The first thing you must do is plan your trip carefully. No matter where you are going make sure you are prepared for emergencies. Spare clothing, towels, food, fully charged mobile and cash for food etc are a must. If its just starting to unfreeze or has done recently then no doubt its still cold and better safe than sorry. Secondly make sure that your venue is ice free and most importantly will be when you get there. I know some of my venues are nearer to the east coast than my house and if its 0 degree’s with me it can often be -2 or colder there. Nothing worse than travelling to find it frozen so make sure that your trip is not a wasted one. You are better going to a venue you know well and have an idea where the carp may be, what they can be caught on and the best way to do it. Pioneering is best left to the warmer months so go for what you know as they say. I would look for a very heavily stocked venue as I’d be looking for bits not ‘big ones’ as the freeze ends. At the end of the day you may have gone weeks or months without a carp so its important you get yourself on a venue full of carp from doubles upwards. These highly stocked venues have hungry fish and although the carp may well have been lethargic or dormant due to the big freeze I bet when anglers come calling they will want food… and preferably with your hook in it.

A stunning winter carp in all its glory

Sat at home it is easy to forget just how cold a day on the bank is and even if you have spent some time outdoors a full day out in the cold next to a lake is totally different. You really need to gear yourself up for the day. Daiwa have a brilliant clothing range so make sure you wear the best you can afford. The ‘Neck Warmer’ is a brilliant idea and stops draughts creeping down the front of your jacket. I love the Mission All Weather Fleece which when combined with an over jacket keeps you warm and snug. A thermal hat is a must and for carp anglers gloves too as we do spend a lot of time doing nothing as the specialist and match anglers are keen to remind me…..Moon boots and at least two pairs of socks complete the set up and although you may well find you don’t need all the gear on the day its better to be safe than sorry….

Up the attraction with some hot pellets

When you get to the venue its important you maximise your opportunities. If it’s a day session get there well before dawn and stay into dark. This will give you the best choice of swim and the maximum time to winkle out a carp or two after the freeze. I’d also travel very light as you might find that your first choice of swim might not always be the right choice of swim. The most important thing is to find the fish which is easier said than done. Just seeing one fish can make or break the day as they tend to shoal up and if there’s one there might be lots…. I travel very light and use the barrow to fish off as they put it. Unless its raining or snowing the brolly stays away and the only thing off the barrow are the rods and reels on their sticks and my landing nets. If a fish shows somewhere that I can’t cast too I want to be able to move to it very quickly. Books and magazines are left at home as I want to spend all my time looking for that all important ‘carp show’. Method wise the standard ones do work well but I’d point you in the direction of two which can get you bites when all else fail.

Hot pellet paste is simply the way of scalding pellets with hot water and moulding it round the lead. These warm pellets / paste are a lot more attractive than a ball of ground bait and if you mould them egg sized a good Infinity / Basia combination can cast them up to a hundred yards. Add a few maggots to whatever hook bait you choose and you have colour, movement and attractors all in one.

Secondly when the ice melts the cold water sinks and the bottom of the lake can become very cold at times. The carp will move into the upper layers especially on bright blue sky days when the sun is warming the upper layers. Make sure you fish Zig Rigs and try different coloured baits at different depths till you find where the carp are and what they want. I tend to start at two thirds depth and work upwards. Yellow and black are good colours but don’t neglect pink and orange.

It may be difficult to get out of bed when its still cold but I guarantee when you are there and properly prepared you will be glad the big freeze has ended when that carp is netted and the first one of 2010 is in your hands.

Happy Carping New Year

Julian Cundiff