Considering a winter retreat?

I sat contemplating this yesterday whilst slowly sinking further into thick mud on the banks of a recently swollen river, this was after getting out of the car endless times to remove fallen branches on the way and then hacking my way through even more until I reached my spot on the far side of what can be difficult terrain at the best of times.

All part and parcel of being out there and the fun which goes with it of course, I guess if it was easier then I would be sitting shoulder to shoulder with others and missing out on that much craved seclusion.

But how much easier would it be to find a nice little stillwater close to home where there are decent swims nearby which are easily accessible, where the water level is continuous and the mud is virtually non-existent... If only as a place to overwinter?

It would of course be far, far easier… Yet the likelihood of me taking up the option on a frequent basis is probably zilch!

Why?

I have absolutely no idea.

I enjoy my stillwater fishing once I’m there but I think it’s the allure of running water and the idea of the unknown due to relatively unrestricted fish movement that are the deciding factors but I will say that after only a few sessions skidding around in mud and bringing home gear that is literally caked in it my resolve may just be weakening early this year if only to accommodate a more frequent “day off session” away from it all.

Purely out of interest does anyone change their choice of venues for the winter for reasons other than the actual quality of the fishing and if so what do you do and why?

Yes old chap, its called couch potatoe venue, i watch footie drink beer, i am abused by my employer and i re charge my enthusiasm for the long awaited spring, not everybodies cup of tea but it works for me, enjoy your fishing whatever you decide to do.

Binka, for me winter is a time to mix it up. Piking on vast windswept pits, or fishing the Avon, Stour or Frome. Depends on weather and the flow of the rivers.

However, your account of gaining access to the swim seems a bit too Bear Grylls for me.

I usually restrict my winters fishing to three fairly local venues depending on the conditions:

If the temperature has been steady or rising over the last few days (even if the temperature is still below 3 or 4 degrees) and the wind is not too troublesome then I will usually be found fishing on my local stream.

However; if there's a biting cold troublesome wind blowing or it's the closed season on the rivers then.you'll usually find me fishing my local estate lake which is fairly sheltered from the winds and surrounded by tall woodland.

If it is freezing cold with ice cover creeping across the water then you'll find me fishing a local club lake which has a cluster of underwater springs warming the water a few degrees.

But 8 or 9 times out of 10 I'll be found on my local stream chasing Barbel, Chub, Roach and Perch.

Keith

Purely a species thing for me. Winter for me means zander,grayling,roach which means [almost] totally different venues to my summer fishing which is usually trout, tench, crucian,barbel.

Much more likely to see me on a river in winter and if the weather is bad then you wont see me anywhere at all. I am not driven by a need to go fishing.

I'm of an age now where any thought of an athletic challenge to get to a swim is off the agenda. I fish alone and the hazards and perils of a muddy river bank above a swollen river doesn't sit well with me, I managed to fall head first into a lake late last Summer, seemed funny at the time but could have been a different tale on reflection.

Commercials with hardcore entrances and paths with safe swims are much more appealing with the added bonus that they are often deserted in the winter months and also the carp aren't quite so dominant giving other species especially my favourite, the perch a chance to become the star attraction. I'd love to sit by the river in all its winter glory but sometimes you just have to understand your limitations.

From October to March I concentrate my attention on the Rivers. However driving down muddy narrow farm tracks and struggling across waterlogged fields for small or no return does, surprisingly, sometimes lose its allure. In extreme cases like that I head for a nice comfortable set of club lakes where I can park within a short, easy walk of my chosen peg. Once there I can get snuggled down, confident in the knowledge that by now the carp have switched off and I can get about the serious and satisfying business of bagging a stack of roach and skimmers on the pole at around ten metres. What more could you want? Should that not work for me then I employ plan B, which involves a token gesture for two hours, just to show that I'm not a quitter, then off to the Pub as quick as possible. So once again, what more could you want? Pete.

I read the title and winter retreat slightly differently. I thought you were asking if I would like to spend the worst of our winter in Mauritius, fishing off a boat while drinking cold beer.

I have to say, I prefer my idea over yours

To answer the actual question, even with my lack of experience, I think I would get bored of something like that pretty quickly.

dann said:

I read the title and winter retreat slightly differently. I thought you were asking if I would like to spend the worst of our winter in Mauritius, fishing off a boat while drinking cold beer.

Click to expand...

Now that's much more like it!

It never really enters my head, rain, snow, wind,even all the mud in the world , I go where my fancy takes me or conditions dictate, at times I get it wrong but if I'm solo I always try to have a plan B.
I've only heard today of an angling aquintance having a bad stroke and its just ended all thoughts of him fishing, ever, so as long as I'm able I want it full on as sometime in the future I may be forced into making compromises if my health begins to be problamatic.

Winter has always meant "river" to me. That has typically been trotting for chub and the occasional foray for grayling.

That remains the same but since moving back to Dorset it's now going to be evenly split between chub and grayling. The Frome is less than 10mins away and I've got miles of it to reacquaint myself with. I've already had some stunning grayling and literally came within 6 inches of beating my long standing best of a big "3". Unfortunately that 6 inches was the bit of water the other side of the rim of my landing! The grayling are only available from 1st November until the end of February so there is plenty of time to sort the chub out.

I have a number of still waters close to home i could fish during winter, but its rivers for me, unless i am out after Pike, then its the big still waters.

The weather doesn't bother me and i look forward to it snowing, had some good days fishing in the snow. On the plus side you don't see that many, if anyone on the bank.

You certainly won't see me, Ray....though I do agree fishing in the snow does have a certain special magic to it. For about 10 minutes anyway !

Free rivers for chubb and canal perch for me, don't care about weather as long as it's not sideways

I have not been fishing long enough to know yet but I do like the commercials in the summer and on crisp cold days in the winter. I am not keen on rain and slippery banks do not appeal as I am more often than not fishing solo.

Dropshotting the Regent's Canal​

My plan this winter is to go and do some urban fishing in London and the Kent towns jigging and dropshotting with next to no gear. Here in London I will be using public transport to get about. Dropshotting in the Regent's was fun and I will be doing that again. In the country towns it seems the best bet is to use the Park and Ride services. The theory is the urban setting will not be too muddy... Ask me next year when I have actually tried it!

Ralph.

Just short sessions for me in winter,from about twelve o clock to dusk, find the mornings a waste of time were I fish.
River for grayling and chub, trotting mainly, and roach and perch on the new waters I joined in April .
Will pick my days though, don't do wet weather, had enough of that when I was working.