I see that as a general rule that catching a winter barbel is more likely when the water temp exceeds 5 or so degrees. I,d of guessed the last few winters we have had that the the rivers have barely been above freezing during that time of year?

For those that dare bother the cold just how many days do you manage to find fishable during the winter season?

Kurt.

Originally Posted by KoolK

I see that as a general rule that catching a winter barbel is more likely when the water temp exceeds 5 or so degrees. I,d of guessed the last few winters we have had that the the rivers have barely been above freezing during that time of year? For those that dare bother the cold just how many days do you manage to find fishable during the winter season? Kurt.

Difficult to say how many sessions but I have always found the worst time to fish is when water temperatures just starts to fall due to high pressure coupled with over night frosts or when there is snow melt entering the river.

However temperatures are relative and 5 degrees and rising is probably better than say 8 degrees and falling.

If we have a prolonged settled period of weather even if it is very cold with a water temperature of 5 degrees or so the fish will get use to this and may feed well even if only for short periods. I remember a session a couple of pals and myself had on the lower Severn at Severn Stoke the day after boxing day some years ago now in conditions like this infact the water temperature was 4.9 degrees and we all caught.

Stuart

Thank you for your very informative reply Stuart. Being a newcomer there is much for me to learn. I,l keep an eye on the temps over the coming months.

Kurt.

I have one of the Reubens castable thermometers. Last year the thermometer was saying the temp was Zero Deg C, which i thought was wrong, however we did have ice in the edges of the trent.
I caught my PB at silly o'clock in the morning, with the water temp at that and the air at -9, stupidly there were about 6 of us lined along the bank.

Originally Posted by smallbreamboy

I have one of the Reubens castable thermometers. Last year the thermometer was saying the temp was Zero Deg C, which i thought was wrong, however we did have ice in the edges of the trent. I caught my PB at silly o'clock in the morning, with the water temp at that and the air at -9, stupidly there were about 6 of us lined along the bank.

thats because the temperature was measured at the surface.
I use a normal greenhouse thermometer on a yard of line and drop it in as deep and as far as it will go attached to my extremely long landing net.

can anyone recoomend me a cheap thermoiter to buy please?

Originally Posted by Jon

thats because the temperature was measured at the surface. I use a normal greenhouse thermometer on a yard of line and drop it in as deep and as far as it will go attached to my extremely long landing net.

No, the thermometer is encased in a plastic tube, which has a hole on the tiop to attack to a swivel, i cast it in with my feeder and left it for a few minutes to get an accurate reading, temp wasn't taken at the edge, this was 15-20m out in the flow.

Regarding water temperature....

When fresh water hits 4 degrees it is at its most densest and sinks, once it gets colder than 4 degrees it then rises towards the surface, this is why water freezes at the surface.