Rucksack or Fishing Bag?

How do you carry your gear to the bank? Most fishermen these days are either using some type of bag or a rucksack. Up until this past year, I was a "bag" type of guy. But, this year I switched to a rucksack and I like it.

Rucksacks are the UK's version of a US knapsack. I purchased a Nash Hooligan 45 rucksack last year. I was looking to make it to the bank in one trip with all my gear and figured the rucksack was the way to go. The rucksack has the added bonus of allowing a fishermen to walk a long distance while comfortably carrying all the gear that is supported on two shoulders. My sack has a bunch of pockets (as they all do) on the sides and front for storing boxes of gear like hooks, leads, scales, rig pouch, stops, scissors, hooklink, baiting needles, etc. I like to keep my jars of maize and other bait in the main compartment. I is roomy enough to also fit a small method bowl and my lunch and maybe even extra clothing. When walking to far away spots, I also stick in a couple of banksticks with alarms in the main compartment. I also have set up hiker's hooks in the sack's rings to clip on my unhooking mat and weigh sling. You could never fit all that gear into a bag.

If you are thinking about purchasing some tackle storage before the start of the next season, consider a rucksack.

Non-Carpin' Ice Fishin'

There is about 6-8 inches of ice all over the state right now and it seems to be thickening by the day. By now, carp seem to be a distant memory. While a few have been caught around the US though the ice, I have tried and have not been successful at that game.
So, at this time of the year I turn to other fish to keep the rods active and the fishing going. I love to jig through the ice. I'll sometimes go to several ponds in an afternoon cutting holes and jigging for species like largemouth bass, yellow perch, big bluegills, pickerel, white perch, etc. My kids, their friends, the girlfriends, etc. sometimes all come along as I have a bucket with about 8 jigging outfits ready to go. The trick is to use a small lure (I prefer small gold Kastmasters), and thread a meal worm (can be purchased at Petco) onto the lure's treble. Just lower it to the bottom, move it upwards about 6-10 inches off the bottom and jig the offering up and down.
In the last week, I have done exceptionally well with largemouths in a local pond and have caught big numbers of large perch from Stump Pond in Smithfield. This isn't carp, but it does keep the fishing alive and well until the carp fishing comes to life in March. What else are you going to do in the dead of winter?

Looking Back on 20009....Video

Ah, 2009 was a great year of carp fishing for most of us RI CAG fishermen. I put together a U Tube video (the file was too big for this site) that highlights our year. Sit back, turn up the music and enjoy!

Sleeper Spots and Big Carp

A sleeper spot is one of those places that gets very little attention and fishing pressure. Sometimes these places hold enormous fish that grow and grow and are never caught (like the thirty at right that was caught in a MA sleeper lake). Are there sleeper spots in RI that could hold a thirty pound carp? I think it is possible.

For a small state, we have a fair to good knowledge about where carp exist. Back in the 1980's and 1990's credit the Wasliewski brothers (Steve and Kevin) with doing a lot of exploring and discovering what we know about carp fishing today in RI. Those pioneers of carp fishing in RI did a fabulous job of finding out where the fish exist in at least the mid section of the state, and passing that info onto others. For their efforts they are the only two carp fishermen I know in RI who have landed fish over 30 lbs.

Could there be more spots that hold a thirty pounder....sleeper spots we know very little about? Here is my line-up of some places that could be sleeper spots:

1. Turner Reservoir, E.Providence- We know carp are in this spot, but how many and how big is the question. Boaters have told me they have seen enormous fish in the north end of the lake. I saw a small one caught in the south end. Other fish grow to big sizes here.

2. Waterman Lake, Glouster- Bass fishermen have told me they have seen huge ones in this massive lake. I know of no confirmed catches.

3. Georgiaville Pond, Smithfield- No confirmed catches that I know of but lots of rumors of big fish. This place has large bass and pike and is part of the Stillwater system that does support carp.

4. Stillwater/Stump Pond, Smithfield- One of our guys landed an 18 lber. from here at the south end of the pond. I keep hearing rumors about the north end. Can it be true?

5. Slatersville Reservoir, North Smithfield- This is a huge place with no confirmed catches, but people along the lake claim they have seen them there. It is also a place known for big fish.

6. Tidal Section of Blackstone River, Pawtucket- I saw large ones spawning here years ago and occasional ones have been caught, mostly by accident. Much of this area is unknown and unfished. It is loaded with debris and has a strong current, but access is good. Could this place have a thirty pound mirror? It certainly could support one with its abundant food supply.

Will one of these sleeper spots awaken in 2010? Keep all this in mind when planning for next season!

DONE

Hate to say it, but I believe the end has come in RI. In the last five days, I have been out fishing with other RI CAG members Jeff Allard and Nick Newton and we have all blanked. Right now, all the small ponds are ice covered and the big ponds have ice along the shores. Water temps. are in the mid thirties in the big ponds, and I have never caught a carp in water that was lower than 38 degrees. Without any warm water outflows in RI, carp fishing comes to a halt when the ice arrives. So, time to clean up the reels, restock some gear, buy some new stuff and wait until an extended warm spell or spring.
I will continue to post on this blog during the winter months. I will be focusing on equipment, reviewing products and sending along CAG information.
To all my supporters who visit this blog, I wish you all Happy Holidays!

RI CAG Members Catching

Several of us RI CAG members got together this week to take advantage of some beautiful December weather as we hit some hot ponds for carp fishing. On Friday afternoon, I fished with CAG members, Nick Newton and Paul Bazzoni and later got together after dark with John Joseph. At the end of the day, the total for the group was 8 commons, all decent fish of about 10 lbs., very good results for the first week of December. The hot baits were sweet corn as well as doughballs fished ahead of a small method ball.

RI CAG members frequently get together to fish in small and large groups as well as exchange information on a weekly basis. We share information about spots to fish, baits and techniques. If you are into carp fishing or would like to get into it, consider joining our group. If you join the national CAG at http://www.carpanglersgroup.com/, you automatically become a RI CAG member.

Doughballs Very Effective Now

Doughballs are probably your most effective carp bait overall. Yet, you simply can't use them most of the year because everything else (bluegills, horned pout, perch, etc) loves them also. These fish will pick you clean in a matter of minutes in the warm months. With December here, these pests are dormant, but the carp are still on the hunt for food.

In the last two outings, doughballs have been my bait of choice and they are really producing right now. I've caught a good number of mirrors and commons up to 13 lbs. (pic on left of fish caught yesterday) in the last two days using these. A doughball is simply the white section of a slice of bread rolled up tightly and compressed into a ball about the size of a small marble. After forming with my fingers, I like to set it out into the sun to try a bit and harden, making it very durable. I use it on a hair rig up ahead of an oatmeal based method ball (see pic on right).

This bait has been very effective in the last month of the year and the first month of the year. Yes, at times it will outfish corn!