Trip 3 Carp Fishing – 2026 The weather threw everything at me this week — rain, frost, bright sunshine, and strong easterly winds — making it a real challenge to pick the right three days for a winter session. In this video, I head back to a swim I’ve been wanting to properly test after spotting carp there on a previous trip.
With light rain moving in Sunday afternoon and an overnight frost forecast, I felt there was a narrow feeding window to capitalise on. The margins proved their worth once again, producing a stunning 29lb 6oz mirror in torrential rain, followed by a hard-fighting 25lb 6oz common at first light.
I also worked hard to crack an open-water baited area using small PVA mesh bags and subtle presentations — resulting in additional action and valuable information for future sessions. Not every night went to plan, and the carp reminded me who’s really in charge, but three fish from four bites in tough, fluctuating winter conditions is a result I’m more than happy with.
This session was all about: Reading changing weather patterns Adjusting to strong easterly winds Margin fishing tactics in cold water Using small PVA bags for precision Observing fish movement before committing to spots Winter carp fishing can be brutal, but when it comes together, it makes every damp, cold hour worthwhile.
I would like to give a brief snap shot of my life and introduce myself;
My name is Richard Handel and was born in 1965 in Suffolk. I have worked as a UK Operation & Intermodule Manager for a shipping company. I live in Hampshire now and am married with 2 young children, both girls so I am a bit outnumbered even the cat is a girl!
I have been fishing since I was about 7 years old. I started on small local rivers in Suffolk, then moved onto gravel pits and then carp fishing. My personal best is a 39.08 mirror, over recent years I have started river fishing again, on the Hampshire Avon, this is a nice break from the carp lakes.
My life has turned a big corner this year, the company I was working for relocated their Operation centre to Estonia. I was offered a job at the head office in London. This would have meant a 5 day commute and working in Stratford. As a family, we did not fancy this, as I would hardly spend any time with the children (and the Mrs). So after 22.5 years, I was given a nice redundancy package and with my wife is working full time. I became the house husband.
This has meant a complete turn around in my fishing, as I can pick and choose when I go. I have found a splendid new syndicate to fish this year, which includes 5 lakes and some 8 miles of river with only 150 members. It's an amazing change to the way I am able to fish.
I am now trying to start my own tackle business and make a bit of a name for myself in the world of fishing, as I have retired from real work.
Richard
UK Carp & Coarse Fishing 