I've only caught them by accident on night crawlers. You can try corn, not sure if it's legal in MA I would double check first. There's a lot if home made carp bait recipes online, also the hair rig seems popular with carp fisherman
This is what sucks, EVERYTHING nails nightcrawlers from so far away. Most carp locations have something else in there with it that snag it first.
Quaker quick oats grab small amount enough to make a ball big enough to cover trebble hooks cast with no weight. My bro inlaw used this to catch some nice carp at blackstone river. I tried it but caught nothing but snappers. Use a fluoro leader with heavy braid. I think my mistake was just going straight braid no leader. That n maybe it was snapper mating season. Corn def legal most carp fisherman chum with it.Draw them in close don't have to cast as far.