Weather and fishing

[steve2]

When do you decide it is too cold, too wet, to go out on the bank. At one time nothing would stop me, now with age comes all the spare time but also the aches and pains. Are you one that must go out no matter what?

 

[xenon]

cold is no bother-thats what we have clothes for. Not keen on strong winds but the deal breaker for me is rain. Huddling under an umbrella whilst it lashes down is my least favourite fishing scenario.

 

[mikench]

Cold in isolation isn't a deal breaker as I have warm clothes, heated gilet , hand warmers and thermal underwear. However the fishing usually does not make the effort worthwhile in my experience if I need that lot. I always have demands on my time which precludes fishing and that has been very prevalent in the last 18 months. I like going but not all costs. Heavy rain and wind is a no no.

 

[wetthrough]

I'm going soft in my old age. 10 degrees mid afternoon temp, little wind and no rain is about my limit.

 

[seth49]

It probably is an age thing as well, I would fish in all weathers when younger, but now I’m 75 I just pick my days, I certainly don’t like wind and rain, and it’s not very pleasant sat in the cold, even with proper clothing and my heated waistcoat.

and apart from eight years working inside, I’ve worked outside in all weathers, when we had proper winters as well, the worst was the cold east winds, what my dad called lazy winds, they went through you instead of around you, the coldest morning I ever worked in was minus 19, that was cold even my then beard had icicles on it.

so no I’ll just pass now if it’s bad weather thank you.

 

[mikench]

I'm going soft in my old age. 10 degrees mid afternoon temp, little wind and no rain is about my limit.

Have you changed your mind?

 

[@Clive]

If I can get the brolly spike in I'll fish during the rain. Sadly many of the good swims on the two lakes near here have compacted sand and rocks under foot. And of course the brolly needs to be aligned so as not to interfere with casting or striking. I don't mind cold days either as I can usually find somewhere to get out of the chilly wind. What pees me off are unreliable weather forecasts. If I know what is coming I can prepare for it.

 

[Ray Roberts]

I fished into the evening around January last year and packed up when my bread mash froze in the bucket. I had a few other gruellers too.A fruitless trip on a stretch of the Medway for roach was a hard day, not a single bite between my mate and myself. the temperature didn't rise above freezing for the entire day. I think fine wind blown rain is the worst condition. I would rather fish in the snow.

 

[wetthrough]

Have you changed your mind?

No. I have a doc's appointment Friday.

 

[wetthrough]

Duplicate Post

 

[S-Kippy]

I’m not fit enough atm to fish in any weather but heavy rain is a no no as is very high pressure. When I could fish OBH for the Zander then a mild, wet blow was a must fish situation and I’d be almost nailed on to catch. Cold doesn’t bother me with modern clothing but if I’m not Zander fishing ( which I can’t do since they closed OBH main lake) then I cannot bear being wet and/or under an umbrella.

 

[nottskev]

I like fishing in winter, when conditions are not too bad. (That's not a high bar, given a few health problems. ) Fish shoal and catches can be better, if you can find them, and much as I like sitting in a tshirt amongst all the greenery, there's an austere beauty when the banks are all stripped back to bare bones. A mild day in mid-winter often beats a hot day in summer.

It can be a tricky equation to anticipate what swims might be more comfortable or fishable on a water that might produce in the given weather/temperatures, and sometimes I end up wishing I hadn't bothered. Early starts are definitely out - the fish often feed for a small window in the warmer half of the day, which suits me fine as I'm definitely not a morning person.

When the weather's cold but dry, going out for one fish is a way to satisfy the urge, and fishing from 2.30 to 4pm, with one bite from a chub at 3,45, can brighten up a winter afternoon.

 

[peterjg]

As I get older (71 next week) my attitude to fishing is changing. I used to go fishing in all weathers and temperatures; winter carp fishing on big pits with single skin bivvies where condensation froze and thawed in the morning which dripped on the sleeping bag (madness). When ones breath on the sleeping bag froze making the sleeping bag stiff with ice (more madness). Now I rarely night fish. I used to set up in heavy rain but now if it's raining heavily I try hard to be sensible and go another day.

 

[ian g]

I don't really mind fishing in any weather but I don't like sitting under a brolly , I usually use my poncho.

 

[mikench]

It sounds like you are still crackers Peter.

 

[John Aston]

Well, having seen the forecast from Sunday into next week all I can say is drop everything and get out fishing now !

 

[Blue Fisher]

Except for the last few days of the season I will avoid the rain. Although having said that rain is not often as bad as you would think. Often rain is forecast but it only occurs for a short time. I can live with that, I generally don’t carry an umbrella.
Freezing cold is not a problem the water is normally warmer, although water freezing in the rings is a problem, not experienced that often though. Chub and grayling are my normal target and they are the least bothered by the cold.
As I have aged I’ve got less stupid, or the desire to catch is less keen. I used to wade through floodwater to get to fishable swims, now I would consider my safety more important. ( I have done incredibly well fishing flooded rivers though)