I was caught out today by the Thames being more 'up and coloured' than I had expected. I thought I had done my research and it would be OK, but I got it wrong. I had just taken bread and liquidised bread plus worms. What to do? The peg I had planned to fish was under-water, and the flow there was much too strong. I found a big eddy, about 40 yards long, just below Abingdon bridge and fished it for a bit half way along with flake, but found even the back flow was too strong. Then I noticed that closer to the bridge it was slower, and tried it with worm, but it kept changing. One moment a spot would be calm, then it would become 'boily'. Someone told me before I had even got to the swim that it was 'bad underneath'. I didn't understand what he was saying, but I now think he meant that there was debrie or branches.
So what to do? One issue is where the fish have moved to. Looking at the river, most of it didn't look very fish-friendly. Does anyone have any ideas? Do they stay fairly local, and find little holes etc out of the flow, or do they migrate en masse to lock cuts etc? When the flow is really strong I suspect the latter. Even with the weir permit not being available this year I think I know one or two places where they might be. But there is still the colour to cope with. (It may come down, of course. When we discussed this a couple of years ago, one angler who knows the Thames well suggested staying at home till it drops out. Probably some good wisdom there, but it may stay coloured a long time!)
The text book answer, I think, is big smellie baits for chub. Maybe, but it's a bit of a new one for me, and only slightly appeals! I've read an old A.T. article, and it recommends cheese paste using stilton, but as we're into smells talks about additives as well, particularly squid extract. But why, when you've already got the strong cheese smell do you need more? And where do you stop?
And should chub always be the target? Can you catch roach when it is coloured?
I'd welcome views and advice, particularly from people who have actually caught fish when the river is 'up and coloured'!