When it starts getting very cold the angler becomes increasingly challenged when seeking venues to spend a day out fishing. It gets too cold for barbel and the chub rivers are too high and colored. The big fish carp venues are hard to fish – it is too cold to spend long nights waiting for the elusive 30s to take an interest in your bait and a roving approach can be thankless on very big waters.
At times like these it is worth considering the smaller day ticket waters close to home. These are the ones that are overstocked with smaller fish for the match angler and during the summer months are normally crowded with anglers shoulder to shoulder. However, not all waters are the same. Some hold decent fish that have been allowed to grow on, and out of season when the weather is cold they are often deserted.
It pays to do your research and find a water that will suit. There will be more chance of some sport and the possibility that you can find a water with some decent fish in the 10 to 20lb range. Being a day ticket water means that you can have a good breakfast and turn up mid morning for 6 or 8 hours fishing before losing the light and the water closes. If you can manage a net of 30lb of carp in that time it should help cheer up an otherwise fish-less time of year.
There is no need for heavy gear. There will be no monster carp to catch and there will be little in the way of snags in a managed water. Take a couple of 12 foot rods with 2lb test curves – the sort you might be using for your barbel fishing would be great. Use your 10lb line on the baitrunners and keep the rest of the carp tackle to a minimum – tackle box or bag and a few bank-sticks, landing net, unhooking mat etc. I take a small bait bag that I can sling over my shoulder and walk round the water with when I arrive, looking for likely spots. A small handful of pellets or corn will go into about 5 or 6 swims.
A roving approach is usually needed in the winter, and spending around an hour at each swim can pay the best dividend. Try recasting one rod every 10 to 15 minutes if there are no bites. It is often the case that a swim will produce either nothing or a single fish – so the advice is to move on when you catch.
Remember when it is cold the fish often shoal together, and this may mean that large areas of a lake can be devoid of fish. You will need to use your watercraft to the full, seeking out likely lies that will be near the gravel bars and sunken obstacles – but of course you cannot see these from the bank.
A bright bait often works well – sweetcorn for instance mounted on a hair. Worms are a good bait at this time of year and can bring an occasional surprise in the form of a decent perch if you are lucky.
The good thing about a roving approach on a small water like this is that you will keep warmer in the bitter winter cold. The chance of catching a few fish is better and you are more likely to come away having had a short but comfortable and enjoyable days fishing.