Chris Plumb's Blog

A fine return from 90 minutes fishing. At least you got home to watch the England match. 

Well apart from the 2 troot - everything came in the first 25 mins! The time stamp on the weir photo was 1824 - and I took that as I left to wander downstream to my barbel 'pitch' with a quick stop off to run a float through another (usually) reliable swim...

Phooar! You must have been expecting a netful. Out of curiosity, do you find that river fish are as crepuscular in their dining habits as their lake-living peers tend to have, or do you think they snack more frequently to maintain energy to swim the current?

I think low light levels definitely help - my hooklengths would be deemed a little too 'agricultural' by some (4.9 or 6.6lb) but I'd rather land a fish than lose it in the fast current - though suspect in bright conditions this might be too visible to get bites reliably....hence I like a nice shady swim when the sun's out!

Edited September 9, 2021 by Chris Plumb

I agree with you re stronger line, so that tip re shadier swims sounds sensible. Would you think the same is true on lakes? I suppose shade often means cover from a fish perspective, so perhaps they prefer it on the brightest days so these would be the areas to target. It seems to me that carp follow the sunniest spots, but you have me thinking if the reverse is true for other species. I believe tench stop feeding when the sun hits the water so, rightly or wrongly, I tend to pick swims that will be last to get the morning sun, but perhaps this is bonkers talk.