Instant Fishing in Winter: The Tactics That Get Me Bites Quick! | Sebastian Malik

Winter carp fishing is not easy. It's cold, fish are lethargic and not feeding heavily, so we need every trick we can to try and catch them. In this article, team member Sebastian Malik shares his approach to instant fishing during the colder months, offering insights into his spot selection, baiting strategy, and effective carp fishing rigs.

Water and Spot Selection

To achieve instant success during the cold season, it’s essential to have a good understanding of the waters you fish. Throughout the year, you can gather valuable information that will also prove useful during the winter months. This includes knowledge of the water’s depth structure and an awareness of the fish’s holding areas. For me, absolute hotspots are steeply sloping banks with deadwood or the deeper areas of a lake.

"Spot choice is everything in the winter months - those Pearls need to be in the right place!"

However, if you arrive at a venue without any prior knowledge, it’s always worth keeping your eyes open — even in winter — and watching for signs of fish activity. Often, a single showing fish is just the tip of the iceberg, and it’s definitely worth targeting that area. In addition, plumbing the depths or using an echo sounder can be very revealing when it comes to identifying promising spots or even locating fish directly.

To sum up, the most important thing for me is to stay mobile and not give up. Eventually, you’ll crack the code — and once you do, those winter catches can be reproduced time and time again.

"You have to be prepared to keep on the move in the colder months"

Attractive Bait

Another key factor is choosing a highly attractive bait. During the colder months — especially when fishing instantly — it’s crucial to draw maximum attraction to your chosen spot. To create an effective bait mix, I like to use the iScream and Paella ranges. Depending on whether I prefer a sweet or fishy flavour, the mix is made up of similar components.

It’s very important to note, however, that carp do not consume much food during winter, and even small amounts of bait can have a significant impact.

First, I add a tin of sweetcorn to my bucket, as corn is readily taken by fish even under the toughest conditions, and its bright yellow colour provides strong visual attraction. The second ingredient is two handfuls of boilies, which continue to work effectively in cold water thanks to their soft texture. Third, I add a matching liquid over the boilies and corn. Finally, I include a suitable stick mix, which also contains small pellets. Once everything is added, the mix is thoroughly blended.

"A powdered stick and bag mix goes great with the boilies and corn"

"The Nutty Sauce gives the mix real oozing attraction - it's so sweet!"

In addition to the feed mix, the hookbaits should also be highly attractive in both colour and flavour. I prefer using brightly coloured wafters and pop-ups, as they stand out and quickly grab a carp’s attention. The flavour of the hookbaits is matched to the rest of the bait mix. As mentioned earlier, flavour intensity plays an important role. In the past, I used various additives, but this is no longer necessary with our OMC hookbaits, as both the pop-ups and wafters are pre-boosted before sale.

"The OMC hookbaits are 'twisted' to give them standout attraction"

Rig Choice

When it comes to rig choice, my advice is simple: stick with the rigs you trust the most. Confidence is always key to success, particularly when winter conditions are challenging. Personally, my go-to rigs throughout the year are the Spinner Rig and the German Rig, as both are ideal for presenting wafters and pop-ups effectively.

Comfort by the Water

As a final point, I’d like to briefly touch on comfort by the water. The most important factor here is appropriate clothing, which is essential if you want to stay out for extended periods in cold weather. Another useful item is a gas stove with suitable cookware, allowing you to make a hot cup of tea. This may sound simple, but on a cold winter’s day, there’s hardly anything better.

That said, it’s important to be aware that the use of gas stoves or gas-powered tent heaters carries certain risks. Anglers who want to eliminate potential dangers should opt for thermos flasks filled with hot water or pre-made tea instead.

Every Fish Counts

I hope this article helps and inspires some of you to give instant winter fishing a try. To conclude, I’d like to remind everyone that during winter instant sessions, every fish counts — size really doesn’t matter. I wish you all the best of luck and plenty of enjoyment when giving it a go.

Author Bio: Sebastian Malik, a member of the OMC Sponsored Angler Team since early 2025, is renowned for his wild river and canal fishing and his exceptional angling photography.