Cold Weather Cools off May Carp Fishing

So far it's been a tough month for carp
fishing here in RI. Cold weather and dropping
water temperatures are to blame.

 It's been a very tough May for me thus far.  I blame the unusually cold and rainy weather that seems to have shut the fishing down in many of the places where I am fishing. The water temperatures have dropped, not a good thing in the spring.  In fact, in the last ten outings, I've landed exactly two carp.  Both those fish were in the twenties.

All spring I have been targeting big fish and it has paid off with many 20's and even good numbers of 30's.  When you target bigger fish, you are going to catch less- just a fact. Most of those fish were caught from mid March to late April.

Normally May is THE month for big carp here in RI.  However, April fishing proved to be far better for me than May. I'm guessing other carp fishermen here in RI are experiencing the same poor fishing since I have received, so far, only a few entries for the May leg of our RI CAG Big 3 Tournament. The only bright spot for me in May is that I did land a 35+ lb. carp here in the beginning of the month.  That is my biggest carp so far this year.

For May fishing to improve we will need a return to warm, or at least normal weather, that will drive up the water temperatures and get the carp feeding again.

Winner- Essence of Carping Photo Contest

 The Carp Anglers Group runs many tournaments and contests a year for its members.  Every month they run a photo contest called "Essence of Carping". I try to submit and entry every month.  The winners generally have a photo of something other than a person holding a fish.  Sunsets, scenic shots and even live fish photos have the best chance of winning.

For April, my photo was voted the winner.  It was a photo of a big carp (thirty pounds) just after release.  It was just sitting in the water with its back out in some beautiful light (see photo below). For my winning entry, I received a $100 gift certificate to Big Carp Tackle!  Membership does have its privileges. 

Consider joining CAG if you are a carp fisherman or interested in becoming one.

April Winner- Essence of Carp Fishing Photo Contest

Love These

 

These have been super hot for me
this year.  You can get them at Big
Carp Tackle

As many of you know, I use a lot of plastic corn, usually in combination with real maize on my hair rigs. For the most part, I have been using imitation sweet corn made by Enterprise Tackle which I buy online from Big Carp Tackle.  Enterprise has now come up with a new product called "Large Pop Up Imitation Sweet Corn".  These are larger versions of their original sweet corn.  I bought a couple of packages of these in a white color and have been using them all spring.

I think they offer a slightly bigger profile and they tend to have a bit more buoyancy.  They have been my go-to bait all spring so far.  I am using one of these on the hair rig along with a kernel of real maize.  This is the first spring that I have not used a method ball around my sinker. That has eliminated a lot of catfish and turtle bites.  To date, I have not landed a single catfish or horned pout.

I have had super success this spring using these large pop-ups catching the most large carp, over 20 lbs., that I have ever caught in the early going.  Maybe it's the pop up, maybe just luck!

Here's a 20 + lb. carp that was landed this week
on a combo bait of a large pop-up along with a
kernel of maize on the hair rig.

April Results- RI CAG Spring Big 3 Tournament

 

Biggest fish entered- 31 lbs., 8 oz.

We have the April results for our RI CAG Spring Big 3 Tournament. The tournament runs for three months.  The idea is to enter your biggest fish in April, your biggest for May and your biggest for June. I add up the weights for the three months and that's the total points.  All fish must be caught in RI waters and released. The tournament is open to any CAG member.

Here are the April results (pounds/ounces) for our spring big 3 tournament. Some impressive fish were entered.  We have quite a talented group of carp fishermen here in RI!

1. Dave- 31/8

2. Tony- 23/4

3. Evan- 23

4. Brian- 20/8

5. Scott- 20

6. Daphne- 20

7. Tom- 19/7

Biggest mirror entered- 20 lbs., 8 oz.

A personal best for Scott and his first 20 lber.!

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.

Next Seminar Stop- Springfield Sportsmen's Show

 The next big show where I will be doing carp and striper fishing seminars is the Springfield Sportsmen's Show. This big outdoor show will be held at the Big E in Springfield from Friday, Feb., 21 to Sunday, Feb. 23. This show has everything for the outdoor enthusiast.  It has freshwater fishing, saltwater fishing, hunting, outfitters, tackle shops., boats and kayaks and more. It is held in a massive venue and draws big numbers of people.

I will be doing my two new seminars for this year titled Seasonal Strategies for Carp and Seasonal Strategies for Stripers.  Most likely I will be doing these on Saturday, Feb. 22.  As of right now, the exact schedule has not been posted yet.  The website should have the schedule up this week.

Hope to see many of my followers at the show.

Update: My carp fishing seminar will be on Saturday at 4:00 in seminar room A.

Seminar Schedule for New England Fishing Expo

 I will be at the New England Fishing Expo this weekend (Feb. 1 and Feb. 2) doing a striper fishing seminar and a carp fishing seminar.  This big outdoor fishing show will take place at the Best Western Royal Plaza Trade Center which is right off Rt. 495 in Marlborough, MA. It is one of the largest fishing shows in New England and features a lot of both freshwater and saltwater fishing along with some top notch seminars. You can see the complete seminar schedule at www.nefishingexpo.com 

Here is my seminar schedule:

Sat., Feb. 1- 2:00- Seasonal Strategies for Stripers

Sun., Feb. 2- 11:00- Seasonal Strategies for Carp

Hope to see many of my blog readers at the show!

First Carp Fishing Seminar of the Year- New England Fishing Expo, Marlborough, MA

 

My winter seminar adventures start at the New England Fishing Expo on the weekend of Jan. 31 to Feb. 2.  This big show will be held at the Best Western Royal Plaza Trade Center in Marlborough, MA which is right off Rt. 495.

I've been doing this popular winter show for many years now.  It is one of the best "pure fishing shows" around. It's a mix of saltwater fishing and freshwater fishing.  The show is loaded with vendors and has an all star line-up of seminars.

This year I will be running two all new seminars, one on freshwater carp fishing and one on striper fishing.  The titles of my seminars are "Seasonal Strategies for Striper Fishing" and "Seasonal Strategies for Carp Fishing".  These digital slide shows feature lots of information and have loads of photos and videos all shot in the past year.

The final seminar schedule is not out yet, so keep your eye on the website as it should come out prior to the show. I expect to be there on both Saturday and Sunday.  Hope to see many of my followers there.

On the Board for 2025!

My first carp for 2025! I landed 3 of them
today from 10 to 15 lbs.!

 I got a real Happy New Years surprise today.  As I have done in other years, I went carp fishing hoping to get my first carp of the new year. Well, instead I landed my first three carp of the year. They were all good size commons, running 10 to 15 lbs.

I guessed as to where to go.  The first spot I went to had ice covering a quarter of the pond, too much for my liking, so I kept driving to my second spot. Fortunately, this venue was free of ice. The weather cleared, the sun came out and the fish started hitting on this 50 degree day. 

All my fish were caught on my favorite bait- a kernel of real maize and a white artificial pop-up (see photo) on the hair rig. I was using no method. The fish hit well but were very sluggish on the fight as you would expect in near freezing water. 

I'm guessing the ice will be returning soon, and the fishing will shut down. Winter around here is an off and on deal with short windows of fishing opportunity.  But, I got my first fish of the new year, and I'm happy with that!

This was the hot ticket today. It has
been my go to bait since the fall.