the Fishing

 

There has been a mix of small ones and larger
carp around this week.

I had been having a poor August of carp fishing (see previous post). But, that hurricane offshore that has brought in cool, wet and nasty weather in the last few days has also brought something else: very good fishing. While I was averaging about 1 fish an outing in August prior to this week, the last five days have delivered 4 to 5 fish an outing.  It's been a mix of small ones and large ones with little in between. I landed good numbers of fish between 20 and 25 lbs., but I also had a good number of them under 5 lbs.  It almost seems like they were traveling around in schools of the same size.  Other good signs have been there like fish jumping and bubble trails which I was not seeing earlier in the month.

Along with the good carp fishing, the pests have also been active.  Turtles have been stealing my bait, especially the kernel of real corn.  Horned pout and catfish have also been active.

All the fish I landed this week feel for a combo bait of white plastic artificial corn along with a kernel of real maize fished off a hair rig, the same set-up I have used most of the year.

While I've landed good numbers of smaller carp,
I've also gotten good numbers of larger ones this week.

Poor in August so Far

Here's an August carp that was 
just released.  Thus far, carp fishing
has been poor in August.

 That poor fishing I talked about in July....well, it just has continued into August.  I've been trying a lot and all I've got is 13 fish on the bank thus far in August.  And, most of them have been small. A number of factors have contributed to this poor August fishing.  The weather has not been good.  It's been a constant dose of hot, sunny and dry.  We need some cooler weather along with some rain to jump start the fall fishing.  Rainy days have always been best for me, and there has been almost none of these days in July or August this year. Turtles have been very bothersome also.  The sun turtles will steal the real corn in no time.  I swear they are attracted to the sinker hitting the water, and they will head right for the bait, chew it apart with not even a twitch of the rod tip. An occasional big snapping turtles will also harass my bait. Catfish have also been active but unlike the turtles, you can catch these.

Years back, according to my logs, the worst month I ever had of carp fishing (non winter) occurred in August.  That month I landed a dismal 18 fish total.  So this month has a history of poor fishing, and we are seeing it play out this year.