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.