Finally, after many failed trips to normal early season river and creek spots I stumbled upon a neighborhood producer! There’s a small lake within a mile of my house that I noticed last week was opening up a bit and figured I’d give it a shot. The first trip we were met with very subtle bites and alot of whiffs. With no fish caught we couldn’t decide if it was bullheads or carp messing with our heads, but the unanimous decision of two was that it was indeed carp.
Upon a little further investigation and a payout of 25 cents, our super sleuth pal Encyclopedia Brown solved the case. It was our friend Cyprinus Carpio(common carp) jigglin’ our fishin’ poles. The first photo is me with my first of the year caught on my new custom 9’8″ St. Croix carpin’ stick built by Lonnie at Thorne Bros.(Thanks Lonnie!!!!!) Just minutes before, Serpent also got his first of the year, what a way to start the season.
As far as the technique involved it was nothing fancy by any means. We were just fishing corn rigged on a #2 octopuss hook bottom fishin’. The lake we are fishing has a small aerator/pumphouse and the fish were relating to the current generated by this. Most came shallow and the PM hours seem to be the best as the sun has more time to warm the waters in the shallows.
If the weather actually ends up the way ol’ weatherman is forecasting this week things should start to improve dramatically. Bring it on!!!!! In closing, here’s Serpent with the bonus fish of the day…..first sucker I’ve ever seen caught on corn.