What areas should I target in winter?

Dan Chart says: “It all depends on the lake you’re approaching, really. As a general rule, carp will seek out the warmest areas of the lake. Although carp activity levels slow down in the colder months, in my experience they will regularly move about during the day to different areas of the lake, should there be changes on the weather front or from other factors such as angler pressure of changes in natural food supply.

“This is usually the case on shallow lakes, when for example the sun comes out during the day and fish home in on the parts of the lake that receive the most amount of the rays, especially shallower areas where the water temperature will increase faster. Try to find areas that contain dead weedbeds because carp will often utilise the warmth these provide, as well as deep margins that see the sun as it comes up in the morning. In deeper lakes that have a lack of weed and snags the carp will often be found in the middle layers, known as thermoclines, where the cold water meets the warm. With carp so regularly in these mid-water areas, I’ll always carry a Gardner Zig Rig Session Pack with me during the winter months, that’s for sure.”