There are many good websites, books, magazines etc where you
can get a lot of information tips etc so, this is just a rough guide to help
you especially if you are a beginner; covering the species included in the weather
craft program. Always worth considering one or both the top two species indicated
once you have tried using the program.
TENCH
Mainly a fish of lakes but slow or slow sections of rivers can hold good tench; weedy areas often best. Mainly a summer fish, they can come on in March but April, May and June best. They tend to slow down a bit after this but some good days can still be had, the weather craft program will indicate those. Baits are many; they can all work, bread, maggots, luncheon meat, pellets boilies etc. If large shoals are present a good bed of ground bait might get them going but don’t overdo it, a bit of trial and error is often best. A simple laying on float fishing method is a nice way to fish for them, just a simple quill float with the bait anchored on the bottom with a shot a couple of inches from the hook. Lift bites are fun to watch for with this method. However, some situations may demand a legering or swim feeder method, its best judged on the day and which swim you choose.
CARP
So much information exists for this species that hardly much can be added. However, a lot of the above with tench can be applied to carp. If you’re just stating fishing this may be a better way to start before getting into all the specialist gear. However, up the line strength than for tench. Again mainly a lake fish but rivers can hold good carp although they are usually a lot harder to find. Slow sections and weedy bits are often a good place to start trying. Regarding the fishing craft program, good days might appear on it any month for carp but July is often a good month, August tends to be a bit hot and they go lethargic, February can be good as well. If they come up in the program in the winter months it might be better to look for a good commercial fishery as they tend to feed more in the winter on these types of fisheries’ than wild lakes and rivers in the winter.
BREAM
Lake or river, in either they can exist in big shoals but the bigger bream tend to be in smaller shoals. A good lay of ground bait often used to get them feeding. All baits will work on a given day but they have a bit of a sweet tooth so, something sweet coating the hook bait and/or in the ground bait can get them going. Muddy deepish stretches of rivers are often good so, tidal stretches can hold good shoals. These might lend themselves more to feeder or leger fishing than the float but again if possible, the lift/float method a nice way to fish for them. Tend to be more a summer fish as with most species but good days can turn up any time of the year, the weather craft program will give you a guide as to when to have a go but don’t be surprised if they turn up anyway.
ROACH / BIG-ROACH
A good winter standby as they will feed through most of the year although the colder it gets this will be less often. Trotting for roach with a float is a very good method but, any method might work best depending on the day and swim; trial and error is often the case. They can be in big shoals (less so the bigger they get) but they are unpredictable fish, coming on the feed and then disappearing just as quick, only to come back on again later. They will often appear in the weather craft program as maybe more than any other species they are very wide ranging under which conditions they will feed however, high pressure, bright sun and clear water are generally not conducive conditions. Not everyone’s favorite fish so ignore them and move on to the next best species if indicted in the weather craft program if you wish. Big roach are more of a challenge and more exciting so that’s why there is a separate category for them in the program. The best conditions for big/roach are not dissimilar to normal roach however; it is more emphatic for big roach for the right conditions that will induce them to feed so, they will not pop up as much in the program. Therefore, it is worth thinking about having a go when they do. Features are often worth looking for on rivers and lakes, boats, weed beds, rushes, that kind of thing and bridges are often a good holding places. In winter deeper steady glides are sometimes best and faster water in the summer but this is not a rule, a good exploratory time finding out where they are on any venue is always worth doing but as said; they are a changeable fish and can turn up anywhere.
CHUB
Another good winter mainstay, probably more so than any other species, they will feed all year round in any conditions. However, as with all fish, some conditions are better than others and these will be indicated in the weather craft program. Only a river fish really although some lakes do hold them, look for features, overhanging trees, bushes, under water obstructions such as logs etc, weirs often hold them especially in the summer and they often hang around bridges where they can sometimes be seen from the bridge. Baits and methods are legion but cheese in any form is often a very good bait especially in the winter months when something smelly attracts them.
CRUCIAN CARP.
Pretty much a summer fish and a lake fish mainly as well but can exist in some rivers. Often overlooked by anglers but a very pleasant fish to go for especially when they pop up on the weather craft radar. Tend to come up in March and October as they seem to be the first summer species to come on and the last to disappear before winter really sets in. However, any day the conditions look good always worth a go if you know a venue where they exist in good numbers. Usually float fished for but they have small mouths so small hooks and baits often best.
RUDD
Lovely fish to look at, worth fishing for just for that sometimes, deep bodies with blood red fins and silvery bodies although they tend to turn bronzed the bigger and older they get. Often float fished for usually but any form of bottom method good as well on occasions, usually when the waters fairly coloured or very coloured. They can feed high in the water or even on the surface so a fly a novel alternative if it takes your fancy. They can pop up in the weather craft program in the winter if conditions are conducive especially if mild spells occur but, they are mainly a warmer month species.