Now we’re in winter, we can be faced with cold, still days, or a light wind off our back. On these days, fish will be further out from the bank, in a safe zone where they feel secure. It may not be until the latter part of the day that they come in closer to search for food.
This is why it’s so important to be flexible and carry the tools to find them, and there aren’t many methods more satisfying than a good old-fashioned waggler to go in search of fish and enjoy a brilliant day’s sport. Here's some essential tips for fishing the 'wag' from Lee Kerry...
Floats – use an insert
When the water is cold, generally bites can be quite finicky, so it is always best for bite indication if you use an insert waggler. Its slim tip will display every indication you receive, ensuring you know exactly what is happening in the swim and don't miss any hard-earned bites. I prefer to use a loaded float to do away with having big bulky locking shot which can damage the line.
IF YOU DO A LOT OF WAGGLER FISHING, YOU NEED ONE OF THE BEST FLOAT RODS...
Go for maggots
Bigger baits like corn and pellets can be too selective both as feed and on the hook. At this time of year, it’s hard to see past maggots, something all fish love. Steadily introduce maggots depending on how the fish react, but a good starting point would be catapulting 15-20 maggots every 2-5 minutes. If you get lots of indications then you can always up the feed.
IF YOU WANT PLENTY OF ACTION, HEAD TO ONE OF THESE EXCELLENT VENUES.
Fish a longer rod
In the cold, a long 13ft rod will give you a few benefits. You’ll pick up line more easily on the strike, you’re in more control on the cast, and you can punch a float out a little bit further. This will allow you to use a lighter float too, which will aid your presentation while landing on the water with minimal disturbance, helping to reduce the chance of spooking fish in clearer water.
USING THE BEST LINE WILL AID YOUR CASTING AND MAKE THE WHOLE PROCESS OF FISHING SEAMLESS.
Land every fish
There’s no telling what you might hook next, and a good happy medium for carp, F1s and quality silverfish would be a size 16 hook to a hooklength of around 0.11mm. The stretch in mono and the softer rods will prevent you loosing fish to hook pulls or line breakages, just be sure to take your time with larger fish.
ON COLDER DAYS YOU NEED THE BEST FISHING WATERPROOFS TO STAY WARM AND COMFORTABLE.
Spread the feed
Loosefeeding maggots means that the bait will end up spreading out slightly That’s not a bad thing, because it gives you a wider area to work with and to cast around in. As the water is generally clearer in winter, if you keep hooking fish that are tightly shoaled together, the risk is they spook and move out of your swim.
Change the depth
Although most waggler work takes place on the bottom, there can be days when the fish will come slightly up in the water. A slow fall of the bait will find fish off the bottom.
