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Here's a mirror that I landed today.  Yes, carrp
can be caught in the dead of winter!

I'm on the board with my first ones of 2024.  I was out twice this week and landed 3 mirrors.  They all looked like clones in the 6 to 8 lb. range.

Yes, you can catch carp in the dead of winter in ice free waters.  However, realize these are not the voracious feeders you find in the spring when the waters have a chance to warm.  In the very cold water of February, these fish will feed sparingly.  Everything about them has slowed in the cold.  The takes will be just subtle bangs of the rod tip.  The fight will be sluggish. Most likely, you won't catch a lot of them and the ones that do hit tend to be smaller fish.

Still, on beautiful winter days like today, it feels great just to just get out and wet a line. Carp tend to hit on these warm, winter days. If you plan to try, here's a few tips. Go light with the bait. Today I was using one small kernel of maize with a white, artificial corn on the hair rig. I was also fishing a "small" spot.  Big waters don't tend to produce in the wintertime. Best times will be a sunny afternoon, or the warmest part of the day.