BOILIES

You don't see many people using boilies in RI, but let me tell you that it is a super bait when you are targeting big carp. I have been using boilies a lot in September since I ordered some from

K-1 baits (http://www.k-1baits.com/), one of the big online bait stores in the US. I have been using their pineapple boilies in a 16mm size. Here's how effective they have been for me. The 8 biggest fish I have landed in September, sizes 16-25 lbs have ALL been taken on boilies. I have experimented with using corn on one rod and boilies on the other and the boilies have gotten all the action. They are that effective. I might add that I am using them with an oatmeal based method ball packed around the sinker.

Boilies are hardened balls of bait that have been cooked or boiled. A baiting needle goes through easily. They are very durable and can not be picked apart like a doughball by pesty horned pout and bluegills. They are also convenient. They come in a zip lock bag. They are also inexpensive since a one pound bag is about 8 bucks.

Boilie fishing has been an eye opener for me this month and I plan to stock up on different flavors and sizes in the off season for use next year.

Hot Times in Sept.....Dusk and After Dark

In the last week or so, the hot period of time has been at and after dark. We have gotten a shot of cooler weather and that has gotten the fish active all over the state. If I had to pick the best month to catch carp at and after dark it would be September. It seems that that drop in temperature at and after dark seems to be a trigger that gets the carp feeding. As the water temperatures also drop, the fish begin to sense a need to feed in anticipation of winter coming.

I have been all over the state in the last week catching fish and all the places are producing (see photo of last night's fish caught at dusk). I've fished the Blackstone River, Scott's Pond, Ryco Pond, Lake Tiogue, Warwick Pd., Mashapaug, and Brickyard Pond and have taken fish out of all these places. I've also seen an upswing in activity in these spots with fish whirling and cruising around.

Sweet Corn Tactics: Colors and Flavors

Sweet corn is very hot right now. Maybe it's because the water is so warm and the fish are a bit picky. I have been having very good luck using flavored sweet corn. I often will mix different flavors as well as colors and that sometimes makes for an irresistible combination (see photo at left). Three flavors have been hot this week are carpquila, spicy peach and pineapple. At times, I have loaded the hair with all three. I also like to vary the color. The peach is a red color and I usually sandwich that between two yellow kernels (pineapple and/or carpquila). For whatever the reason, threading different colors on the hair has worked especially well for me this week. In the last two days I have landed over a dozen carp using this tactic (see photo of one of today's fish at right). You can purchase flavored sweet corn from The Bait Stop, or you can buy a can of sweet corn from the supermarket and add your own flavoring.

Weather Turns Bad; Fishing Turns Good

The doldrums are over at least temporarily. It has been a hot summer thus far weather wise and that has put the carp in an August funk. While nighttime fishing has been fair, the daytime action has been nonexistent. That has now changed. The rain, cool weather and northeast winds of the last two days have lit up the carp fishing in RI, even in the daytime. There have even been some big ones around like the 15 lb. mirror in the photo that was taken in the Blackstone River two nights ago. It's my type of fishing weather, and I've landed more fish in the last two days than in the previous two weeks! I've also noticed lots of activity....fish whirling, bubbles and fish moving around. Hot bait continues to be flavored sweet corn with carpquila, spicey peach and pineapple doing most of the damage.

Nighttime is the Right Time

I have blanked now six times in a row in the morning. Yet, I have landed a carp or two five straight times in the evening/night. To say nighttime is the right time is an understatement. With the warm water temperatures and the hot days, it seems logical that the cooler nights would produce. The hot time has been from sunset to an hour or two after dark. The action isn't hot and heavy but there are some fish around. I also might add that the horned pout have been bothersome. They have been more active than usual. Sweet corn is still the hot bait.

The Switch to Sweet Corn

Fishing has been tough, very tough. Hey, it's August in RI. It's way too hot and the fish are simply not feeding like they were earlier in the year. Up until this week I had been using maize because it is much more durable than sweet corn and with a lot of turtles, sunfish and horned pout around, it was a better choice. Sun turtles, in particular, are very clever about stealing the bait without even twitching the rod tip. But, the maize was not working with the carp.
So, I went back to using sweet corn and taking my chances with the turtles. I'm not killing the fish, but I am catching one or two on just about every outing. I am using carpquila and pineapple flavors as well as unflavored sweet corn. All have produced about the same results.

Back in the Swing of Things

Still handicapped but that has not stopped me. You know things are returning to normal when you're fishing again and catching!