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winter carp fishing


kestrel

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My winter boilies of choice are pineapple flavour, they seem to work well in winter. I think it's something to do with their ability to leak flavour even at low temperatures. Another flavour worth a go is good old tutti frutti, always seems to do the business.

 

Some people don't advocate the use of fishmeal type boilies in winter due to their high oil content and the carp's inability to digest them quickly. I don't see the problem using them so long as you're only fishing singles or stringers and not piling it in.

 

Paul.

 

What about maggots or the like , anyone had any great winter success with naturals ?

An angler is a man who spends rainy days sitting around on muddy banks doing nothing because his wife won't let him do it at home.

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Let me start by saying that I've never been winter carp fishing. This is purely because I'm more interested in other species, especially perch, in winter.

 

However one of the advantages of running my own waters is that I get to see what's being caught. It's interesting that one of the best times to catch carp at Wingham is early winter. The first frosts seem to put the carp down as the old books used to say. However, the next warm spell often leads to pronounced feeding. This often happens some time in November or even early December if the first frosts are late. Yet few of my members fish then!

 

"Hungry waters" that are overstocked seem to respond better in winter than lightly stocked gravel pits like my own. I've fished such waters a great deal over the years for perch, and there carp seem active all winter long.

 

What is particularly interesting is that if fishing a worm or deadbait on the bottom I seldom get a carp in winter. However if I fish in midwater (say 2ft deep in 4ft) I get plagued with blasted carp!

 

This fits in with boat trips in winter on pits and reservoirs when friends and I have often seen carp in midwater, but seldom on the bottom.

 

Like others I'd cut down on freebies in the winter. One tip I'd add that's worked for me with other species is to keep moving at least one of the baits a few feet every so often. In winter fish, including carp, are disinclined to move very far.

Edited by Steve Burke

Wingham Specimen Coarse & Carp Syndicates www.winghamfisheries.co.uk Beautiful, peaceful, little fished gravel pit syndicates in Kent with very big fish. 2017 Forum Fish-In Sat May 6 to Mon May 8. Articles http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/steveburke.htm Index of all my articles on Angler's Net

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I suppose the fish are hanging around in the warm layers of water , maybe zigs and pop ups then ? Do you think it would be easier to catch on shallower lakes than deep lakes ?

An angler is a man who spends rainy days sitting around on muddy banks doing nothing because his wife won't let him do it at home.

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I suspect Zyg rigs fished well up in the water are likely to be more effective than a bait popped-up just a few inches. It may also be worth trying baits at different depths in the same area.

 

I can't really help about whether shallow lakes are better than deep ones. My own Carp Lake at Wingham goes down to 15ft but the the most consistent winter swim is only about 5 to 6ft. This is about average on this water, although there are lots of variations.

 

I reckon that the stocking density of the lake is probably more important than whether it's shallow or deep. On many heavilly-stocked waters like commercials (that are normally shallow) the carp seem to feed all year, probably because on some they'd almost starve to death if not!

 

It's interesting that on one such water I used to fish for perch the carp used to regularly top in exactly the same spot day after day. Yet no one ever fished there!

Wingham Specimen Coarse & Carp Syndicates www.winghamfisheries.co.uk Beautiful, peaceful, little fished gravel pit syndicates in Kent with very big fish. 2017 Forum Fish-In Sat May 6 to Mon May 8. Articles http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/steveburke.htm Index of all my articles on Angler's Net

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I suspect Zyg rigs fished well up in the water are likely to be more effective than a bait popped-up just a few inches. It may also be worth trying baits at different depths in the same area.

 

I can't really help about whether shallow lakes are better than deep ones. My own Carp Lake at Wingham goes down to 15ft but the the most consistent winter swim is only about 5 to 6ft. This is about average on this water, although there are lots of variations.

 

I reckon that the stocking density of the lake is probably more important than whether it's shallow or deep. On many heavilly-stocked waters like commercials (that are normally shallow) the carp seem to feed all year, probably because on some they'd almost starve to death if not!

 

It's interesting that on one such water I used to fish for perch the carp used to regularly top in exactly the same spot day after day. Yet no one ever fished there!

 

:rolleyes: I need to find a shallow lake, no weed , nice dry swims,lake to myself, free fishing, overstocked lake,loads of 20's and 30's, bar next to swim, watch rods/alarms through pub windows,live football and great Indian food.

What more could I ask for ? :rolleyes:

Edited by kestrel

An angler is a man who spends rainy days sitting around on muddy banks doing nothing because his wife won't let him do it at home.

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Anyone had a good session in the wet weather ?

An angler is a man who spends rainy days sitting around on muddy banks doing nothing because his wife won't let him do it at home.

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Anyone had a good session in the wet weather ?

 

I know the lake I fish threw up a mid 20 last w/e - I think there was only the one guy on there for the one night. I would have loved to have got there as well but I was busy all w/e :(

 

I should add that that was the first fish out since Oct (?)

 

Rob.

Edited by RobStubbs
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Anyone had a good session in the wet weather ?

 

I always seem to catch my biggest fish when it's absolutely belting it down, plus they're always the ones that want to go for a bit of a swim, so your there getting wetter & wetter *lol*

 

There I am, sat beneath my brolly supping a hot cuppa, having blanked all day. Then all of a sudden ...... beep beep bbeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!

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