Mulberry Drop in Full Swing

Mulberries can come
in pink, white, and
purple colors. Carp
just love them!

This fish was landed this morning
on a freelined mulberry.  Use a
small hook like a size #8.

Do you know where there is a mulberry tree along a carp pond or river?  If so, that might just be your best spot to fish right now.  Carp just love mulberries, and they can't get enough of them.  As the berries fall into the water, you can often see the carp's lips just coming up to the surface to suck in every berry they can find. They are on a mulberry feed right now.
Freelining is your best bet to fishing mulberries since you want a delicate presentation.  Tie just a small hook (#8) to the end of your line.  Then impale a ripe mulberry.  Flip it out to where the carp are feeding and watch the line take off. Simple, yet very effective.
I landed my first carp on a mulberry this morning as I got a fish of around ten pounds.  I also had several other big ones on that I lost.  Losing fish is part of the game when fishing mulberries.  Freelined baits just don't offer the same hooking effectiveness as a hair rigged bait.

Another Good Day in Lousy Weather

Yesterday's haul totaled 7 carp from 10-18 lbs.

Yesterday was the lousiest day of the week, yet it was the best for fishing.
I got out in the morning cloudy and humid weather and landed 6 carp from 10-18 lbs. using maize. I also had two other fish on and another two runners that dropped the bait. The fish were active as I saw a lot of fish moving around, digging in the mud and jumping.  It was the best mornings of fishing I have had in weeks.  I later went back in the evening and had less success.  I did land one fish at dark while floating bread crust.  There were a few fish feeding on bread pieces and this one fish took the hooked piece.
I have written countless times about how lousy weather can produce real good carp fishing.  Yesterday was just one more example.

It just ain't May anymore.....

Suckers (above), dace and
turtles have become active
in this warm weather.

Landed this 8 lb. carp this morning.
It was the only carp caught. 

Here's the best way I can describe recent carp fishing: small fish, less of them and lots of pests.  It's amazing how the abundant larger fish of May disappeared once the warm weather in June set in. And, I'm fishing a lot of the same spots that were super hot a month ago.  In  most places right now the water is low due to the recent lack of rain and it's warming rapidly.  That has the fish quite lethargic by day. This beautiful sunny weather is not helping.
I got out this morning and it was typical of recent outings.   I fished one of my hot May spots.  All I could muster was one eight pound carp that hit maize. That was my only carp run. I also landed a sucker of about 18 inches along with a dace.  I had a lot of pesty fish (turtles, suckers and dace I assume) banging the method ball. I saw no bubble trails or breaking fish.
So, this is June fishing as the summer slowdown begins.  Man, it just ain't May anymore.

Small, Tough and Charged Up

The catches tonight included this mirror double.  Tonight's fish
 were aggressive and charged up.

I tangled with some of the best fighting fish I have caught all year this evening.  Surprisingly, these were all small carp in the 5-8 lb. range.  Summer fish can, indeed, be very good fighters.  They can also be aggressive feeders when they are in the mood, and they were in the mood tonight.
I got home late from commitments today and had a couple of hours to get out after supper. So, I fished locally in one of my"small" spring spots that I rarely fish at this time of year.  I found lots of carp moving around.  Some were grubbing on the bottom, some were moving very close to the shore in small groups.  In all there was lots of activity, and that usually spells decent action.  I landed four mirror carp and lost another in a short period of time while fishing with maize on the hair rig (no method ball).  All the takes were screamers, and these fish were actually ripping drag from my Okuma Avenger reel that was spooled with 15 lb. test mono.  It was like these fish were on steroids.

Scoring in a Slowdown

This is one of 4 mirror carp landed on this hot day
while fishing with maize.

We are in an early summer slowdown.  Fishing is simply not as good as it was back in April and May.  The water is warming, the fish are in a post spawn funk, and they are not feeding as heavily as they were back in the spring.  However, you can still catch in a summer slowdown.  I have been out just about every day in the last week and I have been generally getting one to four fish an outing.  Today I landed 4 mirrors up to 15 lbs.  Not bad in a summer slowdown.
Here are a few tips on how to score when the fishing is slow and the weather is hot:
* Fish the right times.  Best to fish in the coolest hours.  Get out in early morning, evening and nighttime.  Rainy days are also a good bet.
* If fishing in sunlight, try to focus on fishing shady areas.  Carp will seek the comfort of shade on warm days.
* Fish with hard baits such as maize.  The pests will have a field day with sweet corn and you just can't keep it on the hook.
* Try to prebait an area.  That always gets things going whether it's summer or spring.
* Look for hotspots.  Some places fish hotter in summer than others.  It's a matter of fishing and finding those places.
* Moving water (rivers) seem to fish better than stagnant ponds and lakes.  The fish are also more active in moving water.

Winner....Big Carp Tackle's May Carp of the Month

For the second month in a row (first time ever this has happened), one of my fish has been awarded Big Carp Tackle's Carp of the Month in its monthly photo contest for CAG members.  This fish was that beautiful mirror (see photo) with its milky white belly, big gold scales and big whitish fins and tail that I landed three weeks ago. It was one of the most gorgeous mirrors I have ever landed. And, it was 27 lbs. to boot.  The award for winning this contest was a $100 gift certificate to Big Carp Tackle (www.bigcarptackle.com ).  I'm sure I can put that to good use.
Tackle companies as well as the Carp Anglers Group are constantly running contests and tournaments for CAG members.  For anyone interested in joining our group, there is a special in the month of June as membership is only $10 for the year.  It's a great deal.  Anyone interested in joining, visit the CAG website at www.carpanglersgroup.com

In A Summer Slowdown

I know when things are slow because my e-mail is lit up with RI CAG members asking where the fish are hitting.  I wish I knew.  For the first time this year I blanked on two days in a row in the last week.  I went out today to two good spots and got nothing in the morning and landed one small one in the evening.  We are in a summer slowdown that was brought on by those recent warm days.
So, how do you score in a slowdown.  Here are a few approaches that just might get you some carp. Fish the right times.  At this time of year early morning and evening into night are your best times.  Fish with maize.  The pests (turtles, dace and bluegills) are out in force and will pick that sweet corn or doughball apart in an instant.  Prebaiting is always a way to up the odds in your favor.  And, finally, look for mulberry trees.  The mulberry drop is about to begin and that will perk up the fishing greatly along shores that have these trees.  Freelining is your best bet when fishing with mulberries.
And, realize the hot spring fishing of May is a thing of the past. I always lower my expectations in June.  There are not as many fish to be had, the fish get moody and the large females seem to go into hiding. It's just harder to score in June.