Des Taylor’s December Blog

How to Adapt and Catch More Fish This Winter

Now for me these problems make it a must to be an allrounder for if you are willing to change venue and species at the drop of a hat you will always catch a few fish. Take the last few weeks the river has been full of cold water so that’s a dodo for me but there’s always a stillwater that will produce a few perch or roach.

If the weather is really adverse then the species to go for is stillwater trout for the colder the better for this species. If the river drops and warmer rain enters the river then it’s always worth a go after barbel and chub and as the river rises again look for a local stream or brook where the water from the main river will back up and push fish of all species into shelter indeed the higher and longer the main river is up and flooded the more fish will enter the mouth of a small stream where the water is being backed up.

If a water is froze over for a while keep your eye on when it comes off because within days of the ice coming off Pike can feed their heads off and in shallow water not deep water where you would think for round about now those pike will be heading down the lake to the shallower areas ready for spawning in a few months’ time.

Even in the coldest of winters there will be a chance of even a carp for there will be rises in water temperature and there will be “windows” of sport, it may only be an hour or two a day that they feed but there’s always a chance in the right conditions and temperature rise.

Getting to know your species and venues and when best to fish for them is a skill on its own and well worth learning for that way you won’t have many bad days out there.

From myself and the team at Angling Protect have a great Xmas and a happy fish filled New Year.

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