Sam Collett shows why fishing just a couple of areas within a peg won’t cut the mustard when trying to keep the F1s coming
Packed with expert advice from top anglers to catch you more
THE BEHAVIOUR of F1s in winter is enough to frustrate even the calmest of commercial anglers.
Fish for carp and you can expect their feeding patterns and whereabouts to be very similar the next time you get out on the bank. However, it’s a whole different ball game with F1s, which can be very susceptible to mood changes!
Head to the bank with your mind focussed solely on a certain way of fishing and you’ll soon get found out, meaning a versatile approach is essential if you are to make the most of each and every winter F1 session.
That means being open to fishing quite a few different areas of your swim, while also remaining open-minded when it comes to bait choice.
Up and coming matchfishing star Sam Collett spends a good proportion of his time in winter targeting the species and believes there is one key thing that a lot of anglers fail to do.
“F1s don’t settle very well in winter, and they are constantly moving around your swim. Fishing just one or two areas won’t help you unlock a peg’s full potential, and you need to remain active and regularly make changes if you are to keep the bites coming steadily.”
Swim selection
Footfall drops at all fisheries during the winter and you’re likely to have plenty of choice when it comes to selecting a peg. Gone are the days for this year when every area has potential, and the F1s will now be shoaling up tightly as the water temperature starts spiralling downwards.
“It’s important to choose an area that you know the fish like in winter, but you also need to consider what space they can move into following the commotion of catching a few.
“If you are in the middle of a long straight on a snake lake, you’ll probably catch well for a short period at the start before the fish then push out of reach to the left or right.
“So, you need to choose a swim that has a little bit of space but is also within a couple of pegs of another angler, if possible, as that means the fish will then encounter more bankside commotion, increasing the chances of them staying within your reach.
“Failing that, look for swims where they are hemmed in a little. That could be corner pegs or where an island with lots of overhanging cover gives them shelter to get tight against. “Your swim should also contain options, giving you the chance to pencil in lines both against reed beds and overhanging trees, as well as into open water.”
