Carp is a welcome trophy for many fishermen. It can be caught even in winter. To do this, you need to familiarize yourself with the advice of experienced fishermen. They will help you choose the necessary gear, bait. How carp fishing is carried out in winter will be discussed in detail below.
Process features
Carp fishing in the winter at the pond is a fascinating activity. This large fish is considered a desirable prey for many both experienced and novice fishermen. Not everyone can catch such a handsome man on the ice. This is a strong, wayward fish. It has an explosive character, strongly resists in the process of fishing.
Many experienced fishermen know firsthand how carp can break fragile gear, taking expensive rods and tearing fishing lines to the depths. However, you should not think that this fish does not pay attention to the bait abandoned in the river in winter. In the cold season, carp activity decreases. However, this does not prevent fans of this type of recreation from catching an enviable trophy on a hook.
For fishing to be successful, you need to know a few subtleties of this process. It is necessary to work hard for the carp to pay attention to the bait prepared for it. After all, this fish does not stop feeding in the winter.
So that in the process of ice fishing there are no difficulties, you need to properly prepare before going to the pond. It is necessary to study the behavior of the carp in the winter, as well as determine what bait it can not resist. It should be noted that, even if not in good shape in the cold season, this fish can break fragile tackle, resisting the efforts of the fisherman.
Fish behavior
Does carp bite in winter? This question is of interest to many novice fishermen. Before sending to a pond, you should consider in detail the behavior of carp in the cold season. Otherwise, it will be almost impossible to choose the right fishing tactics. Knowing the behavior of this fish, you can find its parking place, choose the right bait and gear.
I must say that carp, unlike many other types of fish (for example, crucian carp), does not fall into hibernation. Very rarely, this representative of the aquatic fauna digs into the mud layer at the bottom. Most often, carp migrates in depth to groups. At the same time, its activity decreases. If possible, this fish is fed. The amount of food available to him is greatly reduced. His appetite is sharply reduced.
In the warm period, the carp eats everything that it can digest. This dramatically changes the tactics of fishing in winter and summer. You need to be prepared that the number of bites in the cold season will be significantly less. This difference in carp behavior is due to two main reasons. The first of these is a decrease in water temperature, and the second is a lack of oxygen.
This circumstance makes the carp sink to a depth of more than 5 m. Here the water is warmer. The temperature here is kept at 4 º. This causes the carp to remain stationary for a long time. This may continue for several days. Only in case of urgent need does the carp leave its parking place and go in search of food.
Choosing the right place
Where to look for carp in winter? This issue needs to be resolved before being sent to the pond. Often success on such fishing can be expected by a catcher in the same place where in the summer a large bite was observed. At the bottom of the reservoir there may be pits of great depth. Here, this indicator exceeds 5 m. In summer, the temperature will not be too high at this depth. In winter, on the contrary, a stable temperature is kept in the bottom holes several degrees higher than at the surface.
One of the good places for fishing is the parts of the reservoir, where in summer you could observe a large amount of vegetation. There should also be a depth of more than 3 m. You need to know in advance the relief of the reservoir, which is planned to go fishing. Choosing one is where there are bottom holes, sharp drops in depth.
Carp likes to stop in winter in places where there are driftwood, flooded trees at the bottom. Here he feels safe.
Ice fishing is marked by lower bite activity than in places where the pond is not completely covered with frozen crust. One of the good options would be fishing near bridges, dams. You can catch this fish near the hydroelectric station. Also, carp will be more active near the confluence of rivers and streams. In paid parking lots, this fish also pecks more often. This is due to the presence of aeration in such water bodies. This allows the carp to feel more comfortable.
Timing for fishing
There are a number of recommendations on how to catch carp in the winter. You need to choose the right time for a trip to the pond. The carp becomes more active in the middle of the day. The rays of the sun penetrate through the thickness of the ice, causing the fish to move. On warm, clear days, the chances of fishing carp ashore increase. This has been repeatedly noted by experienced fishermen.
It is also worth considering that planning a trip to the river is on the ice. Caution should be exercised. Thin ice is very dangerous. In this case, you need to make sure that the frozen crust is strong enough.
Another successful period for carp fishing is the thaw. At the same time, the weather can be cloudy, but without rain or snow. Under such conditions, the likelihood of returning home with the catch increases. Success can also await the fisherman during the thaw in clear weather.
You can go to the pond in cold weather, when temperature fluctuations are insignificant. In the first few days, when frosts strike, the fish will passively stand in the bottom pits, not moving. In a few days, she would need to go in search of food. At this time, the carp will pay attention to the tasty bait prepared for him. With weather changes, strong winds, in the snow you should not expect a good bite. At this time, fishing will almost never be successful.
Choice of gear type
It is very important to properly prepare tackle for carp in winter. It is best to use a fishing rod for these purposes. Isolated cases are known when this fish pecked on a spinner. However, this happens quite rarely. Collecting a fishing rod is easy. Even novice anglers will cope with this task.
The rod can be both purchased and homemade. Its length should be about 1.3 m. It is important to choose tackle with a rigid formation. It must be very durable. The rod should be firmly connected to the handle. Carp is a strong fish. If the tackle is not strong enough, he will break it and float away.
If you plan to catch trophy carp, a reel must be mounted to the fishing rod. It must have a friction brake. This will maintain the integrity of the fishing line in case of fishing. Carp can make sharp jerks. In this case, you cannot do without friction clutch.
In winter, some fishermen build caravans on their carp. You need to choose a gear with which it will be convenient. A fishing rod with a nod can also be a good option for fishing. It is highly sensitive. In this case, the nod should be long enough.
Fishing equipment
Winter fishing on the carp can be a bright, unforgettable event, if you properly prepare before going to the pond. It is necessary to pay attention to every little thing for fishing. Carpathians disagree on which line to choose for fishing equipment.
Some experienced lovers of this type of fishing recommend using a simple single-core fishing line with a diameter of 0.2-0.25 mm. However, other types of threads are also used. Some professional fishermen recommend catching a 0.04-0.06 mm braid to catch this representative of the aquatic world. If the water area is clear, this will be enough to fish carp on ice.
If you plan to throw the bait in the snag, you should purchase a thicker monofilament. Its size should be about 0.3 mm. The braid can be used in the thaw.
The rod must be equipped with either a nod or a float. This will allow you to see the bite. The 3.5 cm long float will then drop approximately 1.5 cm under the water. If the weather is frosty, it is recommended to use a flat float. His fishermen call the "pill."
A few quick tips
Fishing in the winter can be carried out on a simple hook. Mormyshka is also used. You need to choose the size of the hook correctly. This must be done in accordance with the size of the intended production, as well as the type of nozzle. Most often, experienced fishermen choose hooks No. 8-12. This is the best option for this type of fishing.
Cover the hole with a piece of plywood or plastic. This is especially important in clear, frosty weather. To the middle of this sheet you need to make a cut. A fishing line is threaded into it. If you lay this sheet of material to the hole and sprinkle it along the edges with snow, the water under it will not freeze and become covered with ice. If the fish started to peck, they hook it. Before the carp fishing process, a sheet of cardboard or plywood is removed with one quick movement of the hand. After that, you can begin to fight this strong fish.
Often for this type of fishing jellyfish are used on carp. It can have a different shape. The size of such a device should be about 5 mm. This is the best option. It is important to pay attention to its color. Mormyshka should remind carp the food it eats in summer.
Carp reacts best to mormyshki, which mimic corn, peas, barley, dough, potatoes and other similar baits with their color. Therefore, it is recommended to choose tackle of golden, white, yellow color. You can also get mormyshka dark green or silver color.
The selection of bait and bait
It is very important to know what carp bites in winter. In the cold season, the taste preferences of this fish change significantly. In summer, the appetite of the fish is large. With the onset of cold weather, she begins to feed much less often. Therefore, carp need high-calorie bait and bait. They should seem easy to fish, easy to digest. You need to choose a food that is rich in protein.
Experienced carpenters claim that the most active biting can be observed when using bloodworms, worms and maggot. It is better to choose the bait that can be found on sale in the winter. In some cases, there is a good nibble on small boilies with flavors or on the larva of a moth burdock.
If there is a thaw, you can try to put a vegetable bait on the hook. It can be thick dough, brown bread. Before lowering the hook into the hole, the bait must be processed with flavor. The carp responds best to fruit odors at this time.
If fishing is carried out from ice, boiled cereals, such as barley, can be used. Corn and peas are also suitable. Plant lures can work, but in half the cases, carp does not pay attention to them. This is due to the large size of the bait. Carp appetite in winter is reduced. He often draws attention to small balls of bread than to large pellets, which will be difficult for him to digest.
Bait
Winter fishing on carp has a number of features. This also applies to the choice of bait. If used in large quantities, the fish will quickly lose interest in the bait. She will be satisfied and will float back to the depths. Therefore, it is recommended to use a small amount of bait. The composition should be poor.
To create a mixture for feeding carp, you need to mix the soil, a little cake of sunflower seeds, bloodworms, finely ground crackers. Special bait for carp are also on sale. They will contain few calories.
If fishing will take place on a paid reservoir, a little corn or pearl barley can also be added to the prepared mixture. In this case, you will need to catch on the same nozzles. In a typical winter pond, such components should not be added to the mixture. Here you need to create a mass that will maximally resemble the natural food of fish.
To do this, you need to add bloodworm with clay to the composition. You can also instead mix a couple of bait balls of a combined type with soil.
Some more tips
Fishing in the winter is a rather specific process. There are a few more tips to consider. Going to a pond, you need to take a fairly wide ice drill with you. Carp can be large. Therefore, the hole for its fishing should have an appropriate size. To do this, you need to purchase an ice drill with a diameter of about 140 mm.
In winter, carp bites weakly. Therefore, even with a slight movement of the float, the fish must be hooked. After that, you do not need to make sudden movements. Fish are not immediately led to the hole. The line is first lowered a little, and then pulled up. If you feel that the fish is tired, you can fish it more actively.
It is impossible to overfeed the fish, however, the mixture must be poured into the hole every 35-45 minutes. Strong aromatization should not be used. This can scare away the carp.
If there are no bites, you need to try replacing the fishing line and hook. Equipment will need a little thinner. Also, you may have to change the place of fishing.
Having considered the features of carp fishing in winter, you can properly prepare for such a vacation. In this case, a trip to the reservoir will leave a lot of positive emotions and give a good mood.