Any cold winter fishing tips

[Tee-Cee]

HOT drinks - works wonders when the temps drop, helps concentration and might just make you stay on for that extra half hour when you could bring a nice 6lb chub sliding over the net !!

Great time of year - IF you don't weaken....


Oh yes, 'layers' of clothing and decent boots/socks!!

 

[peterjg]

Buy or make a fishing thermometer. One can easily be made from an aquarium thermometer and then glueing it in a piece of conduit with a slot in it, add a bit of lead to make it sink. I have caught big carp in very cold conditions (also blanked loads of times) but I believe that big carp usually stop feeding at around 47F, smaller carp in puddles will still be feeding. If the water is below 42F I try (if I am being sensible) to stop roach fishing and fish for chub or pike. Perch will feed in quite low temperatures as well. In low temperatures leger do not float fish.

 

[law]

Take a small stove and re-heat some of last nights dinner mid session
All these warm clothes only keep you was warm as your core.

As for feed, it depends on the water. The fish slow down IF the bait going in slows down. On busy waters, Ive had some of my best days fishing in the winter. Everyeone elsemdrops ofd a bit, Ill pile it in and bag up.

Also, dont forget that pellet takes longer to break down in the winter, so either pour boiking water over them to soften them up, or use something else. Likewise, oily baits dont disperse the oil as well.
Id never go winter fishing without maggots.

 

[mike47]

I heartily endorse the take maggots every time (in winter) and tend to fish smaller ponds over the large ones as the fish are easier to find when they become less active. The tip regards softening pellets is very useful as I have a small thermos that can carry my hot water. My large thermos carries my coffee laced liberally with brandy!

 

[wes79]

Pre plan of where to fish having already sussed out where they are likely to be/multiple swims if you like to roam or do 30 minutes on each swim for reasons of light dropping early and so not wasting to much time searching and not actually fishing with bait in the water.

Take bog roll, you just never know when you might need to curl one off at the base of a large tree, that me top tip, works well in summer and don't forget to keep it dry in a freezer bag (the bog roll) so rain doesnt mess it up, cant be done with going home wearing one sock using it as ground bait or hook bait when you run out of bread flake doesn't work I think, spooks the fish.

Already mentioned.....flask in a back pack/daypack

And remember try not to sweat in to much clothing, the damp that hugs your skin will give you a cold, so good breathable base layer & good footware too.

depending on what fish your targeting if possible make rigs up in the warmth and dry of home so you don't have to on the bank if your fingers are cold if like me your first cast is always a bit dodgy.

Biscuits for the tea/coffee.

 

[Jim Crosskey 2]

I realise you are focussed on commercials but winter is THE time on rivers. 2/3 hour sessions will usually be enough to catch a few and still get home before the damp and cold seize your joints. If you've got longer just jump back in the motor and warm yourself by driving to a different stretch, another walk and fuel top up and you're good to go again. During settled(even very cold) weather river fish will feed more reliably than even heavily stocked ponds.
Don't miss out.

Couldn't agree with this more.... and i'd go further by saying that by fishing a river in winter that contains chub for the two hours before dark with methods that really target them (breadflake on the hook, liquidised bread in the feeder or if its really cold, single lumps of cheesepaste maybe) is a much better guarantee of a few bites and a decent tussle than targetting carp. I've caught chub on days when its been a struggle to stop the line freezing to the rings, in floods, in low clear water... they always seem ready to take a bait.

 

[Tee-Cee]

If you want a really warm jumper for winter you could do worse than the green army job made famous by Kevin Maddocks (among others)...This is the one with elbow pads and epaulettes at the shoulder - if that's the correct word - and of a knit that is very chunky.

Mine was handed down by my son when he left the school CCF (Combined Cadet Force?) at the age of 18. (Yes, he was a 6' 2" chappie at that age !). I mention this fact before some bright spark comes back with the suggestion that I was a Maddocks 'follower' and had to have the gear to match !! NOT true !!!
Mind you, his book ' Carp Fever ' is still a 'must read' IMO...

Anyway, the jumpers are very warm and last forever in the deep winter months !! The British Army get some things right eh?

 

[sam vimes]

If you want a really warm jumper for winter you could do worse than the green army job made famous by Kevin Maddocks (among others)...This is the one with elbow pads and epaulettes at the shoulder - if that's the correct word - and of a knit that is very chunky.

Mine was handed down by my son when he left the school CCF (Combined Cadet Force?) at the age of 18. (Yes, he was a 6' 2" chappie at that age !). I mention this fact before some bright spark comes back with the suggestion that I was a Maddocks 'follower' and had to have the gear to match !! NOT true !!!
Mind you, his book ' Carp Fever ' is still a 'must read' IMO...

Anyway, the jumpers are very warm and last forever in the deep winter months !! The British Army get some things right eh?

The snag is that the Forces all but junked the OG wooly pully quite some time ago. They moved over to decent synthetic layering systems. As a long term wearer of military wooly pullys, I can vouch for the fact that they are unutterably horrible if they get wet. They'll weigh a ton and make you smell like a dead sheep as they slooooooowly dry out. They also shrink rather spectacularly if they aren't washed and dried very carefully. Some issue kit is desireable and I may have wanted to keep. I'd even pay for some items. The wooly pully was definitely not one of them

Their demise is probably the reason for the existence of the following branded version. Unsurprisingly, it's 100% acrylic, unlike the real McCoy.

 

[Tee-Cee]

Yes, 'wet' is not an option for the wooly pully, as you call them. I have washed mine many times and it's still fine, BUT I do so under guidance !! It is damn warm though !

I think my wearing it is also serves as some sort of 'connection' with my son who now lives in New Zealand and I make no excuses for that....


BTW have you tried the acrylic version ??

 

[sam vimes]

BTW have you tried the acrylic version ??

I haven't, though if you should want to try one (provided they have your size) this is the cheapest I've seen them. There are a few more places doing them at £19.99.

Trakker Army Jumper Retro Trakker Thermal Sweatshirt All Sizes *New* | eBay

Trakker NEW Carp Fishing Knitted Retro Green Army Jumper *All Sizes 50% OFF* | eBay

 

[anglerpaulm]

A good flask and plenty of spare socks!

 

[laguna]

Keep on fishing

 

[Merv Harrison]

Brilliant 'ad' Chris, congratulations to whoever came up with that :thumbs:

 

[john conway (CSG - ACA)]

I've not read all the post but if it's not already been said, if fishing for chub with cheese paste, keep it as soft as possible, but not so soft it comes off the hook while casting. And also keep the point of the hook clear of the paste. Cheese will go quite hard when the water temp drops below 6C. Chub have a habit of just mouthing the bait and even with a good pull, when you strike you can just pull the bait out of their mouth. If you mount your bait on a hair keep it as short as possible for the same reasons as above.

 

[greenie62]

If like me you carry a small dispenser box of shot around - in cold weather - keep it in a pocket so it gets a bit of warmth from your body! The odd few centigrades the shot picks up will make it a bit more malleable - particularly if you have frozen fingers too!
Keeping the shot in a bag or outside pocket will cause them to seem rock-hard and impossible to pinch on - or even feel - with frozen fingers!
Tight Lines!

 

[Tee-Cee]

Gloves......Tried many over the years, all offering warm fingers, but never found anything better than loose fitting ski gloves. Loose fitting because you can sit with them on (I'm talking sedentary fishing here, in very cold weather ) but still have your hands out of them in a trice, if a 'run develops or the float starts to go away.
The 'loose fitting' aspect also means you can bring your fingers out of the finger holes and move them around ( in the area meant for the upper hand ) to give them more movement, without actually withdrawing them from the glove.
It's only my opinion, but I think having fingers stuck down standard gloves and trying to induce some warmth by rubbing together doesn't work as well....

Ski gloves are made for extreme temperatures, and although not perfect they can do a good job. I nicked my pair from my son many moons ago after a school ski trip and they still work very well....NOT in all conditions (trotting etc ), though !

Alternatively, I've found an extra large 'fishing cloth' on the lap and lightly wrapped around the hands, whilst waiting for a bit of action, can give some immediate relief from the elements....

Hands, as with feet, need special care and attention, IMHO

 

[terry m]

Gloves......The 'loose fitting' aspect also means you can bring your fingers out of the finger holes and move them around ( in the area meant for the upper hand ) to give them more movement, without actually withdrawing them from the glove.
It's only my opinion, but I think having fingers stuck down standard gloves and trying to induce some warmth by rubbing together doesn't work as well....

Hands, as with feet, need special care and attention, IMHO

Some good points here. The best I have found are the Trakker Polar Fleece Foldback gloves. They do afford the space to move your fingers about within.

They are not perfect, but certainly much better than any others I have tried.

 

[no-one in particular]

Although carp may pick up a bait now they have had the time to acclimatise to the cold water, I would still rather spend 3/4 hours roving for Chub on a river when its this cold. Still more chance of a fish and a bit of walking helps keep the body warm.

I have some hand warmers which I think I bought from Marks and Spencers. They are those boil in water for ten minute types and they go liquid. When you click them they warm up and go solid. They are not ideal, as they do not last that long ( about 30 mins) but, good for a short fishing spell fishing to get the hands warm and at least there's no lighting or fuel to worry about. Clean quick and easy.

 

[Keith M]

If you turn up at a water to find it frozen over, all is not lost; before you give up and go home have a look around and look for small areas of thin cracked or melted ice (like in the link below), this often reveals where an under water spring is located and this can be valuable information and can be a fish magnet at any time of the year (they usually stay at the same temperature all year round, feeling cool during a hot summer and feeling warm in the depths of winter).


< locating underwater springs >

Keith

 

[Titus]

I have reached that age where I choose not to fish in cold, miserable conditions and prefer to retire to the comfort of a cozy pub with a log fire.

However, back it the day before I got all lazy I made a point of choosing a species to fish for dependant on the conditions. I always found chub to be a reliable winter quarry or if you happen to be in the right place then grayling are a welcome species.
The beauty of both of these is that you can pursue them with minimal tackle and bait which allows you to keep on the move which will help to keep you nice and warm.

Having said all that weather reports of a warm wet front coming in on south westerly winds after a long cold spell will still get me reaching for the barbel rod.