CARP FISHING!!

Back to one of my more productive Madison Chain spots. Hasn't been doing too well, but I switched from Sweet Corn Super Gel over to Korda Goo Buttercorn this morning. HUGE difference. Ended up with 14 on 19 bites (heavy weed cover cost me a couple of fish). Nice to end September with a 100LB+ day. Only one large outlier at 16.1 LB. That Buttercorn stuff is amazing certain times of year (Early Spring and Late Fall), but I have noticed it tends to draw bites from smaller fish, on average. I've caught some big ones on it, too. October is often one of ​my best months of the ​year. Gotta close up third quarter ​so I can enjoy it. Probably won't ​get out again until next weekend.

I buy my Korda products at Big Carp Tackle . Com
Great site.  I buy my Pro Cure gel there too.  

Where do you get your white Korda?

Same here with the white Korda.  That has been best every time out since early July.

Was up North in Minocqua last week fishing Smallmouth (My nephew hooked/landed a beautiful 18"+. Was so proud  ). Was bummed that I missed that big heat wave last week. Probably would've been some good carping down here! Tried them this morning on the Rock with very little expectations, but the bite was better, and lasted longer, than I'd hoped. I exhausted my 'Double Batch' of pack bait between 0630 and 1100. 27 bites with 23 on the bank for 160 LB. Couple thirteen pounders. Couple pairs of doubles. Fished Korda Pop-Up Maize. Orange and White. White was getting hit the best, with Procure Sweet Corn Supergel. A few on Orange. White has been MUCH better than any other pop-up color since late July. Not sure why. My records show conflicting data from prior years. C'est la vie.

One of the last fish of the day was sort of fun. #1 got hit, but something was hopelessly hung up on the bottom. While trying to dislodge #1, #2 went off. I went to deal with that, but #2 tangled with the stuck #1. The #1 fish got away, but the #2 fish, tangled with #1 stuck line, I was able to land, and because it had tangled with #1, I was able to retrieve the hair rig (and most of the line) on #1, and only lost the Method Lead, which must have gotten caught under a rock or some such. A surprising end to a rough situation.

Beautiful day. Little breeze, some cloud cover, not too hot. My records show it was my best August day, yet, and it was pretty easy on my tackle. Despite falling way behind due to some early-season problems, I'm now ahead of where I was this time last year. For the third season in a row I'm within striking distance of 3 tons. Hope the fall bite on the Madison Chain pans out like it did in 2021. The summertime river trips have been good to me.

Nice little session this morning.  Fished with a friend and his son.  Well, it was mostly his son.  Fished 7-1030.  Caught 15.  Nothing huge.  5-7 lbs mostly.  2 were full scaled mirrors.  At leas they were partial.  Maybe 1/4 of the scales were irregular.  Fun morning. 

Take a look at acmetackle.com. They sell Uncle Josh products. Thanks. 

Bruno

And by the way all Uncle Josh products are no longer made.  I tried every bait shop and Walmart in Madison finally checked the internet and they are no longer in business.  This was the only time I was gonna buy some too.

I have offered but no one has ever taken a carp from me.  Sheephead like crazy.  So does anyone know where I can find dissolving bags for bait around Madison?  I have tried all the fishing places and Walmart and will just say screw it and order some but has anyone found a place?  Walmart has me looking in the gardening section and they do have some one the website but if I'm gonna order some might at well order the correct stuff.

Btw I can find bags for salmon eggs everywhere 

It's no longer unlawful to return rough fish to the water alive. Hasn't been for decades, but the misconception remains. It's more unlawful to return them dead, or leave them on the bank (considered littering). Spot I'm fishing now has a sign posted specifically mentioning it's NOT illegal to return any type of fish to the water, alive. That being said, I don't eat them either, but give them away as often as I can to those that do. Although, on the Madison Chain they've issued new fish consumption advisories that specifically discuss eating Common Carp. Apparently they aren't the safest thing to be eating. One thing I really encourage is to use them as fertilizer. Gardening, planting trees, bushes, shrubs, that kind of thing. Excellent use of an overabundant fish.

Looks like a Heat Wave coming up next week. I'm going to miss it. Heading up North for some Walleye/Pike/Musky fun (provided it doesn't get too hot up there, too). Throw some Hominy in your pack bait and have at them.

PS - Cat Man JJs comment is absolutely true. I used to live on Lake Waubesa, and would often talk to Bowhunters that would go out and shoot 400-500 pounds a night certain times of year, night after night. Never dents the population. It's not a fish you're going to eliminate. Governments have been trying for over a century. They're here to stay, and killing a few individuals from time to time isn't going to help that. Just enjoy them. They have their good points, too :-).