Cold Weather Shuts it Down

 The last three mornings I headed out to go carp fishing the temperatures were in the 30's after a nighttime below freezing. I got nothing for those three straight days as the cold has shut down the fishing. There were no fish, no hits and no jumps.

These cold streaks can really put a damper on the carp fishing here in southern New England.  Carp just don't like these dropping temperatures in the spring after some warm days.  They'll feed very little and they are not active in the dropping water temperatures.

The best pattern so far this spring has been a warm day coming after a warm night (temperatures 50 or above). That will bring a carp lake to life.

Interestingly, so far March has fished far better for me than April. It was those warm streaks in March that really got the fish hitting. The beginning of April has brought some brutal weather. I'm hoping we get into a warmer weather pattern soon.  Only that will improve the fishing.

Catch of the Week!

 

Here's a spectacular wild koi that I landed
in the last week. These are rare but to get one
like this with all its colors is a once in a 
lifetime catch!

Success Measured by the PB

 

It's his first 20 lber. and a PB. Huge congrats!

I got out yesterday with two of our new members, Scott and Evan. We went to a spot that had been kind to me in the past, and which has some good size carp. Both Scott and Evan were looking for a place where they might score a big fish or two. This was the place based on my past catches here.

The place didn't disappoint as the four of us landed 4 carp in a few hours of fishing. All of them were decent size. But, the big story of the evening was that Scott landed a PB (Personal Best) carp of 20 lbs.  This was his first 20 lber. 

Success in carp fishing can be measured in different ways like number of fish one catches or by the biggest fish.  Big ones are not easy to come by.  It took me ten years of carp fishing to get my first 20.  It took another 5 years to get my first 30.  But, after that the 30's and even a few 40's came quickly.  I figured it out, and stuck with it.

Scott made a big leap tonight, and I am happy for him.  He landed  his first 20, and it's now onto beating that fish with an even bigger PB.  That's the way carp fishing works and often the way success is measured for many.

RI CAG Spring Big 3 Tournament Underway

 Our annual Spring Big 3 Tournament is underway, and it should be a very competitive event.  Any RI CAG member can enter this free tournament that runs for 3 months. The idea is to enter your biggest carp for April, the biggest for May and the biggest for June.  In the end we add up the weight totals and that is your score. All fish must be released, and all fish must be caught in RI waters. In the past we have had fish that were entered that would have qualified as state records so there are some monster fish that could be caught.

We have 10 active RI CAG members and all of them are top notch carp fishermen. Any one of these guys or gals could win this tournament.  Engraved medals (photo below) donated by the national group are awarded for the top three finishers.

I will post the results every month and update the standings.  Good luck to all who enter.

Off and Running

 I'm on a roll this March.  I'm seeing the best carp fishing of the last three years in March with good numbers of them as well as some unusually large fish for this time of year.

Here's a good size mirror that I landed this week.
Carp fishing has been very good so far in March.

Normally March is a funky month for carp fishing.  The water is cold, the air is cold and the fish are lethargic.  Sometimes they feed; sometimes they don't. There's not much consistency  In addition, the most active carp of March tend to be small fish, roughly 5 to 10 lbs.

That big rainstorm that we had last Monday really perked things up.  It was warm (50's) and pouring followed by a warm day on Tuesday.  That really got the fish active all week.  For instance, I got out this evening and landed 3 decent mirror carp in just an hour and a half.  I also had another runner.

I've landed good numbers this month so far as well as some real decent fish in the 20 to 27 lb. range.  These are some of the biggest carp I have ever landed in March. Most years I don't start to catch those 20's until April or even May.

So, we are off to a good start.  Remember,  if you plan to fish in the coming weeks, all non trout stocked waters in RI are open for fishing in March.  Trout stocked waters are closed until the second Saturday in April. You will also need a new 2025 fishing license if you plan to fish RI or MA waters.

Spring has Sprung!

 Just a short week ago, most of the ponds and lakes in RI had 8 to 12 inches of ice on them.  Today, most of that ice was gone as I was fishing in totally ice free water. Most bodies of water fouth of Providence are now ice free.  Further north, ice still exists in some places.

A good size common comes to the
net today. The carp were active in
ice free water that I fished, a 
sure sign that spring is here!

Today, spring was in the air with temperatures in the mid fifties. Upon arriving at my spot, I noticed a carp rooting in the water in front of me.  I also noticed a few bubble trails. So there was excitement and hope that I'd get something today.

I casted out my two rods and set them on my banksticks armed with bite alarms.  About an hour into it, one of the rods started jumping, a sure sign of a carp take.  I was soon on and within a minute or two I had a chunky 13 lb. common in the net.  A bit later in the day I had fish number 2, another common in the low teens.  Both hit a combo bait of maize and a white artificial corn on the hair rig.

While the calendar says we are still in winter, disappearing ice and open water says spring is here. And certainly, the fact that the carp are active and hitting REALLY says spring is here.

Note several unique laws regarding spring fishing for carp here in RI.  First off, you need a new, 2025 license after March 1st here in RI if you plan to go fishing.  Second, any bodies of water that are stocked with trout are off limits to carp fishing and all other types of fishing until the second Saturday in April (opening day of trout fishing). Finally, if you do fish for carp in trout stocked waters, the use of corn is prohibited.

Catching in the Snow!

 

Today was only the second time I got out since Jan.1 to fish for carp. It's been a rough winter to this point. Today, I was greeted by snowy banks and some icing, but I did have enough open water to give it a shot. 

Well, it was not hot and heavy, but I did manage to grab one small mirror that went about 5 to 6 lbs. I had also another runner that dropped it. I got both on a small piece of maize along with a white artificial corn on the hair rig. It was great just to get out and fish as I haven't wet a line in about 8 weeks.

This is the start of my early spring carp fishing. It starts off slowly like today, but get a warm, sunny day and the action will suddenly perk up.  The fish are around, just not active in the cold water. Expect the fishing to dramatically pick up in March when all the ice and snow leaves.