Winter fishing - is it the best time?

[Maesknoll]

I really enjoy the winter, I fish Viaduct a fair bit and they ban pellets from Nov-Mar, so it’s proper fishing with casters and maggots and rewarded with match nets like this, not a carp in sight.

 

[George Sumsion]

Real fishing

 

[brian carragher]

Proper bag of fish is that one, I like winter fishing too its just that mine involves winter fishing rivers in all of its moods in search of pike

 

[Total]

Cracking net of silvers Chris. ......Good to see a smile on your face.

 

[Maesknoll]

Cracking net of silvers Chris. ......Good to see a smile on your face.

Smile, bloody hell, I’d best delete that picture....

 

[Silverfisher]

Great net there!

I’m not a fan of proper winter fishing though as in December to the end of the season. I don’t fish commercials so instead often rock hard lakes or flooded or at least high rivers are what I have to contend with.

Give me a nice semi natural Stillwater bursting with life from spring to early summer or a healthy river full of fish from midsummer to autumn any time over what we have to contend with atm.

Don’t get me wrong I’ve had some good catches in the winter but the stars have to properly aline on the waters I fish for that to happen. Late March to early November is proper fishing season for me.

 

[Zerkalo]

Nice net of fish. I would always enjoy winter club matches on the canal with bloodworm and joker. Difficult to beat for fun. This year I'm pleasure fishing commercials on the tip for carp, I enjoy it as usually a nice steady pace.

 

[Silver fan 82]

I quite like the more challenging conditions of winter fishing.

 

[Arry]

Gimme 10lb of Roach over 100lb of Carp any day... well done Chris...??

 

[SerialBlanker]

Pike is my favourite fish to catch so I love winter fishing. Also the club lakes are so much quieter when the fair weather carpers are at home

 

[Yuccaman]

I'll let you know after my blanking pike session tomorrow

 

[Louis D]

Definitely prefer winter fishing but currently laid up with mystery injury so nothing happening. Weights are more sensible and I've had many a day where a good hour can take you from blanking to being in the running. I enjoy that moment when the float dips the first time, my usual reaction is always surprise and then happiness when a couple of foot of elastic comes out.

 

[Maesknoll]

I'll let you know after my blanking pike session tomorrow

Piking doesn’t count, it’s traditionally a winter only discipline

 

[ukzero1]

I enjoy that moment when the float dips the first time, my usual reaction is always surprise and then happiness when a couple of foot of elastic comes out.

I'm usually surprised too, problem is I also usually miss it.

 

[mike fox]

I've always preferred winter fishing. Scaling down to fine lines and and No.2 - 4 elastics on the canal or river. Winter match fishing was always more rewarding when you catch a few pound of silvers. Completely the opposite though in fly fishing when the gear needs to be beefed up in winter to hang on to the lunging strikes of a trout and scaling down in the summer for those slight tentative takes. Angling is such a diverse sport. Love it all.

 

[trotter2]

Yes winter fishing is definitely up there. A couple of hours winter grayling fishing is something special imo.

 

[Silverfisher]

Think it depends where you are in the country in terms of the venues you have available to you.

If you have stuffed full commercials or the types of rivers that run off quickly or don't get too cold it probably is a good time. On the other hand when you are in an area like mine where the decent stillwaters are sensibly stocked to stay fairly natural venues so are rock hard in the cold and the rivers stay swollen for weeks you are not left with many options to catch if the weather doesn't play ball.

I suppose there is flip side of that in the warmer months. I guess that those with the commercials and first types of rivers are faced with too many carp or stunted silvers and too low rivers. Conversly on the stillwaters I fish there aren't too many carp or stunted silvers so you can easily fish for decent silvers whilst the rivers stay at healthy levels so generally fish consistently for all species.

It's also just nicer to be warm than cold lol

 

[Zerkalo]

All the weed will be gone from my weir pool on local Stour. Should have been perfect for some ledgering. Instead the levels have tuned it into a snag pit. And the part of the peg where you can stand to do some trotting is submerged. Hopefully the snags will clear themselves up as it looks like some trees were cut back and all the heavy debris has gone in.

 

[snappyfish]

I love winter fishing, I like the challenge. Although spent 8 am until 5 pm and only 1 carp of 7lb this week. So that was hard going.

 

[Yuccaman]

I'll let you know after my blanking pike session tomorrow

Piking doesn’t count, it’s traditionally a winter only discipline

I love winter fishing.