Winner: Essence of Carp Fishing Photo Contest

 

My entry has won the Essence of Carp Fishing Photo Contest sponsored by the Carp Anglers Group (CAG).  This is a monthly photo contest for members, and winners are awarded a $100 gift certificate.  For me, the essence of carp fishing here in RI is catching beautiful Mirror Carp, and this was a beauty.  Surprisingly, I captured this photo with my phone, an LG G7 Thin Q, a phone that takes fabulous photos. CAG sponsors all kinds of contests and tournaments for its members.

Porker of the Year

 

This is the porker that I caught yesterday in
the light rain.  It is the fattest carp I have caught
this year.

September is the start of fall fishing and carp tend to really feed up for winter when the cooler fall nights arrive. 

Yesterday I fished in the light rain and unsettled weather, great conditions for early fall.  I was rewarded with the fattest carp I have landed this year.  I estimate the fish was about 25 lbs., but it was the shortest 25 lber. I have ever landed!

The fish hit a maize/white artificial combo bait on  the hair rig, the set-up that has worked for me all summer.  I was also using a method ball around my sinker.

From now until mid November is prime time to catch a big carp here in RI. Some of the biggest carp that I have landed over the years in this state have been caught in this time frame.

Photo of the Day....A Gorgeous Summer Mirror

 

The water is low and it is warm, but there are still some good fish to be had
at this end of summer.

The Killer Bait this Summer: One Kernel of Maize and one White Artificial Corn on the Hair Rig

 

WEED

 

Here's one of the carp landed this morning coming ashore with
a pile of weeds around it. The weed is thick right now in many 
places, but the carp are still hitting.

It's everywhere, and if you are fishing for carp in this hot weather, you are dealing with weed. We are in the peak time of the year for weed.

The carp will use weed to their advantage.  Many times the carp will move along the shore just on the edge of the weed and the weed lines.  Those are the best spots to bait up and put your bait on the bottom.  In some places the weed will have avenues of clear passages going right through it. Carp will often use these weed free zones to also move around.

The biggest problem with weed comes after you hook a fish.  It will often run into the weeds for cover. You don't want to put really hard pressure here but rather you want to ease the carp out of the weed with pulls of the rod tip.  Often their moving around will free them from the entrapment of the weed.  You also want to beef up your line when fishing weed. It will require a minimum of 15 lb. test line with 20 lb. test being an even better choice when targeting larger fish.

This morning I got out and fished a weedy shoreline.  I landed 2 good size mirrors on maize and an artificial fished on the hair.  I fished the edge of thick coontail the weeds as described above.  Just like I said, the fish headed right for the thick weeds when hooked. Slowly I eased them out and got them onto the shore. This type of experience is typical for carp fishing at most places at this time.

Photo of the Day.....Common from This Morning

 

This decent size common was landed this morning along with a few others.
Notice the bait in its mouth....one kernel of maize along with a kernel of
white artificial corn. Fishing has been slow for the most part in the past week.

The Slow Climb to 500

Here's a recent catch, a beautiful
fully scaled mirror. I hit number 500
on the year today!

 I haven't posted much lately because there is not much to post. I am in a mediocre pattern.  I'm consistently getting some fish but not many and not many big ones.  There are many reasons for this mediocre fishing. The hot weather has been a killer as I have been unable to fish much past noontime due to the heat. The turtles have been very troublesome as they are super active in the heat and constantly harassing my bait.  Low water is everywhere due to the lack of rain.  I'm seeing carp moving around but not feeding.  Maybe they are stressed in the low, warm water.

The only noteworthy news for me lately is that I landed my 500th carp of the year today. This year I got off to a real fast start in the winter/spring numbers-wise, and it looked like this year was going to be lights out, but we all know a year of carp fishing is a marathon and not a sprint. This summer things have really slowed. The virus has not helped with these travel restrictions to nearby states.  In the summer I usually fish a lot in CT and MA, but that has come to an abrupt end.

So, I still plan to plug along, and I know there will be hot streaks of fishing as I move forward.  As for the fishing right now, mediocre is better than nothing!