3D Thinking!

MAJOR alterations to rigs, baits and feed strategies are essential after the first frosts. Lee Kerry reveals his concept of ‘3D thinking’ for commercial stillwater success throughout winter…

- Lee Kerry

NOVEMBER brings the first frosts, and the upshot is a dramatic change in fish behaviour.

Within a week or two of the first car windscreen scrape, fish revert from being active hunters for food to stubborn, wild creatures that require all of our powers of persuasions to tempt them into having a nibble!

Rather than basic instinct, it’s the inquisitive nature of fish that we as anglers need to focus on for the next three or four months.

In my experience, the first venues to feel the adverse effects of frosts are commercials – especially the smaller, shallower lakes.

However, you can tackle up safe in the knowledge that prolific stocks of fish are still right in front of you. After all, they can’t swim a mile or two away in search of warmer water like they can on rivers, drains, canals or larger lakes!

Getting them to take your bait is the biggest challenge.

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of searching round every single part of your peg on winter commercials, whatever tactics you’re using.

Pegs requiring bomb, waggler, mini feeders such as Banjos, dobbing or even full depth pole rigs all benefit from a ‘ten minutes then move’ strategy.

With minimal or zero feed going in, it’s all about finding the fish rather than relying on them finding you.