| Although I have winter fished regularly for years I | | | | fishing tent and this would not thaw during the day. |
| wanted a much 'bigger picture' of winter carp fishing | | | | This was 'true' winter fishing! Unfortunately I never |
| and see all the changes in carp behaviours, test | | | | caught a fish in the snow as the lake was totally iced |
| winter baits, fishing conditions and catch results at | | | | over with very thick ice at this time which was |
| this time. | | | | unbreakable! |
| 5 years ago I chose to spend 4 days out of 7 (on | | | | The fish certainly were more active on some |
| average,) carp fishing. I did this from late October, | | | | evenings when temperatures were plummeting after |
| right through to the end of March and on into the | | | | a clear sunny day during anti-cyclonic conditions. This |
| beginning of April. (Unfortunately this was a very cold | | | | was when it was nicest for me during the day and |
| winter too!) | | | | the most uncomfortable for me at night! |
| The lake I chose was small with a deep 'half' of | | | | You need very good preparation for winter fishing |
| around 20 feet in depth and an average depth of 6 | | | | especially at night, and exposure and hyperthermia |
| to 9 feet, working up to a shallow end of around 5 | | | | are very real dangers. You absolutely must have |
| feet to 2 feet in depth. | | | | many more spare clothes and footwear than you |
| I was able to observe almost the whole lake to spot | | | | think you need! There may be nights you end up |
| fish movements as a part of this 'learning exercise.' | | | | wearing it all and still shiver all night long! |
| The average carp in this lake were about 21 to 23 | | | | I was using a reputable '5' season sleeping bag too! I |
| pounds, but there were a few fish in the 32 pounds | | | | placed a second 'over-sheet' over the tent which did |
| range with a couple up to 36 pounds or more. A few | | | | warm things up a bit at night. You also need to |
| years previously I had caught a 45 pound 'leather' | | | | careful and aware that your carp mat and landing net |
| carp from this water and 4 other fish around 36 to | | | | need to be off the ground or sheltered - they can |
| 38 pounds; so there were certainly fish here to keep | | | | freeze to the ground! |
| me even more interested and motivated. | | | | The carp seemed to get into a routine again in late |
| In mid October it became obvious that the fish were | | | | January and patrolled more shallow marginal areas of |
| being hooked less and less in water 6 feet deep in | | | | about 4 or 5 feet deep in the evenings. Virtually all |
| the centre of the lake and more and more in the 9 | | | | takes through the very cold parts of the winter |
| to 12 foot depth area. Gradually this changed to | | | | came during the evening from around 4.30 pm to 10 |
| more from water deeper still at 10 to even 15 feet | | | | pm. |
| deep or more, as temperatures fell, and frosts set in | | | | It was obvious the fish were up in the top water |
| late October. | | | | layers too and 'pop-up' buoyant baits took most fish, |
| At this time in late October going into November the | | | | while baits fished on the bottom produced nothing |
| warmest water left was in the deep water areas | | | | for weeks on end! |
| and this is where most fish it seemed felt most | | | | These were very refined rigs with a host of |
| comfortable were hooked at this time. It is where | | | | different baits, colours, flavours, densities, |
| the most natural food would be left too before dying | | | | buoyancies, hook lengths etc. These had previously |
| back or becoming less active and available to feeding | | | | caught the carp in warmer periods with ease. |
| carp. | | | | February had periods of prolonged warmer winds, |
| But then you may be surprised to know, as the | | | | and some gales. During this time with increased used |
| water really began cooling-off more evenly all through | | | | of free baiting, catches on the bottom were as good |
| the lake, the carp fed actively in the more shallow | | | | as any other time of year. Between these periods |
| areas in water around 6 feet deep. | | | | significant captures occurred on some of the very |
| It was even more surprising when this actually | | | | coldest frosty mornings with feeding spells around 5 |
| happened on the nights with the hardest frosts as | | | | or 6 am. However such catches were not common. |
| November progressed. This intense feeding activity | | | | Late March brought longer hotter days. With |
| occurred during the most rapidly falling temperatures | | | | increased day-length and longer more intense sun light |
| and quickest increase in water density, producing the | | | | penetration, appeared new occasional mid-day or |
| most frantic concentrated feeding and best catches | | | | afternoon feeding spells. |
| of this time. | | | | This activity only occurred on the brightest and |
| It even meant that on some of the very coldest | | | | longest most sunniest days. These spells (like the |
| evenings that all three rods would be 'in action' almost | | | | earlier November evening frost catches,) produced |
| simultaneously. And some of these fish were the | | | | most of the biggest fish of the winter and more |
| biggest in the lake. | | | | than once produced two of the biggest fish in the |
| I got the feeling, as with the winds appearing to | | | | lake within half an hour of each other. |
| 'blow-up' in October, that the carp could 'anticipate' | | | | The regular feeding spots even moved to those of |
| conditions and where to feed before those conditions | | | | late September and early October where carp fed |
| had actually occurred. Perhaps this is due to their | | | | close into the bank even with their tails out of the |
| sensitivity to rising or falling air pressure effects on | | | | water inside 'snaggy' obstructed areas, on the sunny |
| water density in combination with temperature | | | | days and 'off the wind'. |
| changes. | | | | From mid-to-late March the average feeding depth |
| This effect definitely triggered the fish into intense | | | | was under a foot to about 5 feet at this time. |
| feeding activity in very concentrated feeding spots, | | | | Obviously the water was warming-up enough to |
| at this very cold time in November. However the | | | | stimulate marginal or top water layer feeding far |
| best catches still came from under or beside safer | | | | more. A couple of the biggest fish were hooked in |
| difficult to fish areas in water of about 9 feet deep | | | | only 2 feet of water under branches trailing in the |
| near or beside 'snags' or obstructions in the water. It | | | | water on days where sunlight hit that particular are |
| was apparent there were more fish tightly gathered | | | | of the lake the longest. |
| in these places than at other times of the year. | | | | In very early April, (only on the warmest days,) |
| The days with warm sunshine and rising | | | | feeding spells changed from afternoon to evening, |
| temperatures and lowered water density produced | | | | through to night-time up to around 11 pm. Cloudy |
| very little at the same period. Only when longer spells | | | | days with winds produced very little. Just to |
| of warmer weather came as December progressed | | | | complete the picture, the carp feeding went round to |
| did catches become less concentrated in a very | | | | early morning time between 6 and 7 am by the |
| short feeding spell of perhaps only 15 minutes. | | | | second week of April. |
| In mid-to-late December milder warmer winds mixed | | | | My 'big picture cut-off' points were from late |
| and re-warmed the water and the fish fed as well as | | | | October and the beginning of April. This period would |
| in the very cold snaps but often for longer periods of | | | | usually exclude day and night air temperatures of up |
| time perhaps from half an hour to longer. It was | | | | to 10 to 12 Degrees Celsius. At around these day and |
| noticeable that feeding spells could be timed and | | | | night temperatures following each other I knew the |
| predicted for the following days ahead and the swim | | | | carp would feed far more frequently and were |
| and baits could be prepared meticulously in advance | | | | therefore less of a challenge. |
| of these regular spells of activity. | | | | I ended the exercise in the third week of April. |
| I had timed these feeding spells in December on | | | | The biggest aspect about winter fishing I learnt was |
| another lake previously. They had all been potted on | | | | the discipline to keep introducing bait no matter how |
| charts along with date, day and night temperatures | | | | 'pointless' it might seem. This definitely kept catches |
| and catch results and baiting frequency, time of | | | | coming and bigger fish to the net. I believe it kept |
| introduction, amounts and types of baits. | | | | the fish feeding on bait and searching for food. |
| My conclusions were that baiting up very regularly | | | | It certainly produced the biggest fish in the lake the |
| with generous amounts of boilies 'particles' and | | | | moment they became active and really wanted to |
| ground baits that dissolved quickly to disperse | | | | feed. Paste baits and paste free baits worked by far |
| 'attractors' very much improved results. | | | | the best as opposed to boiled baits and I'm sure that |
| So far as to say that very heavy baiting in winter | | | | using special homemade buoyant pastes accounted |
| seems essential at times for exceptional catches. I | | | | for many more fish than if I'd fished 'conventionally!' |
| feel that tightly 'shoaled-up' winter the fish are caught | | | | Most of all, I learnt the secrets of fishing over |
| more easily and confidently because they are | | | | dissolved baits and baits that have become |
| competing among each other for food. | | | | sediments. (I'm certain that on 'pressured' heavily |
| But it must be made clear that some feeding 'spots' | | | | fished waters, the big carp feed far more confidently |
| may be extremely isolated and that someone fishing | | | | over 'sediment' bait. |
| only 2 meters off 'the spot' will just not get a single | | | | The art of feeding mostly 'little and very often' really |
| 'bite' while you catch 4 or 5 fish in half an hour fishing | | | | became refined too as did the use of very soluble |
| only a few feet away. | | | | baits leveraging some of the best attractors and |
| This effect can occur in summer too where you | | | | flavours available. |
| could have 4 rods spaced only tree feet apart in a | | | | This principle of very regular feeding of fast |
| swim and yet only the one rod will consistently | | | | dissolving baits, pastes and ground baits, has caught |
| produce 'takes.' | | | | me as many big fish all-year-round since then, as any |
| The most intense feeding really seemed to be as | | | | other method I've ever used! |
| temperatures fell very sharply in a short time period. | | | | When winter fishing more than at any other time, |
| This was in November and December. 'Takes' at this | | | | confidence in your baits is key! I had designed and |
| time could be very fast and furious with many takes | | | | made a boilie just for this lake and I had 'established' |
| in a very short feeding spell of perhaps only 10 to 20 | | | | it by the start of my campaign by introducing it |
| minutes. | | | | gradually through earlier sessions in warmer |
| In January the carp fed very little and the lake froze | | | | temperatures without fishing with it. I had watched |
| over for periods with ice 4 to 5 inches thick at times. | | | | how the bigger fish rolled and fed on it; and if they |
| This was a very hard fishing period with water | | | | were confident - then so was I! |
| temperatures at their lowest! | | | | The author has many more fishing and bait 'edges' up |
| January produced the smallest fish, mostly being | | | | his sleeve. Every single one can have a huge impact |
| 'doubles' and single figure fish. It was interesting to | | | | on catches. (Warning: This article is protected by |
| note that the singles came on worm extract paste | | | | copyright, but reprints with a link are OK.) |
| baits fished under a float in the margins and I caught | | | | By Tim Richardson. 'The thinking angler's fishing |
| no bigger carp using this method at this time. | | | | author and expert bait making guru.' |
| At times no fish were observed at night, morning or | | | | For the unique and acclaimed new massive expert |
| evening at all, for many consecutive days and nights. | | | | bait making 'bible' ebook / book: |
| At this time frost was piled on top of frost on the | | | | "BIG CARP BAIT SECRETS! |