Fishing Les Noyers in the Snow… they can be caught!
We arrived on the Sunday as usual and the lake looked in excellent condition… but our optimism had been tempered by the weather forecast. It was due to turn much colder with high pressure, northerly winds & possibly snow. So a good weeks fishing was looking more and more unlikely. My son, Finlay, set up in the Path Swim & myself in Roy’s, as both are sited close to the house. We decided to fish daylight hours only in view of the impending expected change in weather.

We baited heavily with carp pellet (available for sale at the property) & a fishmeal boilie some 2-3 rod lengths out. We fished bottom baits on blowback rigs avoiding the shallower plateaus. To our delight Finlay was rewarded with a near 20 pounder just before dark.
By the next day the weather had changed as predicted & was worsening by the hour. Finlay retreated to the comfort of his bedroom as teenagers tend to do, but I persevered all day and eventually had a low double as my only reward.

I knew I was up against it & blanking for the rest of the week was seriously on the cards. However, I headed into the house and after a good hot meal with some fine wine, I sat in front of the log fire to give it all some thought. It was clear a change in technique was required.

I was up at dawn the next day & had decided to fish winter style on all 3 rods. Single, yellow fluro pop-ups, just 9 inches directly off the lead. The important things about this rig are that the pop-up must maintain it’s buoyancy to stay off the lead & it must be adjacent to the bend of the hook by virtue of the ring & loop.

To my surprise a run came within hours, another 20 pounder! Action then continued for the next 3 days ending up with a total of 10 runs resulting in 8 fish, 5 around the 20 pound mark & a 27 pounder.

This & one of the 20’s came in the snow! However, I’m sure I’d have caught more had I fished the nights as well.

The week had turned out to be most enjoyable despite the conditions. It was particularly satisfying to me to have found the correct approach for the conditions and it just goes to show that the lake will respond if you do. I plan to return at least once more this winter & the first thing to be packed into the car will be the pop-ups! The rigs are already there set up on the rods!!

Best Regards,
Dr Roy Jackson.

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