I’ve recently made the decision to stop using frozen baits altogether and start using shelf life for all my fishing throughout the year. So far what may seem at first a drastic decision has paid off and I have had some great results to show for it. Quest dips and glugs are a great way to enhance your shelf life boilies, simply place your boiles into the plastic container, I usually put about 2kg of bait per container and add the same flavoured dip as my chosen boilies. Then put the lid on and give it a good shake, this will coat all the boilies which are instantly ready to use.
Next year is just around the corner, and it got me thinking New Year new bait! I started my pre-baiting last month introducing small amounts of bait in the areas I will be fishing. When baiting I will usually put a couple of handfuls of bait per swim, twice a week until it’s time to fish.
When choosing a new bait I always look for the ones that are of good quality and provide the fish with a good food source. This is essential when wanting to ensure carp get the right nutrients and continue to grow for many years angling to come. A poor food content in boiles could in turn have detrimental effects on both the carps health and angling quality of a lake in years to come. Carp are like humans in that they need an adequate supply of good nutrition, they require a whole host of nutrients. If your bait is nothing more than a 50/50 base mix then don’t expect to catch many carp on it. (more…)
The location of carp is not such an easy task when we move into the colder months. My time on the bank tends to be shorter, fishing time is at a premium with the shorter days, and time for fish spotting is limited.
Rolling and leaping carp are rare, as are the tell tale feeding bubbles so often seen when the fish are more active. They are less likely to be actively moving around the lake seeking food, so one answer is to take it to them. When I’m winterfishing at least one of my rods will be roaming. Every half to one hour I will recast to a different area of the swim? I like PVA mesh tube as it breaks down very quickly and releases the bait. Attaching a small bag of crumbed boile or Quest Maximum Action Pellets to the hook increases the attraction without feeding the carp too much. This will often stimulate a feeding response and put that bonus wintercarp on the bank.
Shaun Harrison gets out on the bank for a Novembersession in France. He manages to bank several cracking carp including a 40lb plus mirror and a 29lb’er for the camera.