dalej2014

So regarding a stove, it looks like the Coleman petrol will work down to freezing (and beyond with alcohol or gel to preheat?). I realise these have to be used outside the bivvy, but since most of my Autumn/Winter will be daytime or early morning/evening, a better bet? Again, not a small investment, but warm tea/coffeee/chocolate by the bankside. Worth it? Several of you have mentioned hot drinks, so seems to be an idea.

They're not cheap I'll grant you. I fell over looking at prices too. Having tried winter carping once many years ago, and freezing my wotsits off, I was willing to pay to keep warm though. Got to be the biggest factor in going I reckon. If I'm cold, I'll soon wish I wasn't there, stop enjoying it and lose interest. So for me, to keep going through the colder months, worth it I hope. If I put a fish on the bank in winter it will be. 🎣❄️

Thank you all for your replies. I have taken your good advice to heart, looked at various options and placed an order for some Fortis salopettes and an FJ6 jacket along with some Skeetex boots. That should keep me nice and warm in the worst of winter! I'll order some seed based base mix and pop up mix next and start introducing a winter boilie. Roll on autumn!

Hi guys, I fish the spring/summer of neccessity, as my work has me on call from October through April, however this year I'd like to try and fish through the colder months when I can. I'm looking for advice on the neccesaries to do so. Clothing - I'm looking at a Quantum winter suit and Skeetex boots. Good enough? Anyone have any experience with them? Bait - I'm looking to roll an HNV superseed/peanut/vanilla boilie (like Manilla), and use with hemp and corn/maize. I may go the full "Adam Penning" and use condensed milk and Bailey's too! Again, anyone have any experience or tips? I'm also thinking gradually trickling in the "winter" baits, with my fishmeals,. When do I need to start that? Now? Rigs/tactics. Will be baiting lightly, with singles or one or two boilie stringers. Am also thinking flouro pop-ups or wafters, casting often to to try to find the slowing shoals. Gear - I've got a stove now, and ordered a small kettle for coffee, soup and so on. (Do those gas bottle sleeves help in the cold?). I probably won't do many nights, more evenings and the odd day at weekends. Anyhting else a must have? Anyhitng else I need to know or think about? Any tips, tricks, advice or thoughts appreciated. CHeers, and tight lines!

I've gone Sonik Xtractor myself. Similar size, weight etc, but at a better price point. Had a pair of 9' 3lb for a couple of years now, and no issues whatever. Good fun rods. Carp up to mid twenties with ease (and heavier one day I hope!). This may interest... https://www.total-fishing-tackle.com/blog/best-telescopic-rods

Go outdoors have some pretty good deals, especially with amembers card (which is only a fiver). I've just bought an Okuma carbonite 40000rd for under £15. They do have an anti-reverse switch I believe. https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/16233013/okuma-carbonite-cr-4000-rd-16233013 Also Angling Direct are doing their free whip kit deal again now. Get a free 3 or 4m whip, rig and bait. Just spend a tenner with a child under 16 with you in store. Pic snipped from email below.

Well I'm getting a few hours on the lake tonight, whether it's too hot to fish or not! I doubt I'll caught any, but if i do it's unhook in the net, quick pic and back in the water. Tight lines guys

Molasses goes well with particles, but will also draw bream, tench etc. Those fish have a sweet tooth!

I'll be doing some short evening session when I can, since the summer is my best opportunity to fish - I'm on call all through winter, so not as much chance, and I don't like sitting in the cold anyway. I think the fish will warm themselves then go to a comfortable depth, so still feed and be about, but more likely over drop offs etc. The key for me is safety, both fish, and fisherman. Make sure you're protected - hat, sun cream etc. Avoid the heat of high noon. Use a bit of common sense. Fish safety - obviously minimise time on the bank. Make sure nets and mats are well wetted with fresh, cool lake water. Take pictures, weigh and return as quickly as possible. I get everything prepped while the fish is in the landing net, then it's a matter of minutes at most to weigh, picture and return. All that said, it is hot, but let's try and enjoy it as much as we can. We'll all be moaning it's too cold when there's inches of snow around!

With them that close I'd try surface fishing with bread or pellets, or go for a pellet waggler fished about a foot or two under. Lovely looking fish if you can catch them! It may even be worth your while putting up a "scarecrow" so they're used to seeing someone "standing" on the bank? (Or is that just a crazy idea!? lol)

My own experience of river carping is about 20 years old now, but may help, so here it is. I used big trout pellets in the margin, and pre-baited for several days before fishing at the same time each evening. If there's a lot of flow halve the pellets so they don't roll. You may need to pre-bait for some days or weeks before the fish are accustomed to finding bait at the same time and place. Hope this helps! I only did this for a few days and caught a twenty pount mirror from our local river (the Gipping). Dissapointingly it didn't even put up much of a fight. Mind you it was in the net in seconds, and I don't hink it knew what happened. Good luck!

I use AA baits for my ingredients. I haven't noticed a silly increase in price. Mind you I order rarely, since I bait lightly...

It's not wrong if it's working. Last I knew, no carp has ever read it 🎣😉

I found this very interesting: https://www.cherrycarp.com/understanding-rig-mechanics-martin-crackoff/ Do we make rigs more complicated than they need to be?

Hoping to get to the river for an hour or two tonight. I'm hoping that I won't get called out the minute I arrive, or before! If nothing else it'd be nice to start feeding some bait... If they're tidal rivers do you have to wait?...

Bottom line (pun intended) - if it has a hook it can catch. Be interested to see how you get on with it.

It's a bit much for a day session! But no, not really. You'll use it eventually. I used a handful of boilies last season fishing for a bite at a time. Gonna try sloppy spods and liquids this year and see how I go.

i'll be out for a bit of bank time over the weekend too. Really need to net my first of the year!

Might be a silly idea, but what about a yoga mat? Could even double up as an unhooking mat (on the oher side, obviously). Not saying you'd want to do that regularly, but for a quick recon type fish?

lol. To be fair I got the car second hand last year, and other than the puncture its been good as gold. After having crappy beaten up old cars most of my life I bit the bullet, spent some money, and bought a five year old Seat. The comment about old Ford's made me laugh. Nearly all old British cars were more rust than car! Not for nothing, were they called Dagenham dustbins! That said, my last car was a little diesel Fiesta, 1.4Tdci on a 53 plate The engine in those was made by Ford in conjuction with Citroen and Peugeot,and it was also good as gold, iunti lthe clutch went. It got me to pleanty of lakes too.

Ouch! They're just a money pit aren't they? Cars. But what's the alternative? Need one for work, fishing, shopping etc, so you have to pay those big garage bills. Still hurts the pocket when they arrive though. I've got a service and mot in a couple of weeks too. It's an expensive month for me as well. Luckily I already bought my spod rod and bait though 😁

Was meant to fish Saturday. Got two miles form the lake and got a puncture! Spent the rest of the day getting recovered, then waiting for new tyres and tracking to be done. £300 later I went home, and didn't even get to cast out. Not the day I was expecting. So, undeterred, I went on Sunday. I tied a chod rig for my new super squid pop-ups, made ground bait from vitalin and other goodies, chucked a glug of fish and liver hydros in there, and fermented overnight. I made some HNV boilies glugged and coated in powder, then finished off witn a glaze of Minamino. I fished that in a PVA bag with pellets and some special K squirted in there. After all of that - blankety blank! lol. And it was baltic once the sun went in. That said, it was so good to be back on the bank again, so all worth it

I did wonder (thinking about ice cubes in spirits), but wasn't sure. Thanks for clarifying mate.

Really late reply on this, but have you tried freezing? It may help carry the groundbait down to the bottom? Just an idea though, and would need to test on your venue.

I certainly don't cover my time rolling baits (and I just do a few for myself). What I do get though, is the freshest bait possible, using ingredients I know are the best I can buy. For me it's like the difference between, for example, bread in a bag, or freshly baked from the oven. I know what I think smells and tastes better, and what's likely to be eaten first. This was certainly the case last year when I was catching loads on my own boilies. I don't think I can put a price on that For me it's home rolled all the way.