Carry On Carping

Get it right and there’s still some great winter carp fishing to had, reckon Brian Skoyles and Colin Cutts.

WE had arranged to meet Colin and Brian at Trent View, near Newark, a perfect cold-water carp fishery and one that Colin often fishes.

“It’s well-stocked with plenty of hungry fish that need to feed regardless of the weather, and the management supplement the feed throughout the year which encourages the fish to stay active”, explained Colin.

Brian often fishes commercial venues, where the carp have grown to respectable weights thanks to match anglers feeding them regularly. In winter, there are often fewer matches and day-ticket anglers, so the carp are hungry.

“Waters such as Messingham Sands in North Lincolnshire are my choice. They lend themselves to a day’s winter carping. “I see little point in struggling on a low stocked, harder water. If I’m putting up with poor weather I want a bit of action on the rods. Sitting it out for that one special fish can wait for when the fish are more active,” said Brian.

“Most of our winter carping is done on popular day-ticket venues. In the summer months, these waters can be very busy, but in the winter the banks are much quieter.

“Fish that are used to lots of food falling from above on a daily basis, find there is a lot less and this works to your advantage.”

TACKLE

Even the most optimistic angler has to accept that you will get fewer chances in winter. This isn’t the time to be experimenting in terms of tackle and rigs. If it worked for you in the summer there is no reason why it won’t do the same in winter.