Wind Conditions
On large- to mid-size waters, carp will tend to move on new winds. Whether the wind is warm or not, the carp will follow the direction of the wind as far as they can in the lake. The current of the water and the pressure of the wind will push all surface and sunken food debris into one area, where the carp and other fish species will happily visit to feed.
Perfect Carp Fishing Conditions
Always look out on the weather forecast for a strong south-westerly wind. These high temperature winds come up from Spain and can instantly trigger the carp into activity, moving around the lake and feeding hard. The perfect fishing day is low pressure, cloudy and with a strong south-westerly wind breezing across the lake.
Other wind directions blowing across the lake can also produce good results, especially if the wind has been blowing constantly in a certain direction for a number of days and then reverses its direction. In these circumstances, place a rod at the end of the wind; the likelihood is that the carp will be more likely to move on a new wind than an old one.
Wind Temperature
If the wind is extremely cold then it’s possible that the carp will not wish to follow it; instead they’ll hang at the back of it. This is particularly true in winter months. As discussed in the ‘winter fishing’ guide, the carp will rest up throughout the season in deep water so any new winds will not really have any effect on them.
In summer however, the carp will tend to move wherever the water temperature is highest (which is usually dictated by the direction of the wind, amongst other things) in search of their food. In fact, carp are more likely to be on the end of the wind regardless of the weather during the summer months. The reason for this is a scientific one; any disturbance caused by the water making contact with the bank oxygenates the water, increasing the activity levels as the carp search hard for food to replace their lost energy.
Necessary Sacrifices for Serious Anglers
Fishing in front of the wind might be cold occasionally, especially if it’s blowing straight into your face or bivvi, but it can also be a very productive place to catch carp. In situations such as these you only need to fish out a few metres from the bank. If the wind is pushing the water into a bay or margin, then it’s well-worth placing a rod in this area. Your other rod should be on the back of the wind – if it’s possible to do so from your swim.