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!