We’ve all been there before – catching a few fish early on before the peg suddenly goes completely dead and you can’t get a bite for love or money. So, what exactly do you do in this situation? One option is to keep plugging away with your original approach, playing the percentages game and hoping for the fish to come back.
In a match, however, that’s out of the question and I think the same should apply to pleasure sessions too. We all want to catch a few fish, especially now the days are shorter. Time is precious, and it’s always the angler willing to make constant changes who ends up with more carp and F1s in the net.
Now that the clocks have gone back and winter isn’t so far away, it’s time to talk through a few of the little tweaks I use to get a bite when all else has failed!
Fish with corn
The colour of corn stands out a mile in cold water, and when I’m fishing for just a bite or two, I’ll feed two or three grains and fish over the top of them. The visibility of corn allows minimal feed to attract fish, and often, I'll use two grains of corn on the hook as they stand out better than one.
F1s ARE VERY WILLING FEEDERS IN THE COLD, OUR WHERE TO FISH GUIDE CONTAINS THE BEST VENUES TO CATCH THEM THIS WINTER.
Slow falling baits
I’ll think nothing of fishing a 0.2g float in 6ft of water when using the pole because, in clearer water, carp feed by sight. A slow falling hookbait will often be followed down before being sucked in by a carp, unlike one nailed to the bottom. The same goes for waggler fishing in the winter, lighter floats are key.
NEED HELP WITH YOUR POLE FISHING? READ OUR HELPFUL ARTICLE ON CHOOSING AND USING A POLE.
Patience is key
If I’m aiming for one or two fish at the end of a session I’ll identify a likely spot, then cast out and leave the feeder/bomb for up to 45 minutes, knowing that the water in front of me is nice and quiet, with minimal disturbance.
CHECK OUT OUR BUYERS GUIDE TO THE BEST SHORT FEEDER RODS, TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE NOT MISSING OUT ON BITES.
Find the fish holes
Underwater features such as holes or any variations in depth will often hold a fish or two. I plumb up to find these, and target them by initially fishing with just my hookbait, then feeding a tiny amount of bait to set a trap.
THERE ARE LOADS OF USEFUL FISHING GADGETS AVAILABLE, CHECK OUT SOME OF THE BEST IN OUR GUIDE HERE.
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