With winter in full swing and water temperature very low, it’s critical to balance all of your tackle. Top matchman Dean Barlow explains how.

Fine lines and small hooks are needed to entice bites on these cold days, but it’s not only hooks and lines that need to be fined down. I was fishing an open at Partridge Lakes in Cheshire recently and found out just how important these changes can be.

Using a small size 20 Drennan Silverfish Pellet hook tied to just 0.104mm Double Strength line I managed to catch 28 F1s and two ide for a match winning weight of 42lb 13oz.

Matching this light setup to the right elastic was crucial, and green Drennan Bungee through two sections of pole was my choice. My top kits have a a centralised PTFE bush inserted into the No2 joint that lets the elastic glide out of the pole with ease, ensuring less hook pulls and lost fish. This is perfect for this type of fishing!

Tight lines!

Dean Barlow