10 great Closed Season Ideas

With the rivers now out of action until June, it’s all change this month. Here are some perfect ways to prepare for spring or summer, or to simply keep a bend in your rod!

Make your own bait

With bait costs rising, there’s never been a better time to take the ‘roll your own’ route. Making your own ‘custom’ boilies is especially rewarding, and the ingredient options are endless.

Particles like hemp and tiger nuts can be bought in bulk, stewed and frozen in batches. If you don’t have one already, spring is also a great time to start a compost heap to provide an almost unlimited supply of worms!

Explore fly fishing with passport schemes

For any angler who loves rivers, fly fishing for trout is a must from March 15 onwards in most areas. Don’t be put off by the clichés about cost and complication – most people can learn the ropes in a day on a guided trip or at one of hundreds of ‘have a go’ sessions across the country. As for great value sport, look no further than the various ‘passport’” schemes, which offer idyllic fly fishing for as little as £6 a day. Just try www.fishingpassport.co.uk

Research new venues

A world of knowledge and fishery info is available at the click of a button these days. Why not use the slower period of spring to plan your next red-letter trip? Besides actual venue guides, forums and AT Facebook groups are often a great way to get the lowdown. That said, perhaps the most underused plan of all these days is to pick up the phone and find out more from those who run clubs and fisheries.

Hit the canal

Just because the rivers are closed, that doesn’t mean sport has to cease for traditional angling and the targeting of species like roach, perch, bream and tench. Your local canal could be just the tonic!

They’re often cheap as chips, and respond to everything from classic floatfishing to carp tactics. Keep an eye on our Where to Fish section every week for dozens of in-form venues.

Treat waders, waterproofs and shelters to some TLC

Going fishing and getting soaked because your coat, brolly or waders let you down is no fun at all, so now’s the time to check and treat them. Coats, boots and brollies can be sprayed with water repellent solutions available from all good outdoor stockists (Fabsil being great for re-proofing shelters). For a quick fix, Tenacious Tape comes in very handy.

Waders and wellies can be tested to locate any leaks by immersing them in water and looking for any wet patches on the inside.

These can then be treated with iron-on patches and special glue such as Stormsure.

Plugging holes with a fast-setting adhesive such as Evo-Stik Seriously Strong is another option, one favoured by some fish farmers!

Sell your unused gear

The second-hand market is booming, so why sit on tackle you don’t use? Whether you go with online auction sites or local listings, spring is a great time to sell.

A reliable way to get the best prices is to clean your stuff carefully and take good photos.

Fishing tackle is popular at car boot sales, and is a great way to get rid of old feeders, floats, nets and reels that may not be worth enough to make selling them online worthwhile.

Try making your own tackle!

Ever thought about making your own floats, lures or even a rod?

These days there are lots of great guides to help you do just that, whether you delve into a specialist book, or look on YouTube.

Keith’s Fishing Tackle (www.keithsfishingtackle. com) is a great place to find components for making your own floats (a wholly satisfying experience), while Bloke Rods (www. blokerodblanks.co.uk) sells blanks and all the gear you need to create your own unique casting tool.

Secure your kit and get insured!

The slower weeks of spring are a great time to ‘get secure’. We hate hearing about thefts, but many are avoidable.

Now’s the time to make sure sheds and garages are secure, with solid locks and no weak points. You could even put up a CCTV camera and, if cost is an issue, a dummy one is a great deterrent at under a tenner. Another great move is to register your tackle on your home insurance, checking your policy covers this.

Replenish and respool

After a long season, it’s more than likely your tackle box will need some TLC. Fishing line should be first on your list, especially with any reels that see a lot of hammer. It’s always good policy to inspect for damage and cut off the last 20 yards, but if in any doubt, spool up with fresh line. Now is also a great time to clean rods, poles and reels, and replenish any essentials you’re low on, such as split shot, feeders and floats. Seatbox legs, banksticks, top kit elastics and even reels will also benefit from a little lubrication.

Reap the rewards of helping out!

The closed season is a busy time for fishing clubs, whether that’s fishery maintenance, habitat work or just helping to get kids on the bank. Mucking in is so much more than just ‘doing your bit’. It’s also an amazing way to get priceless inside info on your local fishing, and even gain the skills and contacts that could build a career in angling.

Work parties in spring are also great for making new friends, and a great form of exercise to boot!