Photo of the Week- " Release"

 

A good size common carp swims away after being released. Spring
weather is here and the carp are hitting!

Warm-Up Brings Uptick in Activity

 After a dismal start to spring carp fishing, I am hoping this warm weather sticks around because it has improved the fishing for me. I've seen a noticeable uptick in the last couple of days.  These days have been warm and fairly tranquil, and I'm guessing the water temperatures got a bit higher and that has gotten the carp feeding. Prior to this week, I went five straight outings in multiple locations with nothing on some cold and miserable days.

Your best bet in this early spring fishing would be to hit a shallow water location that tends to warm up quickly.  It doesn't have to be a small pond.  It could be a shallow cove in a larger body of water.  I sense that the fish are moving into those warm shallows. Most rivers are not fishable due to high water right now.

If you can, prebait.  It really helps. I prebait with the same bait I intend to use.  I have been scoring in the last few days with my ole favorite of a kernel of maize and a white, artificial, plastic pop-up corn on the hair rig. The best pop-up color for me has been pale pink. Sometimes I add a method ball and sometimes I don't depending on the number of turtles in the area (yes, they are getting active in this warm weather).

Here's a mirror carp that I landed tonight.  Notice the bait
is a combo of maize and a white plastic corn on a hair rig.

Two Big Tournaments Kick Off

 Two big tournaments happen in the spring for CAG members.  Here they are:

1. CAG Spring Big 4- This is a big national tournament that runs for three months. You enter your 4 biggest carp by weight.  Participants enter from all over the US, and it features some of the very best carp fishermen in the country.  We have several of our members entered this year, and in the past RI anglers have done quite well. Last year I came in 3rd place overall, one of my best finishes in years. Prizes in the form of gift certificates are awarded to the top ten places.

2. RI CAG Spring Big 3- This is strictly a RI tournament.  It runs for three months from April till the end of June.  RI anglers enter their biggest carp for April, the biggest for May and the biggest for June.  We add up the weights for the total. Medals donated from the national CAG organization are awarded to the top three finishers. All fish entered must be landed in RI waters.

Springing Into a New Season

 It's early March and the spring carp fishing is starting locally.  I got out several times in the last week trying multiple venues. I ended up with 2 mirrors and 1 common.  It's a start.

I must say that these fish were super active unlike the ones I was getting in the cold of winter. Each fish sent the alarms screaming on the take.  They were also feisty on the fight unlike the sluggish fish of mid winter.

It all tells me that the new season is here. Now, as soon as I get the first 20 lber., I can really say it's really here! That's coming soon.

Just a reminder- if you plan on carp fishing in RI, you must now have a new 2024 fishing license.  Also, any waters stocked with trout are closed to any kind of fishing until after Opening Day (second Saturday in April).

I landed this beautiful mirror today. Spring carp fishing 
has started!

Some Ice, Some Open Water, Some Fish

 Hey, it's still February and the fishing reflects this. In the last week I did some exploring and was surprised by how much ice I found in many of the ponds in RI. Some places had almost no open water.

I did, however,  find a spot that was fishable, and I tried today.  I did manage a few fish but it was not hot and heavy.  Once again, it's February, not May.

Your best bet at this time of year is to look for a small pond that is ice free. If the pond is shallow all the better since the water will warm up faster on a sunny day. Small rivers are also a good bet.  Look for deep, slow moving water in small rivers.

There are no pests around at this time so sweet corn is a good bait at this time. You can either use a hair rig or just thread a few pieces on a small hook. Method balls are optional. I caught my fish today on a combo bait of a small piece of maize along with an artificial pop-up corn fished on a hair rig off a #8 hook.

 I landed this mirror carp today in some ice free water.
They will hit in February but don't expect the action to be hot and heavy.

Next Stop......Springfield Sportsmen's Show

 My next stop on my winter seminar tour is the Springfield Sportsmen's Show on Saturday, Feb. 24 at the Big E in Springfield, MA. I will be doing seminars at 1:00 and 4:00. 

For anyone who has never been to this popular show, it is a mix of everything outdoorsy. There's hunting and fishing stuff, camping stuff, outfitters, charter boat captains, tackle shops, boats, kayaks, etc., all in a massive venue. It also features an all star line-up of seminar speakers.

I will be doing my striper and carp fishing shows. My striper fishing show is called Finesse Fishing for Stripers. This show is loaded with info on using a finesse approach to catching stripers from shore and kayak when the bait is small (which it was most of the time last year). The show is filled with tackle and plugging ideas. Some terrific video footage and photos from last year's fishing are in the narrated presentation.

My carp fishing show is titled Carp Fishing Strategies.  This show focuses on different approaches to catching carp. also nicknamed "freshwater tuna"! These monsters of freshwater can be difficult to catch on rod and reel, and I'll offer many suggestions on how to do it that should appeal to beginners as well as seasoned pros. I've got some serious photos in the show that include multiple potential state records.

The striper seminar is scheduled for 1:00 while my carp fishing seminar will take place at 4:00.

Hope to see many of my loyal readers at the show! Form more info, check out the show information at  www.osegsportsmens.com

Back in Business

 

Here's a mirror that I landed today.  Yes, carrp
can be caught in the dead of winter!

I'm on the board with my first ones of 2024.  I was out twice this week and landed 3 mirrors.  They all looked like clones in the 6 to 8 lb. range.

Yes, you can catch carp in the dead of winter in ice free waters.  However, realize these are not the voracious feeders you find in the spring when the waters have a chance to warm.  In the very cold water of February, these fish will feed sparingly.  Everything about them has slowed in the cold.  The takes will be just subtle bangs of the rod tip.  The fight will be sluggish. Most likely, you won't catch a lot of them and the ones that do hit tend to be smaller fish.

Still, on beautiful winter days like today, it feels great just to just get out and wet a line. Carp tend to hit on these warm, winter days. If you plan to try, here's a few tips. Go light with the bait. Today I was using one small kernel of maize with a white, artificial corn on the hair rig. I was also fishing a "small" spot.  Big waters don't tend to produce in the wintertime. Best times will be a sunny afternoon, or the warmest part of the day.