Phil Spinks - Winter Round Up

This entry was posted on 22nd March, 2018

As I’m writing this end of season round up, we are currently experiencing the “Beast from the East: Phase Two in East Anglia. It’s fair to say we have had a proper winter this year, but that hasn’t made my winter fishing any less enjoyable.

In fact I have really enjoyed my pike fishing this winter. I’ve spent much more time bank fishing rather than boat fishing this year. It’s a style of fishing I love, fishing a variety of different pits from small, intimate pits to huge windswept reservoirs, quite often huddled up under my shelter with three rods fished on drop off indicators waiting for that pleasing sound of a fallen drop off alarm.





It’s been tricky at times, but I always have the attitude that blanks are just stepping stones to big fish. And a few biggies have put in an appearance this winter, I’m pleased to say.

I have to admit, I enjoyed big Jed’s company this winter, and having a good mate to share the highs, lows and bacon rolls with has made the fishing even better.



I had an unfair advantage of a “lucky rod” this winter though. In fairness it’s a bit of a beast of a rod. At my last product meeting with Korum we had a few different samples, pike rod wise, and I took a couple away to have a play with. The rod in question is too aggressive in my opinion, but if a big dead bait needs to be launched to the horizon it definitely does the job! The problem is I now feel I can’t go pike fishing without it as it seems to attract big pike. If only I had three of them!





In between my pike fishing I’ve also had the odd chub session. I’ve done very little winter chub fishing over the last few years, and was pleasantly surprised to catch a handful over 5lb and two over 6lb, at 6lb 1oz and 6lb 5oz.





I played around adding Polaris pop up base mix to my cheese paste to create a wafting paste that could be drifted under weed rafts in the same way as a flake of bread. I’m not sure if I caught chub despite my new idea or because of it, but it’s always satisfying to try something new, and I feel it’s worked.

A short video was made for the Angling Direct cameras of how the paste was made, for those who are interested.

The roach rods have now been dusted down, and I’ve had a couple of goes over the last week or two. I’m currently experiencing those stepping stones I previously mentioned; although a couple of low 2lbers have put in an appearance I’ve been spoilt big roach wise and greedy Philip wants bigger ones!