Friday, November 16, 2018

Very Poor in November

So far, it has been a very poor November for carp fishing
here in RI.
This will not be a November to remember for me. I'm working on the poorest November carp fishing I have ever experienced.  In most normal Novembers I am able to land about 50 or 60 carp here in RI.  Thus far, I have only 5 carp on the month, and it shows no signs of improving. All my November spots that produced in other years seem to have no fish or none that want to feed.
The weather has really been working against me.  With the massive amounts of rain, the high, high water is at record levels.  I've written before that I am no fan of high water as it moves a lot of the fish into places they would not normally be.  In most places, ponds as well as rivers in RI, the water is in the woods.  Parts of the Blackstone look like a massive pond right now. Add to that big time dropping water temperatures brought on by this cold weather. As I write this I am staring at 6 inches of snow in my backyard.  It's all put the carp in a funk.
I am hoping this weather settles down into a more normal pattern soon. If not, I'll keep looking and trying
.  As most of you know, I do fish all winter on a limited basis, so I will keep going. Hopefully, things improve. 

Friday, November 2, 2018

Big Fish Being Caught at NIGHT

This 23 lb. hog was landed two nights ago. Nighttime can
produce some trophy fish in late fall.
I'm competing in the CAG Big 4 Tournament right now, and I'm looking for some big carp to enter.  With the action for bigger fish slow in the daytime for me, I have turned to these warm nights in search of a big fish in the past few days.  And, it has paid off.
Three nights ago, I landed my biggest RI carp this year, a beast that went 30 lbs., 2 oz. That fish was also my biggest that I have ever landed after dark.  The next night I landed a good size one that went 23 lbs., 2 oz. I can also report that other RI CAG members have entered some big fish for our RI CAG Fall Combo Tournament that were caught at night too.
Experienced carpers will tell you that many of the biggest carp are taken at night. Big carp are wary creatures, and they will often come close to shore to feed under the cover of darkness. Combine that with late fall, a time in which bigger fish are feeding up for winter, and this month is a great opportunity to land a trophy. With darkness coming very early next week, it might be a time to get out and try carp fishing in the dark.