Winter tactics to get you catching again

Hello and welcome back to The carp addicts blog, this time we will be talking about the best and my favourite rigs to catch a large variety of winter fish from rivers and lake up and down the UK. In the winter some people think that the fish are unable to be caught but with the right rigs and correct approach winter can be one of the best times to catch a new PB, with fish like carp up at their biggest weights and waiting to be caught, so lets get onto my top 3 winter rigs.

1. River fishing - At number one it is one of my all time favourite rigs for winter fishing for Roach, Bream, Dace and Perch as well as the many other species that live in our rivers, When the river temperature drops and the fish become a lot less interested in feeding then  I like to move onto the pole a it offers me greater accuracy and precision baiting to draw the fish into a small area around my hook bait. I like to fish with a small float such the Middy Silver fish ultimate 2, fished with the thinnest line I can get away with and the smallest hook possible to match the size of fish as well as the hook bait, and for hook bait i choose Pinkies or Hemp seed as I feel it gives my the best chance to catch a few fish on the day. 

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.

Anyway thats it for now so tight lines and keep fishing

The Eastern Carper