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COLD WATER CARPING IN HOLLAND - PART ONE

The water looks absolutely dead with bare branches reflecting in the still, chilly waters.
By my pre baited swim float a group of coots, further up drift two ducks with their beaks tucked into their feathered backs.
The mud-bath in front of my bivvy is beginning to take all forms of strange shapes and nothing seems to move. I set the kettle on.
Carp fishing in the winter can be a tough time you read in books and magazines, as if the summer isn't!
I've caught sometimes, surprisingly more carp in the winter than in the summer but not on all waters I fish.
Naturally on some waters it seems absolutely impossible to catch in the winter, but on the other hand it is not so long ago that we thought that about every water.

Winter swims

No different from the summer -right time, right place except that in the winter there are a lot less "right places", as carp tend to gather in a few places and on some waters only one.
What about the theory that carp return to the deeper areas: I don't believe in that much more.
In undeep waters, say a max of 2 meters, I have indeed found them in deepest areas but in deeper waters with depths to say 15 meters or more most carp are lying between7 and 10 meters, and don't forget the carp that are above the bottom holding up between the water and the wind .
Now they are a nasty problem and I haven't quite got the answer to that one yet, not 100%anyway. I think that the best winter areas are those which are most stable for the carp and not baring themselves to the mercy of the surrounding winter conditions.
A quiet place then with not to much effect from any eventual undercurrents or light variations and temperature fluctuations. Concrete not to undeep (larger temp. fluctuations),
Obstacles that prevent light-rays and outside the effect of the south or north western winds as they create storms hence large undercurrents.
Before you start pulling your hair out, thinking of where the hot-spots may be on your water, a little story.
I fished once, a water where the holding area was common knowledge. I float -fished it 3 times and blanked every time even though I had minute movement on my float. The fish were just not interested.
One day I decided to fish a margined area near to the hot spot as a light chilly wind was blowing and a watery sun was shinning right above. At the end of an 8 hour sash my float moved 5 times and I landed 5 fish to 28 lbs.
Success as a group of fish had left the main school to go foraging. Carp forage in the winter months the same as the summer but not so often, but normally forage in the same places as in the summer. Places in the shallows where the most light shines giving life to all types of food, plant and insects. They are of course much richer than the deeper areas. Don't forget also on waters that the public frequent to feed the ducks --- great spots.


Nightfishing or not?

A lot of waters are clearer in the winter months than the summer months and will be best fished in the dark hours to catch the cautious carp. In muddier waters with a good "ripple" on the top can be fished with some success during the daylight hours, and in the shallows. Conclusion is that in the clear waters choose the deeper swims at daylight and the shallows during the dark hours.

Do something different?

On pressures waters full of very clever carp, I think it is best to try something different from the rest, but in the winter I am always a bit careful. Different rigs and systems ok but bait-different story.
Some waters are fished heavily in the winter months but only on a few known swims and on some waters only one stretch.
That swim will be normally fished with boilly's and the carp know exactly where to turn up to supplement there food needs as the natural source is low at this time of the year. It's no wonder that these spots are so popular and are the most successful.
On some waters like this you get carp disturbed and bombarded with this boilly attack which normally lasts until dusk when the most carp fishermen go home to their warm houses and a glass of whatever.
The carp know this by instinct and will forage these swims at night ------- GET IN.

Oh yeh!!
I forgot to say when I mentioned that carp feed for shorter periods in the winter that this period can be very short --- one hour - so anyone thinking of trying winter carping, a few 24 hour seshes might be needed to suss that one out. But on the other hand to see the beautiful winter colour of a carp you have caught with frost on your rods is fantastic ---

tight lines and success.
Tmac
Part 2: Preparation, bait and rigs to follow.


To Be Continued……

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