Single Hook Bait Fishing, a Winter Winner – Phil Spinks

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Single Hook Bait Fishing, a Winter Winner – Phil Spinks

The key to fishing single hook baits successfully, is to do so with confidence. It is an effective way to catch carp, especially during the winter months when the carps feeding times are much less frequent.

We all have our favourite choice of colour; I believe this to be self-generating. For example, I have been highly successful on small yellow pop ups, perhaps its because they are the ones I keep casting out?!

One tip that I can give that I truly believe has upped my catch rate is glugging my hook baits in Korda Goo. [LINK]

 

“If I'm completely honest, I was convinced the Korda Goo range was more to catch the angler than the fish at first, but I was very wrong and I'm embarrassed to admit it.”

 

Bait choice

There are hundreds of hook baits to choose from on the market and without doubt most of them catch fish. However, I always use pop ups when fishing single hook baits as I feel they offer better presentation.

I don’t carry a huge selection of pop ups on the bank as I prefer to keep my kit to a minimum. As I previously mentioned I wouldn’t go anywhere without my bright yellow pop ups, Pineapple and N-butyric acid are my favourite.

 

Top 5 winter single hook baits

  1. Pineapple & N-butyric acid
  2. Sticky Baits Mulbz mixed colours
  3. Sticky Baits manilla
  4. Sticky Baits Buchu berry
  5. Sticky Baits peach & pepper

My single hook baits will be soaked in Korda goo, often for months. The Korda Infuza pots are the best I've used as they don’t leak, the last thing you want is a bait bag full of goo!

Rig Choice

As previously mentioned, my single hook baits are always pop ups. With that in mind, my choice of rig depends more on the type of lakebed I'm fishing on.

 

Top 5 single hook bait rigs

  1. Chod rig
  2. Hinge stiff rig
  3. Slip D rid
  4. Ronnie rig
  5. German rig

Chod rigs would be my number one choice as they present perfectly wherever you cast them. They are 100% tangle proof, they cast miles if needed, and reset themselves if moved.

 

 

Location

Single hook bait fishing isn’t just a case of closing your eyes and casting out your rods and hoping for the best. The first obvious sign would be showing fish.

During the colder months I have found carp tend to show more later in the day. Quite often they will group up in certain areas quite tightly. One subtle show can often be the secret to locating large groups of carp.

I can think of one venue of around 20 acres that averages 4-5 feet deep, apart from one deep gulley that dropped down to around 13-14 feet. No prizes for guessing where most the carp lived once the weather got really cold.

On cold, crisp, frosty days watch the water carefully, you will often see signs of bubbling. I have caught plenty of winter carp casting single hook baits to bubbling fish.

One tip is to cast the rig well beyond the fish and gently reel the rig back to the fish rather that crashing leads on top of feeding fish.

 

 

Bite times

I have definitely found a patten when it comes to bite times during the winter, I much prefer fishing short morning or afternoon sessions once I've discovered a pattern.

Sitting next to a lake for days on end in the depth of winter is not my idea of fun nowadays. I much prefer to travel light, and make sure I'm on the fish.

Single high attract hook baits in the right area at bite time is all it takes for success in the colder months.

There are plenty of bites to be had fishing single hook baits during the winter. A highly flavoured bright pop up has a huge amount of pulling power. Quite often the water will be crystal clear during the winter meaning those flouro pop ups stand out to any passing carp.

 

“I’m convinced you can catch carp that aren’t even hungry on bright highly flavoured pop ups.

The best way of explaining it is to imagine you are not hungry at all. Perhaps you have just eaten your Christmas dinner? Someone offers you another large plate of food. You wouldn’t be interested.

But if some offered you a sweetie, you probably couldn’t say no? Bright highly flavoured pop ups are sweets to carp and can tempt a carp on the most difficult of days.”

 

 

There is some great fishing to be enjoyed from carp even in the coldest weather. Single hook bait fishing can be an instant way of success too. Hopefully by following a few of these guidelines it will put a big carp or two in your landing net.

Good luck and tight lines,

Phil

 

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