could i be having a better winter?

usually winter for me consists of fishing warm water discharges for carp and muskies with the occasional trout outings. i still can't wait for summer but this year winter has been going so well i haven't been feeling as down about the cold weather as i usually am. the discharge fishing this year has been very slow only producing one shad and a decent sized musky.

the trout and pike fishing on the other hand has been absolutely incredible this year. i caught multiple personal best brown trout this year

so we have had a very mild winter this year and i began noticing there seemed to still be many carp hanging around in areas they normally would not be this time of year. distracted by trout fishing i didn't take time to target them but was always tempted when i would walk up to one of the pools and see a dozen large carp cruising through. i finally couldn't take it anymore and had to get out and try for these fish. i tried crawlers first and although i had no carp take the bait i did catch a white sucker.

i continued fishing the spot over the next few days trying corn. the fish were active but barely. they would almost suck on the bait for a second then swim away. i hooked a few and had many takes but no fish landed. finally on valentines day i got my cold water carp.