Daffers Winter Blog

Well fellow Tincarians I do hope the spring and summer of 2024 was kind to you all with some special captures to look back upon.  As usual, the seasons seem to come and go so quickly and the long winter nights are back upon us.  Those perfect savoured Tenchfisher dawns are now replaced with the daybreak struggling to announce its arrival much before 8.00am.  But fear not dear reader, that is quite enough of the winter blues and there is much we can be getting on with in preparation for next spring’s campaign.  I always call it the 6 P’s……Prior Planning Prevents The Pee Poor Performance or words to that effect!

There is plenty we can be getting on with and I will give you a few personal for instances to ponder.

Have you got your waters in mind for next years campaign?  If not why?

Now is the time to be making your mind up where its going to be; if you know your chosen water you can start building a picture and if it’s a new venue maybe even going for a walk around, if its local.  If it is further afield maybe pencil in a couple of visits prior to the spring start with a lead or a marker rod.  It’s more practical in the winter as you are far less likely to encounter many anglers through the winter months and can map a water out in short order. That information will give you a head start come spring for sure.

The travelling to the venue and having a walk around will blow off the cobwebs and drive off those winter blues and cabin fever.  If there are the few hardy souls either pike or carp fishing you could get a good heads up from those anglers.  Carp anglers are always forthcoming about locations where tench are caught.  They are delighted to regale you with tales of being drawn from hibernation in their bivvies to land a tench at 3.00am on a freezing night.  This is well worth noting.

Next up, those long winter nights are the ideal time to be checking and prepping tackle. I’d far sooner be tying rigs than watching “Happy Enders” or whatever it’s called.  It may be that a new venue calls for a different approach, say, fishing at longer range for example. There is no better time to check out what rods or reels may be best suited to your venue.  Your local tackle shop will be less busy at this time of the year so you are more likely to have the full attention of the staff who will be more than happy to let you have a waggle of the finest carbon or a spin of the latest reels on offer.  You are also more likely to bag yourself a good deal at this time of the year as the tackle trade is in a slow period for footfall.  The other plus is those tackle shop owners are normally plugged into the local grapevine and will have more time to chat at this time of the year. A great opportunity to glean more valuable information.

As I wrote about in the latest bulletin, I use this time of the year to get in some sort of shape for long barrow pushes on Sywell.  Yes, it’s cold dark and horrible but again I would far rather be on the exercise bike with a few pumping tunes in my ear buds than watching Hilda Ogden and Roy Cropper in “Coronationside” or whatever it’s called.  I do try most mornings to be up and out early for a brisk walk or jog to keep the legs turning over and it paid off this year on the long Sywell barrow pushes.  Plus trying to keep in shape is great for both physical and mental health.  You don’t need to go mad and twenty minutes’ walk, run or on an exercise bike daily really does make a difference once you get into a routine.  Give it a go what do you have to lose other than a few pounds?  I know it will be a bonus for next spring’s barrow Olympics on Sywell.

Going back to tackle prep, there’s re-spooling reels or getting them serviced. If it is done at this time of the year, it is a walk in the park and if you do send them away you are likely to get them serviced and returned quickly.  Our sponsors Tacklebox offer reel servicing if you are looking for options.  Don’t forget at the minute our other sponsor Invicta Angling who are offering Black Friday deals, so it is worth having a look on their website. You might well be looking to replenish bait stocks, so now is the time to be talking to Darren at The Hookbait Company.  Stocking up now saves the last-minute calls in the spring when you realise the mice have been feasting over winter on your supplies…it happens!

A rummage through the tacklebox always turns up those empty packets of your favourite hooks or spools of hook length material that have the last 20 m left on the spool.  Again, now is the time to stock up. It’s always worth changing the batteries in alarms and receivers at this time of the year simply because its another easy win and there’s nothing worse than hiking to your distant swim only to find an alarm battery has run flat on your first session of the spring. Replenishing gas for your stoves is another little job.   All are easy wins.  I know all these suggestions seem basic but the more you do now will save the mad dash come spring and leaves your mind free to concentrate on nothing more than focusing on finding and hopefully catching fish.  There is nothing worse than having to try to do one hundred and one things at the last minute when many bases could have been covered at your leisure during the winter.

Well, I have blogged on for long enough and I am sure there are many other bits and bobs I could have added to the above list but at least it might get some of you beginning to prep well in advance of the off next spring.  You never know you might even take a leaf out of Keith Sanders, Adam Bojar or Paul Thompson’s book and go out and catch a winter tench…. there’s a thought.  I’ve caught them on New Years Eve when it’s been freezing, so they do feed in winter.  A small tench came out of my local club water the other day when I was bank working, food for thought.

Anyway, that just leaves me to wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a fish filled New Year.

All Best

Daffers

A downloadable version of Daffers blog can also be found here – Daffers Winter Blog