Not a September to Remember

 

I landed this mirror yesterday. 
Overall, it's been a slow month
numbers-wise and size-wise.

This has been a tough September for fishing for me.  It's been low numbers and not a lot of big ones, never a good combination. So far, I have landed 30 carp in the month of September, numbers that are way off compared to recent year.  I've been fishing hard and fishing many different places, but the numbers just have not been there.  My best day of the month was yesterday when I was able to put 5 mirrors onto the bank.  Other than that, it has been one here, one there.  Also, I have not landed a lot of big carp. My biggest for the month was 23 lbs., not anything to brag about.  I had only one other low 20. So, the big fish fishing has not been great either.

September has always been a transition month.  Some years we see a cool, wet month. I would argue these are the best conditions.  Other years like this year see a warm, generally dry month, much more like August than September. I'm waiting for some cooler weather that just might get the bigger fish active and feeding.  In the past, October and the beginning of November have offered the best fall fishing around here.  I'm hoping that will happen this year.

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.

Sizzling Temperatures Cool Off Carp Fishing

 

I landed this mirror carp this morning.
Fishing has been slow in this heat.

We are in a brutal stretch of hot weather. Temps in the 90's the last three days have slowed carp fishing to a crawl, especially in the daytime.  Water temperatures are like bath water. I am trying to fish the coolest times of the days- mornings and evenings into darkness. Those have been the most productive times for me although the fishing is not great even in those cooler times of the day. I'm catching a carp here and there with some blanks.

I'm guessing that carp in most large lakes have moved to the comfort of deeper and cooler water where they are probably just sulking on the bottom. They have also been a lot less active as I'm seeing fewer jumps and bubble trails in this heat.

Warm water pests have also hindered the fishing.  Turtles have been especially bothersome as they are constantly stealing the bait. I'm talking both sun turtles and snappers.

With and eye on the upcoming weather, I am hoping the cool and rainy days predicted at the end of the week wake up the fishing for the better. It usually does at this time of year.

Catching in the Nasty Weather (Again)

 

This is one of seven carp landed on
a nasty, rainy and stormy day this 
week.  Carp just love to go on a 
feeding spree in lousy weather.

I had the conditions I was looking for a couple of days ago.  It poured overnight and light rain continued into the next day.  I set out in the rain and cool conditions to a location in which I hadn't caught a carp in a month.  But, I knew from past experiences this was the place to be on a lousy, stormy, summer day.

Right away, as I was setting up, I saw several fish jump right in front of me. Well, it took about 20 minutes before one of the alarms began screaming. I was onto a good fish, which I landed.  It was a low 20 lber., a real decent fish. Six more fish followed that day which ranged from 10 lbs. up into the high 20's.  Once again, nasty weather lit up my carp fishing.

All my fish were landed that day on a combo bait of a kernel of real maize along with a white plastic pop-up corn.  This combo bait was fished on the hair rig. I haven't used a method ball for over a month now due to the presence of lots of turtles.  Turtles love this warm weather, and they seem to be everywhere. The method ball in an invitation to come and feed, and I am doing my best to avoid them.

Final Results- RI CAG Spring Big 3 Tournament

 

Brian Savage holds a 30 lb., 15 oz. mirror.
This was the biggest fish entered in June.
It was also a PB mirror for Brian. Brian won
the silver medal.

Our spring tournament ended in dramatic fashion as several remarkable fish were added in June.  This shuffled the leader board and ended up making the tournament results very close.

Two of our most experienced carpers, Tom Perron and Brian Savage, entered two magnificent mirrors in the June segment. Tom's mirror, a PB (Personal Best) for him, was 29 lbs., 1 oz. Brian's mirror, a PB for him also, was 30 lbs., 15 oz.  Those monster fish moved both guys up in the standings.  Brian finished 2nd overall to win the sliver medal while Tom took the bronze.

Two of our newcomers, Scott Burns and Evan Aziz also recorded PB's in this tournament with Scott entering a 25 lb. , 8 oz. common and Evan catching a 23 lb., 4 oz. common.  Both guys ended up  entering 3 fish over 20 lbs., a great feat for guys who have been carping for a little over a year.

For me, June was a disappointment, and I was only able

Tom Perron holds
a 29 lb., 1 oz. mirror 
that he landed in June.
It was a PB mirror for
him. Tom won the bronze
medal overall.

to enter a 15 lb., 2 oz. mirror, my biggest fish of June. However, my big early lead with two 30's including a potential state record carp of 35 lbs., 4 oz. barely got me the gold medal.

Thanks to all who competed.  This was one of our best tournaments in years. 

Below are the final results: 

1. Dave- 31/8 + 35/4 + 15/2 = 81/14

2. Brian- 20/8 + 24/12 + 30/15 = 76/3  

3. Tom- 19/7+ 24/10 + 29/1 = 73/2

4. Scott- 20 + 25/8 + 23/10 = 69/4

5. Evan- 23+20/8 + 20/8 = 64/1

6. Daphne- 20+15/3= 35/3

7. Tony- 23/4