Good morning,
My name is Enrico and I live in the province of Treviso. I am sure you are aware of the high percentage of carp fishermen in my area and consequently of the fishing pressure in the various bodies of water.
I've been fishing for several years now, and lately I've been dedicating myself to winter fishing. One of the main reasons for this is the low number of carp anglers, and it is a fact that at this time of year many people give up and prefer to stay at home in the warmth of the house. Alas, however, I am looking for a few tricks up my sleeve to play on those days when bait can make a difference and I thought of you who have been in the business for so long and will have seen it all.
THE EXPERT REPLIES
Hi Enrico,
It's good to hear that there is someone who doesn't give up despite the cold temperatures. Unfortunately, however, as I'm sure you are aware, there is no such thing as a miracle bait, but there are baits that can make a difference in certain conditions and in certain places, and please note that I'm not just talking about boilies, but of baits in a broader sense.
Now, since there are so many possibilities and unfortunately often only experience and a little bit of luck allow you to get the right strategy right, I can only give you some general advice on the approach and a type of bait that is widely used in this period and that statistically works.
Well, let's start with a premise: in the winter months, carp in still water move very little, if at all. They have already stocked up on food and now that the water temperature is close to 9/6 degrees Celsius, they have regrouped in their resting places, probably near some large submerged obstacle. In flowing water it is a little different because the carp are forced to feed a little, but the staging areas are always a good spot to look for them.
Obviously there are also the weather conditions that influence the course of fishing, but here we are going on to a broad subject that I will perhaps discuss in some dedicated article in the future.
So fish near obstacles with the clutch closed also because you probably won't have lightning fast starts at least in still water, sunny days even if a little cold in the morning are preferable. Another thing, most of the time the time window for seeing a minimum of activity is short and can vary depending on the stretch of water, although from mid-morning to shortly after lunchtime is always a time slot that does not betray you.
Last but not least, minimal localised baiting near the triggers, never get caught up in the eagerness to bait, carp eat little and we must direct them to our triggers.
Use WINTER PVA in general and/or fast-dissolving method sticks, classic shot-fishing baits are sometimes no good. Balanced or pop-up baits must take the lead.
What bait to use, well, as I told you before, spices in general, precisely because of their intense and persistent aroma, are able to release rapid signals even in cold water and are easy to intercept. If you don't have a lot of time available and have never tried them, I recommend you try our Infinity spices. I have been using them for years this season and they have never let me down.
I hope I've been of some help and I hope I haven't come across as too banal, I'm all for simple but functional things.
See you soon
Daniele
