Angling features and news
By Russ Evans
Water Temperatures hold the key to feed
Check the temperature
By Russ Evans
Many anglers make the mistake of not adapting to the changing conditions of winter where the rapid fall in water temperature creates the worst scenario for fishing. Sudden cold snaps put the fish right off the feed and that is where fish location and what baits to use and more importantly, how much hold the key to any chances of a bite or two.
When water temperatures fall below 4 degrees C most of our species completely shut down apart from pike and chub, which will feed intermittently. At 4 degrees C fish will shoal up tight and find the warmest spot possible and stay there virtually dormant.
Locating the fish is therefore paramount, as no amount of feed or groundbait will tempt or the draw the fish to your peg. The best chance of catching a fish in these conditions is basically down to finding them and then dropping a bait right on their noses and waiting patiently. They probably have no need to feed but a tempting bait right on their doorstep will at some point will be snapped up providing the bait you offer them is also visual like sweet corn or a popped up hi viz boilie. Flavours will not necessarily do the trick but a visible offering will make all that difference.
Fish will often feed more regularly if the cold snap remains constant over a period of time as the fish get used to the cold surroundings and will then be prone to move around for short periods of the day or night.
So what can we do to get the best out of our angling at these times of the year and how do we approach our attack for a bite or two. When anglers come into the shop at Bury Hill and ask how the lakes are fishing and what baits to use I always reply to them in this manner, as this is how I approach my winter fishing plans. Firstly I know they are looking to be put on a peg where they are going to get many bites so I always recommend a lake, which has mixed species, as this will increase the likely hood of catching something. Carp will shut up shop when the temperature drops below 4 degrees C so I steer them towards Milton Lake where there are plenty of quality roach and perch to keep them occupied. My first response is to tell them the truth as I want them to return to the fishery in the future and by giving them false hopes or what they want to hear (plenty of bites when I know they won’t) is not right. All venues at this time of the season fish hard and bites, for all the reasons listed above, are few and far between unless of course you are lucky enough to locate them straight away. So I inform them the fishing is hard going but by scaling down on all departments they could be on for a fish or two. I go on to explain this scenario, which I feel, is best understood in basic terms.
“Imagine you are fishing a peg or swim in the summer where the water is warm and the fish are very active and looking for food. When you present your hook bait the likelihood is that more than one fish will be competing for the bait and there natural instinct is to try and get there first providing a good catching rate. However in Winter when the water is very cold after bad frosts and ice the fish are virtually dormant and not interested in feeding at all, so when a bait is presented and you have not bothered to scale down hook sizes and lines a fish will approach your bait more deliberately and see that the bait on offer does not look natural and will basically give the bait a miss, the fish will not be competing with others this time and if the bait does not look right then I am afraid you will remain bite less.”
At this point I then explain hook sizes and feeding patterns which is basically “very little and not that often” depending on how the bites come and when. Single hook baits are the best way to start off and more often that not I do not feed at all at the start of a winter session as I do not want to over feed the fish from the off. A single red maggot on a size 20 hook tied to a 1.5lb hook length presented on the bottom will 90% of the time score time and time again and if you like to feeder fish then a straight lead with a single piece of corn is another good catching method. But patience is needed at this time of the year and very rewarding when you net a good fish or two.
This simple guide of best times to fish I am sure will make a big difference when planning your next session.
1. Water temperatures above 6 degrees C with settled weather.
2. Water has been around 4 degrees C for 4 or 5 days.
3. Late afternoon when the sun has warmed up shallower parts of a lake.
4. When water temperatures start to rise after long spells of cold weather.
5. When the wind direction swings in to a southerly bringing milder weather.
This fish feeding temperature guide is worth noting as well.
6-7 degrees C Fish feed moderately well offering good prospects
4-5 degrees C Fish still aware and feed intermittently expect the odd fish or two
2-3 degrees C Fish become dormant you will struggle
1-2 degrees C Fish virtually inert stay at home
With all this information to hand it will pay to invest in an angling thermometer like many match and specialist anglers do. What the readings offer will dictate how much or if any feed is needed during a session and by taking readings throughout the day will keep you informed of what to expect later on, good or bad.
Check out more on angling thermometers by clicking this link
Russ Evans
January 2008
