Winter fishing on commercials

Does anyone know the best way to catch a few carp on a commercial fishery in the winter.
Thanks

Nope sorry, don't do 'Commercials'. If you state what sort of commercials, someone may be able to help.

Here are a series of articles on commercials
CLICK HERE

there may be something among them on what you want ---
click the link and scroll down and there are a series of 18 articles by Mark Wintle .....

Some ideas:-

1. Straight lead plus sweetcorn, no feed.

2. Long pole, corn over pellet.

3. Long pole, maggot over micro pellet and maggot.

Needs to be mild - OK at moment at around 8 - 10 degrees. Check with other regulars on the water you're fishing; how are they tackling it and what are they getting them on? Generally you'll need to fish finer than in summer, and feed much less.

Fished two hours this afternoon on a club water that's like a commercial; 7 carp, 7 F1's, 1 crucian plus roach and skimmers, all on long pole and maggot. Bites taking 1mm of float tip down - it was dotted! Anglers with heavy floats, too much sticking out only getting the little roach.

Hope this gets you thinking.

The reason I said what I did above Mark, and posed the question to Weazle is because I would class the likes of St Johns at linear as a Commercial also, but the tactics (pole) would generally not do any good there!

If its a commercial water then there is a good chance there are matches on it, have a walk round at the weigh in at the end and have a look where the fish are being caught from and on what method- in winter it is often locating the fish that is the main problem.

Different waters obviously favour different tactics but if were fishing I would bring the following baits, some hemp, sweetcorn, 3mm feed pellets, softened with a few hookers and maybe some luncheon meat- this seems like a lot of bait but in reality you will only be using a handful of each of the baits in total.

If you are pole fishing I would look to feed maybe 3 swims, a deep swim 11-13m out directly in front of you and another at about 45 degrees and also a margin swim for later in the session.

The swim directly in front I would initially feed around 5-10 grains of hemp with 2-3 pieces of sweetcorn and see how the swim responds, if you are catching from the off I would feed every time you catch a fish, again with small amounts of corn and hemp. If your not catching feed very carefully probably every half hour at most.

In the 45 degree swim I would feed around 6 or 8 pellets and repeat the feeding process as described above. Dont be afraid to use paste either, you will still catch on it- just dont feed any.

Depending on which swim is the most responsive would determine what I would feed the margin swim with- dont fish under your feet like perhaps you would in summer- fish 10m plus down the nearside margin fish are easily spooked in winter.

If the commercial is of a decent size then i would definitely set up a feeder rod hair rig a small piece of meat on a straight led and cast all around your swim until you get a bite, remember to clip up each time so you know where youve been casting. I dont even bother feeding with this method- its more you finding the fish than the fish finding you.

I hope I havent told you how to 'suck eggs' but best of luck anyhow.

It can be hard but at some point in the day the carp will feed when the temperature rises by a couple of degrees.
Start at distance on the straight lead-not feeder-with either double maggot, corn or soft pellet, but pot in a few pellets down the margins.
Even though they tend to be more lethargic the colder the water gets, there will be a period when they come down the edge mouching. Be ready and prepared.
Have fished my own club waters for 3 hours today with light gear and ended up with about 15 roach and skimmers plus bonus carp of 3.5lbs,2x4.5lbs, and one of 7lbs 13 ozs-all on size 20 hook, 2lbs line, baited with single white maggot or two fluro pinkies. Corn didn't work today.
Hope this helps.