What Species ?

[Bob Hornegold]

It's freezing cold, the river conditions are very low and clear, I don't live in an area where Grayling exist, so what species would you target ?

Bob

 

[mikench]

Roach for me Bob on maggots and bread.

 

[john step]

Predators and roach. Chub included in predators.

 

[binka]

Pike and chub.

 

[S-Kippy]

Sofa and films

 

[seth49]

Definitely chub, they don't seem to mind frost at all, I've caught them after dark on cheese paste when my landing net has been frozen solid.
Hopefully going trotting for greyling tomorrow, nearly sure to catch a few chub as well.

 

[Keith M]

Chub, Roach and predators from moving waters, or in very sheltered areas (if ice free) away from biting cold winds. Or any deeper areas of around 11ft or more where the water temps can be around 4 deg. Or find a water which has underwater springs erupting from its bed which often stay at similar temperatures throughout the whole year.

Failing any of the above I would just stay home next to the fire; which is where I am right now and likely to stay until the temperatures start to rise. Lol.

Keith

 

[terry m]

Preds for me.

 

[tigger]

At the moment i've lost the angling mojo again so i'd have no problem targetting the sofa species as it lies infront of the fire .

 

[mikench]

I am not alone then Ian in sometimes just staying home when the weather is horrible!

 

[tigger]

I am not alone then Ian in sometimes just staying home when the weather is horrible!

Yeah, it's meant to be a pleasure Mike, but no doubt i'll still be silly and go out in horrible conditions lol. I'm gonn'a be silly in a minuite and do a 30 mile blast on the push iron mg:.

 

[mikench]

Well done to you!

 

[iain t]

Chub, Roach and Eels in this weather

 

[Bob Hornegold]

Chub, Roach and Eels in this weather

iain t

I would never have thought of Eels, they were hard enough to catch in the summer ?

Bob

 

[binka]

iain t

I would never have thought of Eels, they were hard enough to catch in the summer ?

Bob

I was thinking that too although, come to think about it, I have caught Trent eels in the depths of winter.

 

[Neil Maidment]

I really look forward to winter fishing and am now fortunate to have two excellent local options which I tend to alternate depending on how I feel and the prevailing conditions.

The Dorset Frome is very close and available from November to February. Even if the grayling are not cooperating I have the tidal area even closer and, subject to tides, can usually find some quality dace and hopefully roach.

The Dorset Stour is slightly further away and, in some areas, full of good chub.

Both grayling and chub are typically willing to feed in really cold frosty conditions but often only in short spells. My confidence always increases substantially if we have a consistent spell of conditions, even very cold and frosty, lasting several days.

The challenge this winter has been the very low water levels. We have had the occasional bit of flood water but generally both rivers are running very low indeed. That has altered the overall character of the rivers compared to last winter, especially the bits of the Stour I fish, and made location a tough task.

 

[iain t]

iain t

I would never have thought of Eels, they were hard enough to catch in the summer ?

Bob

Bob, I find them easier than the Chub to catch this time of year. In the summer i catch them 3 to 1 of Barbel/Chub. Most don't like catching them but once you lay them on their backs they just sort of go to sleep. Just remember a towel to wipe the slime off your hands after.

 

[Philip]

Alan Tomkins once wrote about landing an absolutly huge Eel from Colnmere in the middle of winter...full moon and freezing too if I recall correctly.

Its not the first such story I have heard. I recon Eels are more "wintery" than many think. I even seem to recall a story about someone watching Eels activly swimming around under the frozen ice of a shallow lake.

Dont know if anyone has got any hard facts on the subject. I would be interested to hear.

Lets face it ...they are not so different to Conger are they, and those guys live at the bottom of the North sea

 

[maurice walsh]

i give another vote for eel fishing.... to answer the question above...here in the land of eternal wind n rain, we have an old eel fishery that used to catch eels for the english/french/german food markets but is now used for conservation, the eels are netted and moved past parteen weir, as theres no natural path to the river due to the weir, to toddle off to the saragasso sea for a bit or whatever eels do:wh, the optimum time for netting eels in big numbers on the move and ergo feeding hard is from november to march, water temp , unless the river is very shallow wont factor into feeding habits as at this time of year they are bulking up for the orgy and also need energy to move as they cant/dont store fat well, so will feed often while on the move, land locked eels will get the call also but cant go anywhere but round in circles in the water their in, thus expending energy and needing to feed often, day n night, also as an avid eel fan(my biggest is 8lb4oz caught on a small perch deadbait in low flood conditions in the middle of a bitterly cold early january ) if the day/evening(dont bother with night fishing, ) is a bit blustry/blowy/bit of a chop on the water, all the better!!! use small fresh , (i cant stress fresh enough,thawed from frozen doesn't work)deadbaits for said horny eels!! or blood marinated thick wool works well, and deadbaits keep the bootlaces at bay, and dont forget , eels can swim backwards with the same power as fowards, sometimes the fight can be likened to a dog pulling back on a rope/chew toy, makes for interesting fishing, here ended my tuppence worth

 

[Philip]

8lb 4oz is a clonker ! ...well done mate, and your comments are very interesting indeed.

I recon a man who knows what hes talking about here !