Hibernation Time

[wanderer]

Well, Autumn is in full swing and Winter has its head over the parapet, time for a certain southern softy to think about calling it a day for the year. I have heavy work commitments up to Christmas and that's my excuse. So a few , Barbell, Chub and Pike trips and then put the rods away till the end of March.
Having no liking for the cold and being a percentage angler, I am a serial prebaiter for carp and it seriously doesn't work to well after the first hard frost. I saw some amazing videos of the way carp bunch up into small areas in still waters through the colder months, obviously not true of rivers, where slack backwaters during narrow catch windows can catch you a few fish. But do you feel its worth going on long sessions during this time or like me just wait for the sun to warm us all up.

 

[Nobby C (ACA)]

It'll be days for me now unless we do get a week or low, warmer pressure. I don't fish as an endurance test. Pike, perch and rivers.

 

[The Sogster]

Some of the best river fishing is coming up, I won't be packing my rods away. Warm clothes and a hot drink and some big pike soon warm the blood.

 

[sam vimes]

I've pretty much had a year off from carping. I've had the odd half arsed short/stalking session but I've not even threatened to get the clobber out for an overnight. Lost my mojo for it completely this year. I'll get back at it at some point, though I doubt it'll happen before spring arrives. I've got better (fishing) things to be doing in the winter than carping.

 

[S-Kippy]

I have never been either a session man or carper so it won't make a blind bit of difference to me. If anything I fish more often during the winter albeit for different species. Cannot bear the autumn though....bloody leaf drives me nuts. Give me a week of hard frost and a good blow to get rid of the damn things. Nowadays they seem to hang around until nearly Christmas .

 

[kenpm]

I just get stuck into the sea fishing.....The Cod are in.

 

[terry m]

Some of the best river fishing is coming up, I won't be packing my rods away. Warm clothes and a hot drink and some big pike soon warm the blood.

This sums it up for me - can't wait!

 

[iannate]

Agree with the above, some of the most rewarding and earned fishing coming up; if I can get out on the bank

 

[laguna]

Haven't even put the radiators on yet!

 

[Derek Gibson]

Winter equal's pike always has always will.

 

[flightliner]

God-- if I didnt go fishing from autumns end till springtime I would turn into chalk!.

 

[wanderer]

Say hello to warm arthritic old chalky, wrecked by many freezing winters with a deckchair and a hurricane lamp under his brolly and icicles up his nose.

 

[dorsetandchub]

God-- if I didnt go fishing from autumns end till springtime I would turn into chalk!.

Yep, you'd only get board

 

[john step]

Haven't even put the radiators on yet!

Nor have I. Not Christmas Eve yet:wh


Also I just cannot fathom out why anyone keen on fishing would not go during the winter. Winters are nothing like they used to be. We have much better clothing, flasks and brollies. Sorry Wanderer but I have been out in all weathers all my life even ice hole fishing and at 67 next month I am still waiting for any arthritis to rear its head. Stick with it its lovely out there all year.

 

[rich4930]

I'm jealous John! I'm 46 and had arthritis for nearly 20 years. I was at the docs only yesterday because of it, I feel like an 80 yr at times
But that's all the more reason for me to keep fishing through winter cos who knows how many more years I'll be able to keep lugging my gear around!
Actually though, I'm a bit restricted anyway in where and when I can go, so overnight sessions are a rarity for me now anyway and even full days are few and far between. So there's not really much change when autumn sets in, other than a change of focus to pike.
From January to April (inclusive) it's closed season for Pike in Berlin though and my primary lake is also closed for fishing until May, so from Jan to March I switch to zander and it's mostly short but active spinning sessions.
I get severe panic attacks if I don't get out more than once in a month!

 

[john step]

Yep, you'd only get board

I presume thats a chalk board:wh

 

[tonybull]

I fish right though the winter on silver only matches and its the most enjoyable time of the year when most of the Carp go to sleep.

Skimmers, Bream, Roach, Perch, odd Tench can't beat it.

 

[wanderer]

Nor have I. Not Christmas Eve yet:wh


Also I just cannot fathom out why anyone keen on fishing would not go during the winter. Winters are nothing like they used to be. We have much better clothing, flasks and brollies. Sorry Wanderer but I have been out in all weathers all my life even ice hole fishing and at 67 next month I am still waiting for any arthritis to rear its head. Stick with it its lovely out there all year.

No can do John, heavy engineering and the building have left there marks, and humping heavy furniture on a permanent nightshift in a freezing cold warehouse for the last 15 years, means shivering is a bit of a busmans holiday, see you in spring.

 

[dorsetandchub]

I presume thats a chalk board:wh

That was the idea of that truly awful Radio 4 type pun, yes

---------- Post added at 10:45 ---------- Previous post was at 10:43 ----------

Skippy would have sent a fleet of taxis

 

[john step]

No can do John, heavy engineering and the building have left there marks, and humping heavy furniture on a permanent nightshift in a freezing cold warehouse for the last 15 years, means shivering is a bit of a busmans holiday, see you in spring.

Best of luck to you. Have a warm winter.

---------- Post added at 11:34 ---------- Previous post was at 11:33 ----------

That was the idea of that truly awful Radio 4 type pun, yes

---------- Post added at 10:45 ---------- Previous post was at 10:43 ----------

Skippy would have sent a fleet of taxis

Absolutely