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What are the coldest conditions you have caught in?

Chris Cheshire

Chris Cheshire

Senior Member
I normally pack up my barbel fishing as soon as it gets to the point I cant go fishing in my shorts...

however times have changed, and I now live really close to some great waters ( and I have a far more obliging girlfriend ;) ) so plan to fish on this year.

what are the coldest conditions, water temperature etc you have fished through and still caught?

Chris
 
For Barbel , the coldest water temp I caught in was 39f . I don't bother with taking the water temps anymore , in the winter I just fish for whatever species of fish I have a realistic chance of catching in the prevailing conditions . When it's really parky that usually means Grayling or Chub .
 
Up here 40F is about the cut-off but I am sure you can catch at lower temps especially if warmer rainwater has entered the river for several hours. There have been pictures of anglers photographing their catch on snow on this site I believe. It was about 51F in the rivers here last week so a way to go yet. I often take the temperature and like mike use it to suggest what species I should try for - though cold weather usually means piking for me or trotting for grayling or a bonus chub. My avatar shows a grayling trotting section I like on the wharfe. It is sometimes surprisingly warm on the bank even when it is covered in snow.
 
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Not actually tried to catch barbel in the REAL cold yet, although I have never carried a thermometer in my life, so can't really say. When I was carping, I usually fished through the winter. Had to clear the snow to get to the lake in the mornings often enough, and a number of times woke up to find the lake frozen over. Caught three one night, and the landing net froze hard onto the ground between catches. I was gutted when I realised I had been daft enough to let it happen the second time, because it was touch and go whether it came free or ripped in half...not what you want when large lumps of angry carp are just mulling over which side of the lake to visit on their next run :p

Cheers, Dave.
 
39f was the coldest. I'm likely to not bother to target barbel in future when it get's below 45f as life is too short. Plus there are some great chub rivers local to me. The chub were feeding in the most coldest conditions last winter.
 
Hi Chris,

If the temp is 45 degrees and dropping i would say you have less chance than if it was 39 and rising. Does that make sense?

I find december generally poor as the fish are getting used to their colder winter conditions but i've had some excellent results after Christmas right through to the end of the season.

My favourite conditions would be a nice wet Southwesterly after a prolonged cold spell and clear frosty nights. There's normally very few people about too except the mad and the diehards.

Regards,

Jeff
 
.....................................................................................:)
 
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Water temp. 39deg f on the Loddon.( about 6 years ago)

IMG_0442.jpg



Micky
 
Jeff Edisbury said:
Hi Chris,

If the temp is 45 degrees and dropping i would say you have less chance than if it was 39 and rising. Does that make sense?

I find december generally poor as the fish are getting used to their colder winter conditions but i've had some excellent results after Christmas right through to the end of the season.

My favourite conditions would be a nice wet Southwesterly after a prolonged cold spell and clear frosty nights. There's normally very few people about too except the mad and the diehards.

Regards,

Jeff
Click to expand...
i think ur spot on there mate.
 
Jeff Edisbury said:
Hi Chris,

If the temp is 45 degrees and dropping i would say you have less chance than if it was 39 and rising. Does that make sense?

I find december generally poor as the fish are getting used to their colder winter conditions but i've had some excellent results after Christmas right through to the end of the season.

My favourite conditions would be a nice wet Southwesterly after a prolonged cold spell and clear frosty nights. There's normally very few people about too except the mad and the diehards.

Regards,

Jeff
Click to expand...

that would be me then :D
 
On both counts Ken, same as me>

Still, It's nice to walk down and find the car park empty and know you have it all to yourself!

See you this weekend Ken, although I doubt the banks will be deserted!

P.S. Has Shaun given you those floats I made for you and George?

Best regards,

Jeff
 
Coldest water temperature i have caught barbel in is 32.5f , i wasn't actually fishing for barbel at the time i was after chub, it had snowed that morning with a light covering on the ground
 
This was a tad chilly!


ice.jpg
 
That looks "cold" Martyn. I too have managed to catch when the hard frost is down and air temps around the freezing point, though usually I will only try if I see a rise of the temps, or they have stayed low for a while meaning the barbs will still feed at some point! :)
 
I caught an 11lb 12oz barbel from the Thames in January a few years ago, and caught the same fish 3 weeks later in February at over half a pound more. In the intervening 3 weeks it had been cold and frosty every night.
 
Some nice fish there. Personaly, iv'e never caught a Barbel in very cold conditions, but did catch a Tench and a Carp both between 4lb/5lb from a local pond in February on a very cold, but very sunny morning. Also, seen a photo of Keith Speer somewhere with a teriffic Barbel caught on a stick float with plenty snow on the ground. So its very possible, unfortunatey, i don't know what makes them take a bait as the fish i caught were with small halibut pellet, which was my last resort.

Stephen
 
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