Mat Linforth takes inspiration from his formative fishing years to keep the bites coming from a range of species in winter
ANGLING innovation down the years has led to countless new tactics being added to our armouries but, sometimes, returning to the simplest forms of fishing can be the best recipe for success.
Think back to your early encounters on the bank and there’s a good chance that the combination of a tub of maggots and a (badly) under-shotted float dropped into the margins was the catalyst for getting you hooked permanently on this sport of ours.
No doubt there would have been numerous flaws with the way you set out your stall back then, but it did the job and helped you to enjoy the thrill of a few bites.
Keen silverfish angler Mat Linforth still takes inspiration from his first-ever sessions and believes that a pint of casters and a short pole are often all you need to put together a bustling winter netful.
Mat has obviously refined his approach somewhat over the years, but sticks to the basic principle of trickling a few morsels of bait over the top of a float to get a bite from anything that swims.
“Tackle shops are packed with all manner of different glugs, additives and groundbait mixes, but it’s sometimes best to ignore these completely and keep things as simple as possible,” he explained.
“There’s no doubt that this is the trickiest time of year on the bank, and I want to use an approach that will appeal to everything from hand-sized silvers right through to the odd bonus big fish.
“Fish close to marginal cover with casters and you’ll be amazed at what you can catch in just a few hours.”
Select a spot
Fish of all species are willing to come close to the bank in summer when they have the cover of murky water surrounding them, but it is a different ball game when it’s gin-clear.
Cover is absolutely essential, as is a reasonable depth of water to help the fish to feel comfortable.
“You need to choose a swim with plenty of reeds, brambles or overhanging trees that will block out some of the natural light and help cast a bit of a shadow over the area. The fish will then feel more secure, and won’t be as spooked by any goings-on above the surface,” he added.
“Ideally, you’ll need to find at least 2ft 6ins-3ft of water, and if you have deep margins that go over 4ft, then all the better.”
A peg where the cover is approximately a top kit and two sections away from where you’re sat is ideal, according to Mat, as the commotion caused when playing fish won’t put the rest of the stocks on edge.
Feed it frugally
There’s no need for pole cups or a catapult with this style of fishing, as all the loosefeed goes in by hand, with little-and-often being the name of the
