Any cold winter fishing tips

[paul80]

Hi all

I will be the first to admit to being a bit of a warm weather angler, with my gear going into hibernation by October and not normally seeing the light of day until April at the earliest, and the older I get and the more arthritic I get the worse I get.

I have now gone and spent out on some warm and waterproof gear and fancied giving winter fishing a go, but need a few tips on baits and presentation.

I only fish commercials and 90% of that is mini method with 2mm pellets on the feeder and 6mm boilies or pellets as hook bait.

What's the best approach for winter, I was thinking of giving the old standby of liquified bread in a small cage feeder and bread on the hook, does that sound like a plan or has anyone got any other advice.

I will obviously not doing long sessions but would like to help my chances of catching a few to make the cold nose and fingers worth it.

Thanks for any help and tips.

Paul

 

[laguna]

Have a look at this thread on winter fishing Paul, it covers practical tips and advice on safety, baits, species and presentation for both river and stillwater.

http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/...top-10-tips-winter-fishing-no-1-few-more.html

 

[xenon]

at the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, even the best warm weather gear only keeps in the heat generated by you own body and this heat will dissipate over time-going for a 5 minute walk every hour will keep your clothing system "topped up" nicely.

 

[sampras43]

Have a look at this thread on winter fishing Paul, it covers practical tips and advice on safety, baits, species and presentation for both river and stillwater.

http://www.fishingmagic.com/forums/...top-10-tips-winter-fishing-no-1-few-more.html

I've not long been back into the sport since taking a 20 odd year break, but all I will say is don't over-feed, and some people don't feed at all in the winter. Fish are much more lethargic in the winter (in most cases) and tend not to move around so much, bunching up in small shoals. I've had some success on commercials this winter with either a very small feeder or a led with single hook baits. I was always under the impression the feed should be visual in winter, so perhaps corn, or if you like boilies (a lot of my commercials ban them), then why not try a high viz pop up on a hair? I'll occasionally use 6 or 8mm hi viz, in pinks, greens, yellow, white etc. Or a worm attached to a led. Maggots will go down well and I tend to either kill mine to stop them burying themselves.

Look for areas of safety for the fish such as next to islands etc. Also, it's not always the case that fish go to the bottom in winter. It can depend of other things like wind direction.

I was always taught 3 things.

1. Find the fish...
2. Find the fish...

guess what 3 is...

 

[Tee-Cee]

If you are going to fish at this time of year and it's not your usual bag then it goes without saying that choosing mildish days, or at least days of settled weather will probably offer the best chance of fish. Many folk, including me, tend to fish the 'warmer' times of day so arriving at (say) 10am and fishing through to around 3pm should be about right for you as well.
Personally, I think it comes down to doing a bit of homework on the water(s) you intend fishing.....no point in sitting next to a water which yields poor results during the winter months!! If you are sure your commercials produce fish at this time of year then asking at local tackle shops or just walking around talking to anyone fishing will save you a lot of time in the long run....
I think you have to be somewhat 'dedicated' and really up for this time of year as it's very easy to lose confidence sitting behind rods at a water that no shows sign of producing. Catches are likely to be minimal, but bringing a decent roach to the net from cold water has a special type of magic, BUT it is very hard work at times!
On baits (and I don't fish commercials!) I tend to go for bread flake, maggots and casters (simply because they work on MY water!), sometimes with a very small feeder or just on the lead with light loose feed. A nice light float set-up can also work very well on light tackle.

If you decide to venture out then my major tip is take plenty of hot drink with you, and I mean plenty!! Being warm, and you will get cold just sitting, makes everything a little easier and helps you stick at the task. You may not catch for a few trips, but with that 'homework' behind you, success can be yours with effort.
Maybe going with another, more experienced angler, used to winter fishing, would also help you get started......................

Hope you give it a try!!


ps ....and as someone else has said, DON'T overfeed, 'little and often' being a good guide. Oh, and a very warm hat works wonders!!!

 

[lambert1]

Thanks Tee Cee, that has been really helpful to me too!

 

[Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC)]

All good advice. Warmth and safety are prime. If you're going solo let somebody know where you're heading and roughly expected time back. If you're river fishing be careful in terms of slippery, steep banks and rising levels.Don't get complacent on lakes,canals,ponds - venues can have very deep water under the rodtip and one mistake on an icy or slippery bank!

Plenty of warm drinks...and forego the standard anglers camou posing thong and wear long-johns!

The baiting advice is sound...although you may find on days where the weather is warming after a cold period that they're "having it". And keep at it...the number of times I've caught the only, the best or even all the fish in the last knockings before dusk (or actually after it's got dark).

ESSENTIAL TO KNOW AND BE SURE OF THE SAFE ROUTE BACK ACROSS FIELDS ETC. Buy a decent headtorch - the petzl ones are costly but worth it.

And enjoy!

 

[pidgergj]

those petzl headtorches really are good, you will pay a bit but only ever pay it once!

 

[Tee-Cee]

paul80...........I forgot to mention taking an umbrella or some form of shelter, particularly if it's very windy (the so called 'chill' factor) will make the world of difference even if the temps are reasonable. angled against the wind they work very well.
Also, and this well be more for the 'older' anglers, a tube of non flavoured 'lip ice' or lip balm applied before yuou start will save chapped lips later on.......and keep one's partner onside as well!!

Good boots are an absolute must for feet which, after all, are the furthest from the heart so always likely to be cold from lack of circulation. Lots of old Threads on this subject if you check via 'search'..

nothing like be cosy on a winters day.........................................

 

[ronroach]

Buy some Skee-Tex Field Boots

Ron.

 

[mick b]

I only fish October to mid March so Im the complete opposite of you, but were both around the same age.

My first rule is fuel..
A good starchy meal the night before works wonders, spaghetti, pasta, what have you, with meatballs or a good curry with oodles of rice.
A 2 or 3 course breakfast and atleast half a pint of cofee or tea before you go out the door.
A decent flask of whatever hot drink you prefer or boiling hot water and packs of cappachinno, coffee or tea, or even cuppa soup.
Chocolate and plenty of it, my preference is for Caddies fruit and nut in the mini bars, I always scoff a whole bar at a sitting and take atleast five (two or three to eat and two for emergency reserve).

Be seen, means no camo gear.
Remember 7-9% of your body heat can be lost through the top of your head, I wear a Lowe Mountain Cap if its chilly and a waterproof brimmed felt hat if its not.
Checkout the layered clothing threads for good tips from end users.

Buy and carry a REFRAKTA Halogen pocket light from Maplins £19 for high tech security, two presses of the button and it flashes SOS for 7hours and has a 1-4 variable beam.

Only go if you want to and go at the times that suit you,
Dont go because you think you should, I know it sounds daft but the times Ive heard guys say, well I thought I ought to come but I wish I hadn't!
And Yes, the fish do bite, if they didnt I would go ballroom dancing

Lastly take care, as a very famous angler once said, "we all live to fish, but we shouldn't die doing it"

 

[sam vimes]

Here's a fine method for winter commercials. I have quite an aversion to fishing bread so initially had little faith in feeding nothing and fishing just bread on the hook. However, I've now used it quite successfully on a few occasions when fishing pellets and feeding small amounts of micros has proved to be unproductive. I've enough faith in it to take no more than a few pre-prepared slices of bread.

Steve Ringer's Skills School - Dobbing bread for winter carp - YouTube

 

[bennygesserit]

I haven't tried this myself but have seen advice that states , on commercials , feed a single ledgered piece of bread ( a disc hair rigged ) feed nithing but search the water recasting every 10 minutes. This is for commercial carp.

Always mean't to try it myself anyone else heard this ?

 

[paul80]

Thanks for all the advice and tips, I will put some of them to work once all this wind and rain has settled down a bit.

Paul

 

[cg74]

at the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, even the best warm weather gear only keeps in the heat generated by you own body and this heat will dissipate over time-going for a 5 minute walk every hour will keep your clothing system "topped up" nicely.

An important point, expressed very well. :thumbs:

 

[Tee-Cee]

Nothing to do with commercials, but I thought I would throw this in anyway....

I occasionally fish a small stillwater for carp in winter and as I'm not a great lover of boilies (at any time) I use mainly Luncheon meat and Bacon grill with some success in swims of various depths, but the bigger fish coming from A swim of around 3' deep. I usually hair rig lumps of meat produced in uniform size by the use of an apple corer which is pushed through the meat to produce a 'sausage'. The corer is then used to push through the SIDE of the sausage to give an (almost) round bait(s) which are then pulled onto the hair with little gap between hook and meat.
This is then liberally smeared with various coatings, but Bovril seems to be best.....I usually make up a load of baits thus the night before to allow the coating to sink in and do the same with the loose feed of chopped meat and hemp.

In this same swim, and in winter (as well as summer) I also use small amounts of Chum mixer to try and tempt the fish up in the water. This happened often enough to make me think squares of floating crust might work so I used the old method of anchored crust which enabled me to cast under the tree, close to the overhanging branches, and allow the crust to then float to within 3/6" of the surface.
With a steady feed of Mixer flicked in, which then drifted toward the bread the carp were gradually enticed to the bread and 2" square lumps disappeared in a hurry (the bread can be seen just below the surface ). I would be telling porkies if I said it worked every time, but it did give some good fish on a cool winters day!
So, over a session I used to alternate between bottom and floating baits and it kept it interesting and me alert.....No need to change the rig as the bread was deep enough to sit against the hook bend which was always found in the top lip.
All of this happened with the bread/meat(s) no more than 6/8' from the rod top so fish in the mid teens really did liven things up AND on some occasions, despite the fish racing around the swim, I could take 2/3 reasonable fish in a session...........

Nothing new in any of this, but I worked this approach out over a season when nobody was around to make noise and it worked well enough to give me the confidence to make it 'the' method on that particular water during the winter months.

As a matter of interest I used a 1,75 test rod x 11' with 10lb line and Kryston hook lengths with a 'baitrunner' for safety!! The tackle had to be fairly sturdy because of the trees above and in the water........

Anyway, it's worth a try and a lot better than sitting behind motionless rods!!


ps I repeat, this was NOT on a commercial water.................

 

[Tee-Cee]

Ditto the 'wheat thread' this is another good one for the winter.........

 

[steve2012]

Skee Tex boots are amazing, best piece of fishing kit I ever bought

With regard to the fishing, stay in bed, dont get there too early and srick at it

Fish for bites rather than pile it in and remember on rivers fish HAVE TO EAT and dont be afraid to give them a hookbait worth eating

Winter fish look amazing, particularly Roach and Chub. Take a few extra seconds to admire them before they go back

Most of all, enjoy the silence. Rivers are your friend !!

 

[greenie62]

In addition to some of the excellent tips on this thread:

• Don't be too surprised at just how cold it can get!
• Keep checking the rod-rings - many times I have fished in N.Wales for Grayling with the rings icing-up - and still caught!
• Check your car over before you go! - Top-up Anti-freeze, Windscreen washer fluid, fuel, and check your tyres/pressures.
• Pack your can of de-icer in your tackle bag - saves you being frozen-out of the car!
• Pack a spade and a couple of sacks - in case you encounter mud, slush, or even snow - yes - we've had snow in November!
• Go with a companion if you can - at least you'll have someone to help push the car!
• Don't forget your gloves!

Tight Lines!

 

[rubio]

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.