Carp in the park

[NJ219bands]

Went carping in 54 degrees Robert G Martin Lake on the south shore this evening a day after the full moon. Weather was sunny ☀️ and cool with a nor’wester small craft advisory. Both of my fishing 🎣 spots were no longer underwater for the first time this year. 8 openings were visible in the water control structure. The shoreline mud was still deep and soft. Two forked sticks were near my fishing 🎣 spot. Two adult bald eagles 🦅, mallards 🦆, double crested cormorants, great blue heron, and swallows were nearby. I took lots of photos. A guy brought his pet brown ducks and ducklings 🐥 to the lake. The snapping turtles 🐢 didn’t eat them yet. After I threw out old, slimey canned whole kernel corn 🌽 for chum, I caught 2 bluegills and 4 common carp to 19” with 7-Eleven red worms 🪱 and corn 🌽 bait on 9 hooks and 3 rods. The carp were actively feeding and pulled my rods off my 5 gallon bucket 🪣 and through the mud. Landed 21 carp at the lake this year. It’s difficult to catch carp on a 4 lb test ultralight.