What makes hi-viz pop-ups so effective at this time of year? Do the carp pick them up out of curiosity or is it the strong flavours that attract them?

Gaz Fareham:

I personally believe it is a variety of reasons why the ultra-pepped hi-vis hookbaits work so well at this time of year.

Firstly, all the carp's senses are dulled slightly in cold water, so they are less responsive to colour and attractants. Therefore, over flavoured and bright hookbaits work well on this front as they are simply more obvious to the carp in cold water than other baits.

I also believe that the colour, or rather the contrast between the hookbait and the lakebed, plays a big part in them picking them up, purely out of curiosity. I have watched carp repeatedly pick up completely unflavoured bright objects just to investigate them.

In spring, when the carp become highly mobile and driven to nomadic tendencies by rises in water temperature and light levels more than a drive to feed heavily, the bright ones are great at picking off bites because you aren't relying on the carp stopping to feed, you are just catching them as they pass through, or as they spot it.

Whatever it is that makes them work so well, I ALWAYS have a few tubs in my rucksack in the winter and spring.

Bright hookbaits are much more likely to grab a carp’s attention