River feeding methods?

[saskcarp]

What are the best baits and what are the best ways to prebait a river?

[Howard 13]

I always used to use hemp as it's so cheap but this season I've been using a special blend of small pellets.

 

It's obvious that the fish are attracted to these pellets as I've had bream roling all around my swim and I dare say there must be carp down there too.

 

Problem is I haven't been catching either. Now my theory is that the fish are becoming so pre-occupied with these pellets that they're ignoring my boilie hook baits. :confused:

 

I'm going to switch back to hemp only this week in the hope of catching again.

 

Cheers.

HB.

[Newt]

Howard - how to you get it to the bottom where you want with the river's current to deal with?

[saskcarp]

Good question Newt, thats what I really want to know!

[*Ant*]

Newt, Rick

 

It's a case of finding the depth and throwing in your freebies up stream at a distance which allows them to reach the bottom of the river bed at your swim. Otherwise a great gadget called a "bait-dropper" can be used to deposit hemp or whatever acurately.

[Howard 13]

Newt:

Howard - how to you get it to the bottom where you want with the river's current to deal with?

Sorry I missed the point there. I should have said the river I fish is realy deep (between 10 and 12 ft) and sluggish so that's not a problem.

 

There isn't realy a current, the flow is controlled by a sluice lock so at this time of year its hardly moving unless they're letting out after heavy rain.

 

HB.

[Newt]

aanthony:

... Otherwise a great gadget called a "bait-dropper" can be used to deposit hemp or whatever acurately.

Never heard of this one. Could you explain? Maybe with a picture or two?

 

aanthony:

There isn't realy a current, the flow is controlled by a sluice lock so at this time of year its hardly moving unless they're letting out after heavy rain.

I fish a place that sounds similar except they will open and close the gates on some schedule I don't understand except in high summer when there hasn't been any rain for a while. Always fun to set up in what is almost a still water and then 30 minutes later you are faced with significant current. Or set up in current and have it turn to a near-still water after a while.

 

[ 07. July 2003, 04:42 PM: Message edited by: Newt ]

[saskcarp]

Yeah same goes as far as still to strong flow goes! A bait dropper is this! You load it and when it hits the bottom the trap door opens and releases the bait. A good device but no good when they open the dam and the river is flowing fast and strong.

[Newt]

Sask - thanks for the pic.

 

As to baiting when they have the flood gates open and lots of water moving thru -

 

If you know where there are some deeper holes you can be sure the current is much less strong down in the hole. So mixing the bait with some mud and a couple of rocks to allow it to sink quickly will be worth a try.

 

Or the same basic idea to any place you can find an eddie or any bit of structure to break the flow.

 

And usually the area just UPSTREAM of a rock or log will have more slack water than downstream of it. Not a big area but some relief from the current. But those places are good enough for holding fish that I think baiting would be a waste. Just fish there.

 

Maybe good to just float a bait along with the current too. Fish will be more likely to look for food bits rushing downstream than for those sitting around on the bottom.

[*Ant*]

Rick

 

Thanks for posting the picture and discription for Newt.

 

Couldn't you "doctor" one so that it meets your needs, easy enough to add extra weight to get it to the bottom faster.