What fish do a vanishing act in your area...

[JV44]

I've always wondered where fish go in the winter. Do they all shoal up at some specific little spot somewhere in the middle of nowhere, or do they simply not feed on anything big enough to get them caught?

 

In the warmer months, the Thames is teeming with all species and sizes of fish. After a couple of frosts, they've gone. You might scratch a few hand-sized roach out if you're lucky, but you're more likely to catch a good chub. Those chub never appear in the summer though...

 

Where do all the thousands of bleak go? They must be somewhere!

 

On the small tributaries you continue to catch the small roach, dace, perch, chublets, etc. all winter long, even with the line freezing in the rings.

 

In that bitter spell before xmas last year when the temperature didn't get above freezing for weeks on end (the coldest recorded temperature here was -18) it was even too cold for the chub. A friend and I had 8 sessions on the trot during that period, and in all that time managed 1 bite between us.

Anderoo where those gazillion Bleak go is the big one ...no idea wish i did ....manage to pick up a few from slacks when she floods otherwise it`s like they were never there .

Susspect those Chub are feasting on said Bleak in the summer/Autumn as i have often had them on Bleak lives after Perch Steve

[terry t shirt]

The same happens on the upper ouse during the summer and early autumn we caught everything roach,dace,bleak perch etc.

Come the winter winter matches you either caught a cpl of big chub or absolutely nothing. Part of the reason i gave up match fishing. In the winter you fished for 5 bites knowing they would be 4lb+ chub (still using maggots on a stick or waggler) 5 bites usually won you the match.

[Phone]

All,

 

I'm really going to get into trouble with this one. From memory!!!! (but I'm close)

 

Carp in reasonably oxygenated water (6.5 DO I think(?)) in a temp of 3 or 4 C only need to breath once every 90 - 120 seconds. Healthy carp do not require additional energy to survive for up to 7 months. They do not "feed" in water much below 50 f (9 - 10C) and what they do injest they cannot digest but maybe 5 - 7%.

 

I would just guess other criprids are not far off. 100% a guess.

 

Phone

[Vagabond]

Found the comments here a bit surprising. Yes, I can understand the Lake District being difficult in winter, but here in the south I don't recall fish "vanishing".

 

Some fish are hard to come by in winter, but catchable nevertheless.

 

Just to check I wasn't looking through rose-coloured specs, I went back to my records.

 

Bream - a record of one four-pounder from the Hants Avon in January 2003. It appears in the record because it was the only fish of the day and came whilst trotting a chub swim - for chub!. Getting it up against the current reminded me of why they are called "dustbin lids" (note for phone. dustbin = trash can in Americanese) Normally, however I don't fish for bream at any time,

 

Bleak Had those in the Upper Medway in Jan and Feb - and all other months when the rivers are open

 

Carp Occasionally turn up whilst fishing for winter still-water roach, but less frequently than in summer. Accidental captures in Jan and Feb

 

Chub Fewer but bigger ones in the winter. In summer, lots of half to one pound chub can make fishing for bigger chub difficult - these smaller chub do seem to be fewer in winter

 

Crucian - Have caught these in February

Dace - as for bleak - ie caught in Jan and Feb, plus other months when rivers open

 

Eel - On the lower reaches of Sussex rivers, bootlaces a pest at all times, but, yes, fewer in winter.

 

Gudgeon - have caught all the year round

Orfe have caught orfe in early March

Perch - most of my 3lb-plus perch have come in winter

Pike - plenty of winter pike

 

Roach - caught all the year round - plenty of them in winter

Rudd - I'm usually in Australia during December, but in 2003 I stayed home and caught several large rudd in November and December (and some big roach-rudd hybrids) in a large reservoir.

 

Tench - I have caught tench with snow on the ground ! it was a February

 

Most of the river fish mentioned above have come from quite small rivers - by small, I mean rivers that are easily cast across with float tackle - Upper Medway, Upper Sussex Ouse, Eastern Rother, etc, and some of the "still waters" are in fact dams on one of those systems. I don't know how significant that might be, as those of you who report "vanishing" fish seem to fish larger rivers.

 

I learnt to catch silver fish in winter in my teenage match-fishing days - which probably still influences my approach

 

and just to keep the whole thing in balance, I've lost count of the number of blanks I've had in winter

Edited September 26, 2011 by Vagabond

[Tigger]

[/b]Most of the river fish mentioned above have come from quite small rivers - by small, I mean rivers that are easily cast across with float tackle - Upper Medway, Upper Sussex Ouse, Eastern Rother, etc, and some of the "still waters" are in fact dams on one of those systems. I don't know how significant that might be, as those of you who report "vanishing" fish seem to fish larger rivers.

 

 

Dave they vanish from the small river local to me except for the larger chub and even they do the same when it starts to get really cold.

[watatoad]

I cant say I have noticed much vanishing except in severe flood conditions and even then you can usually find them in quiet waters or sometimes in deeper water.

 

Like Vagabond I too have caught species you would not expect with frost and snow and even a few times when snow has been belting down.

[gozzer]

It's not too many years ago that it was thought almost impossible to catch tench, carp, barbel and even bream in winter. We now know that's not true.

I believe that the fish are less inclined to move, and confined to certain areas of the river. Combine this with a shorter feeding spell, and it's not surprising that they seem to vanish. Often anglers are packing up when they start to feed. I've lost count of the number of times that I've heard an angler say that they just came on the feed, as the match finished. Seeing as most winter matches will finish around 3-00 to 3-30pm, it's not surprising.

As I said before, smaller hooks, baits, and finer line, with frugal feeding, will catch, if you find the fish. This on a winter river at 'normal' level. When the river is up, (within reason), I generally find the fish easier to locate, because the conditions make them move.

 

But nothing in angling is set in stone, and the only definite thing I know, is that you are more likely to catch something, if your bait/lure is in the water.

 

John.

[Phone]

Gozzer,

 

I have done considerable research using tagged carp fitted with pinging devices in the wild confirm your suspicions. In fact, they tend to shoal and they tend to move in patterns of the figure 8. Don't misunderstand me, carp will follow instinctive behaviour when confronted with "objects" and can be caught. It is more difficult as they just won't be feeding.

The bottom of natural ponds with a depth of 8 - 10 ft (exclusive of springs fed ponds) or man made ponds are always 39 f. In bodies of deep water it's true in the summer also. Carp then will "feed" on or near the bottom but come up to a more comfortable temperature to digest. "Perfect" for carp seems to be 72 - 76 as that is where they are most efficient.

 

It is biologically set in stone that carp don't feed and don't digest at "X"? low temperature. Some Northeastern strains the numbers can be dropped by a couple degrees. The Hungarians have also done extensive work in this area.

 

Phone

(FWIW, The 8's are from S to N - W to E of structure)

Edited September 26, 2011 by Phone

[Tigger]

It's not too many years ago that it was thought almost impossible to catch tench, carp, barbel and even bream in winter. We now know that's not true.

I believe that the fish are less inclined to move, and confined to certain areas of the river. Combine this with a shorter feeding spell, and it's not surprising that they seem to vanish. Often anglers are packing up when they start to feed. I've lost count of the number of times that I've heard an angler say that they just came on the feed, as the match finished. Seeing as most winter matches will finish around 3-00 to 3-30pm, it's not surprising.

As I said before, smaller hooks, baits, and finer line, with frugal feeding, will catch, if you find the fish. This on a winter river at 'normal' level. When the river is up, (within reason), I generally find the fish easier to locate, because the conditions make them move.

 

But nothing in angling is set in stone, and the only definite thing I know, is that you are more likely to catch something, if your bait/lure is in the water.

 

John.

 

 

 

I always target the fish late afternoon in winter (at peak temp's) as as soon as the sun starts to go down the temp's plummet and the water temp's soon after. I've tried all or most of the good / likely looking holding spots, small hooks, small baits and visa versa and at certain times of year no ammount of anything will get a bite (on my local small river). I have to say I know this river very very well and am confident unless you electrofish it or net it you'll not get a sniff of a fish...except the larger chub, as I say at certain times of year and even the better times in winter won't produce very much action at all..

I know lutra has fished his local river all his life and he tell's me it's the same and all but a few of the larger fish vanish.

[watatoad]

I always target the fish late afternoon in winter (at peak temp's) as as soon as the sun starts to go down the temp's plummet and the water temp's soon after. I've tried all or most of the good / likely looking holding spots, small hooks, small baits and visa versa and at certain times of year no ammount of anything will get a bite (on my local small river). I have to say I know this river very very well and am confident unless you electrofish it or net it you'll not get a sniff of a fish...except the larger chub, as I say at certain times of year and even the better times in winter won't produce very much action at all..

I know lutra has fished his local river all his life and he tell's me it's the same and all but a few of the larger fish vanish.

 

I have heard this so often concerning the Suffolk Stour. So I put some effort in and I can now go and catch the elusive and vanished smaller Roach, Dace, Perch and Chub without any problem, Location, Location, Location, look and yea shall find...hehehe...if I can anyone can. I have no magic tricks, no magic wand, ...although the ABU Transmitter comes close...hehehe

 

Last two winters at least as far as the Suffolk rivers go and the Lea and Lea navigation canal for that matter, this winter I plan to target whatever I can in Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, London, Sussex. And perhaps Devon.

Edited September 26, 2011 by watatoad