I normally dont scale down until the first frosts normally at the start on November. We are still getting plus 10 degree,s during the day and often much warmer. Although the nights are getting longer and much cooler. However, we have not had any hard frosts yet and most venues still have plenty of color in them. So, the carp should carry on feeding. October can be a real bagging up time if your drawn on the fish. If your not draw on the carp. Your simply not going to catch them. So, apart from scratching around for a few silvers. There is no point in scaling down. Come November and the first hard frosts. I will drop down to 0.12 but have 0.10 rigs ready if its really fishing hard. From December until March. I will be using 0.10 for all my pole rigs unless fishing for very big carp. 0.12 if fishing for lumps. 0.12 is my standard hook length on rod and line unless drawn on snaggy pegs from November and i dont go any lighter.

ditto that
0.10 or 0.12 for me too
but also scale down my laccys as well!
general rule of thumb for me is
10 latex for 0.10
and 12 for 0.12

this is for matched size carp upto 6lb ish

Good thread this and a question I have been asking myself I normally go 0.14 bomb hooklength and same for pole I dont know if I would gain much by fishing 0.10 / 0.12 ?

can make all the difference ant, more so in very clear water!
but saying that my mate wont scale down saying in winter every fish counts etc
and he wins a few!
probebly a confidence thing, if im not catching im looking for reasons why lol!

You could scale down to 0.5,if the fish aint there it dont matter,if they are there & shoaled up,then it dont matter the other way.I see its 30mph NNE winds on sat,then SW’s from mon onwards,typical~sick ~sick ~sick

@bremes wrote:

You could scale down to 0.5,if the fish aint there it dont matter,if they are there & shoaled up,then it dont matter the other way.I see its 30mph NNE winds on sat,then SW’s from mon onwards,typical~sick ~sick ~sick

Don’t think it’ll be that strong jeff, nearer 10mph, but staying in the north for a few days more.

I have to use “winter” tackle nearly all the time as my venues only seem to colour up when they are just about unfishable!

If only Rob lol,im at the east coast,the fishery is about 1/4mile from the sea wall,forecast 29mph gusts NNE~naughty .

Didn’t know that Jeff.

For your weekend location I think you may be right.

Does’nt look good round my way for the coming week.. http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/14days.asp?zipcode=corby