Hello and welcome back to The Eastern Carper's Blog. Today all I have to say is there will be no more blogs until Saturday as I am going away for Christmas and boxing day so I though I would just let you all know. 
First of all you cannot help but notice that this reel has a very distinctive look, clothed as it is in the distinctive real tree Hardwoods finish. In reality this is the superb Shimano Ultegra 5500 XTB in a shiny dress, and thankfully it is none the worse for its makeover. It still has all of the great aspects that we have come to know and love from Shimano.
Hello and welcome to the blog again, This will just be a short blog about recent events and why I haven't been uploading in such a long time. 
Tackle Choice
Other Essentials
The first game is Carp fishing simulator which as far as I can see is made by one person compared to other computer games where up to 100 people or even more could be working on in at one point, and this is amazing to me as the game is so detailed and easy to understand so he has done a great job. The game enables you to fish from a variety of swims around a lake with gravel bars, mud and weed all present if you know where to look with the marker float in the game. The main aspect of the game, the catching of fish is where the game comes into its own, with the fish fighting as they would in real life as well as other events, that most of us have been in at some point, such as line breaking as well as losing the fish. Overall I think this is one of if not the best simulation games on the market, and even better it means that even when you cant get on the bank you can get on the virtual bank and still test you skills. 
The chod rig is perhaps the most popular rig of all time. So, why do so many anglers, professionals and novices alike, use the short, stiff, pop-up rig, Well I think it’s practically tangle free, presents the bait perfectly over any type of bottom debris and carp find it very hard to eject because of its inherent stiffness and curve. It also suits itself to the type of winter fishing I am doing which is on medium sized waters with a lot of leaves and branches on the lake bed due to the amount of trees around the lake and this means that I need a rig to sit on top of this. 
The best part of the Multi-Rig is its extreme versatility and the way you are able to fish it in any situation. The loop at the hook end not only adds stiffness to the rig, but it also allows you to change hook and bait at the drop of a hat. Just take the large loop up and over the point of the hook and slide the hook off, it couldn't be simpler. The multi rig can be used as a bottom-bait presentation too. The angle created when you use a bottom-bait hook like a Wide Gape helps flip the hook into position to take hold in the bottom lip..jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*)
2. Choose you bait carefully - The first thing to consider when choosing a bait in winter is if the carp or fish are actually going to eat it when the water temperature drops. Oily baits and boilies that worked so well in the summer can definitely work against you in the winter! I found this out the hard way many moons ago. My winter bait of choice is Mainlines Cell or Nash's Amber strawberry which works well in rivers as the carp are used to feeding on bread left over from people feeding the duck. In low water temperatures all bait will take longer to start working and releasing all their locked-in attractors. 
3. Observation - The last thing to consider next time you are by the lake is observation. Just one sighting of fish activity can turn a blank session or even a complete winter season around.Binoculars definitely come in handy on some of the larger gravel pits, especially during the colder months when it can be very hard to see carp showing amongst hundreds of birds.Remember though, there’s no point in watching carp show or bubbles breaking the surface through your binoculars if you are not prepared to make the effort and move all your kit so the fish are within casting distance. So in summary keep looking and keep mobile. 
So what's different about the scope rods, well for one they are alot shorter than a conventional carp rod of 12 or 13 feet and this gives me a advantage on the waters I fish where the fish are normally tight into bays and very over looked and uncared for area of the lake and these rods allow me to get into these small holes in the bushes alot stealthier and quieter than I could with a 12 ft rod. I know alot of people reading this will think that because the rod is shorter then they can not be as strong as a normal rod but actually I have found that they are some of the toughest but most forgiving rods I have used. They are just as good and accurate at chucking a 4oz lead 150 yards as any normal rod would be an they are also great for when the fish is right under the rod tip as they have a great tip action to them. I believe so much in them I see no need to use anything apart from them unless I absolutely have to that's how good I think they are.
2) Find the fish - This is one of the most vital things to do when fishing in the winter but it is also the most difficult part of winter carp fishing as the the fish tend to be very localised. Finding the fish is crucial to success the fish will not move to you in the winter. Putting out a bed of bait and hoping to attract fish will not work on most waters. If you find the fish then the results that can be had are amazing. The way to find this fish is to spend alot of time at the water looking for jumping fish, bubbles where they are feeding or other signs of fish but you could also ask other people that fish the lake and see what the catch patterns are like, such as time they are being caught, location on the lake, rigs and also bait they are using. All of these will help you catch more fish. 
3) Get the bait and baiting situation correct - Far too many people ruin their winter chances before they even cast out by putting too much bait in whilst they are fishing. In the winter the fish don't want to feed as much as they are not using up as much energy as in summer or spring, this means you need less bait. I like to use a high attract but also high nutritional value bait that is good for the fish and keeps them coming back for more, In the winter I use Mainlines Hybrid as i think its an excellent bait for that time for year. I tend to put in around 50 baits at the start of a session over a large area to hopefully intercept more fish than if I fished a tight patch of bait and then i fish bright pop-ups over the top to draw the fishes attention if they are in the area. A top tip is to soak your hookbaits in Korda's goo as this increases the attraction and appeal to the carp in the area at the time.
4) Don’t be put off by the conditions - I have spent literally thousands of hours keeping records and trying to find feeding patterns. I have come to the conclusion that there are no patterns.On mild days with a south westerly I have often felt confident and not had so much as a beep, whereas on freezing cold days, when it is a real effort to make yourself go I have had multiple catches.If anything I have found cold frosty days, with no wind, to be slightly better. Sometimes when a water is just starting to freeze can be a could time, is it that the fish know and are having a little nibble to tide them over?
5) Use rigs you are confident with - If you use rigs that you are confident with and have caught fish in the past as you know that the fish can be fooled by this rig, on tip though is to scale down as much as possible so I will use the smallest hook and lightest hooklink I can get away with for the fish I am catching and this also means matching the hook to the bait I am using. I like to use Korda's supernatural personally with their new krank hooks as I want the hook to turn as quickly as possible when its sucked in. So keep it simple and don't over complicate the rigs just because you have seen other people doing it, just adapt a rig you like and you will be fine. 
2. Still water Carping - As the water begins to cool down i tend to find my self using less and less bait each session as i feel that i am only fishing for one fish at a time and if to much bait goes in at one then this lowers the chances of me getting a stunning winter carp on the bank. My favourite tactic for the past few winters has been maggot and boilie fishing. I will buy as many maggots as i need for the session and freeze these in a airtight bag to kill them as this tends to stop the smaller silverfish feeding on them and then once they are thawed out I will mix them with some 12mm and 16mm Cell in a bucket and i am ready to go, I might add some extra glug or attractants but this is a very simple method. I will then spod out around 5-10 spods to deepish area of water and fish 2-3 rods in this area. the rigs are so simple as well, its just a length of braid with a hook and a bait attached. Could it get any simpler than that.
3. Commercials - Now this is one for everyone, everyone has or is fishing a commercial type fishery as they provide fishing for various species from carp to tiny bleak or gudgeon an they also have plenty of fish in them which means good fishing even in the depths of winter, however they are not easy places to fish sometimes which is why when they days get shorter and the water gets colder you need to think about the methods and bait you are using. In the winter I tend to use a tiny method feeder as it provides a great presentation as well as being able to cast it quite a distance. I like to use small pellets such as Sonu-baits krill or F1 2mm pellets and then cover them in boiling water and leave them for 5-10 minutes and then they are perfect to mould around the feeder. I will always use short hooklinks as well because i feel it gives me a better chance of getting a bite when all else fails. In terms of hookbaits I use Small 10mm or 8mm fluro pop-ups or bottom baits as they catch the fishes eye quickly meaning they are the first thing the fish will pick up, Hopefully.
Hello and welcome to the second blog in what I hope is a series of many. this time I will be explaining some of my essential pieces of kit that I take on any winter trip. From Tackle to clothing I will list and explain my top 5 as well as having a look at my favourite go anywhere winter rig.5. Zig making kit - Yes you read that right, and most of you are probably thinking, have you gone mad, but actually in the winter carp will spend most of their time around 2-3 feet of the lake bed and if you can place a bait in this layer then you are likely to get that alarm sounding again. So next time you are out on the bank try the zigs.
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