best winter bait?

mine on personal experience is pepperami what urs <!-- s:?: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_question.gif" alt=":" title="Question" /><!-- s:?: -->

maize

floro pop-ups as long as your on the fish they will have them in the clearer water.

Zigs, choody and KD rigs <!-- s:idea: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_idea.gif" alt="" title="Idea" /><!-- s:idea: -->

pineapple pop ups, or small bottom baits tipped with colour.

Zigs mate just keep adjusting until you find the depth the fish are. Found usually starting a foot of the bottom and gettting shallower the best.

I think there is credance in Bens post about zigs. Let me tell you why, on Tuesday I was fishing at Stanwick Lakes Nr Rushden I was fishing in the close margins of Swan lake because they were clear of ice for a couple of rods lengths out. Behind me on Mallard lake it was a different story, the margins were thick with ice and there was a clear bit in the middle of the lake. I stood with the bailiff and two other anglers and watched as carp were topping and swimming about in the clear bit. A frustrating time for us but also a chance to have a think about where the fish are. We must at all times be thinking carp where do they like to be? In any water that is slightly warmer than the rest is where, and that might not be at the bottom.

Im going to sit and tie up some zigs and give them a go on one rod when it thaws.

Its finding the fish mate. If they arent on the bottom then they maybe up in the water if even only by a foot. Putting a bait on there nose is more likely to get a take as they move alot less in colder water and as you say will be at the warmest part of the lake which isnt nessesarily on the bottom.