Which is more difficult - rivers or stillwaters?

[BoldBear]

Well my local 3.5 acre Estate lake has:

 

1. Quiet Bays

2. Open water

3. Islands

4. lilly beds

5. Rush beds

6. Weed beds

7. Overhanging bushes and tree branches

8. Shallow corners

9. An inlet waterfall

10. Deeper areas where an old river bed once ran.

 

But my local stretch of the upper Lea has:

 

1. Sweeping bends

2. Undercut banks

3. Streamy Glides

4. Eddies

5. Shallow riffles

6. Cattle drinks

7. Deep glides

8. Dark pools

9. Slacks

10. Creases

11. Beds of Streamer weed

12. Beds of cabbages.

13. Lillies

14. Overhanging bushes and tree branches

15. Submerged Tree roots.

16. Weir pools & sills.

 

I don't know which most anglers would find more difficult to fish, and perhaps it is harder to find the fish on a Stillwater if you can't see them but at least you have the privilege of being able to fish at range when you need to, without spooking every fish in your swim if you move in your swim; plus you can search a much larger area from your swim, unlike on a small river or stream where you have to fish right under your nose most if not all of the time, and at the same time keep low and quiet else spook every decent fish in your swim.

 

I know what is more varied and interesting to fish for me it would be the stream or river almost every time.

Although I must admit that the Estate lake is sometimes a beautiful place to be.

Edited April 29, 2010 by BoldBear

[Newt]

The real trick to catching fish is locating them or having them locate you.

 

I think locating them is easier on a river since the current and structure of the bank & bottom and any obstructions will be a major factor in where the fish spend time.

 

Having them locate you (baiting) is easier on still waters since your bait pretty much stays where you put it and brings in the fish.

 

If we divide anglers into those who prefer hunting and those who prefer gathering, then I'd say rivers for hunters and still water for gatherers.

[ColinW]

I'd say it depends on the time of year. Fishing a stillwater in the middle of winter is often like flogging a dead horse, while river fish HAVE to eat to get the energy to swim. In summer there's not much in it as far as the fish feeding is concerned, so then stillwater is probably easier, although in any decent sized lake still water is probably a misnomer.

[terry t shirt]

I think it depends on species as much as anything. Try targetting a river carp as opposed to a still water fish.Also I think you can fish lakes lazily in the summer and still catch fish where as rivers you need to continue doing something. But which is harder i think really boils down to venue and target species.

[watatoad]

I think it depends on species as much as anything. Try targetting a river carp as opposed to a still water fish.Also I think you can fish lakes lazily in the summer and still catch fish where as rivers you need to continue doing something. But which is harder i think really boils down to venue and target species.

 

That's about the same answer as I would give but try a lake for a double figure barbel or a river for a 30plus carp and you are on a hiding to nothing.

[Anderoo]

Very interesting replies! And some excellent points made.

 

Personally, I think river fishing - all else being equal - is easier. The simple reason is that on a river you have flow, and once you know what to look for (after reading a decent article or spending an hour on the bank with someone who basically knows what they're doing) the flow tells you where the fish are. Once you know where the fish are (or are likely to be), you're almost there.

 

Location on stillwaters is much harder, at least in my experience. It's also much harder on rivers when the flow drops, as it does on the Thames here each summer. The fish disperse and can be anywhere, and it all gets that much more difficult.

[goosequill]

Interesting replies so far - ta I know it's a horribly open question, but it is one to hopefully get you thinking.

 

One point that came up in our chat was that anglers who only fish stillwaters tend to think river fishing is harder - what do you reckon?

 

 

Very interesting old boy - you personally know how little fishing I do on Stillwaters (once in the last five years), and my initial reaction as a "River Angler" is that Stillwaters are equal, if not harder, than a river given the same stocking levels.

 

I don't know if this is a fair comparison, but something you will be able to relate to? Let's consider the two scenarios:

 

(i) - A huge gravel pit with a tiny head of monsterous Bream being fished for by some of the best Bream anglers in the country;

 

(ii) A small Thames Tributary (or three) with a tiny head of Barbel, being fished for by a handfull of experienced "River Anglers".

 

I don't think there is much to choose between (i) and (ii) in terms of the numbers of fish caught because a few are caught from both similar scenarios described above. However, some may say that there are top anglers in scenario (i) so they should be emptying the pit with Record Bream shouldn't they?

 

I can't help but think that scenario (i) to me is way, way harder (and a test of ones comittment, dedication and passion) to me than scenario (ii).

 

So for me, as a River Angler, given a similar level playing field I would say a stillwater is a whole complexity level higher than a river.

[Anderoo]

Aha, Herr 'Smith'!

 

A very interesting comparison - I agree. I reckon those two headbanging ideas are about as difficult as each other, and anyone attempting either should be immediately committed for their own good

 

Those barbel are intruiging aren't they... perhaps one day we will meet one!

 

In the first example, there is one person who really has does very well, a very gifted angler. The rest of us don't even try to keep up, but half an hour talking to him (or, rather, listening) saves about five seasons worth of directionless blanking. The rest is simply down to persistence! As I think the barbel fishing will come down to also.

 

The thing with most rivers - the smaller ones, anyway - is that you can only ever be so far away from a fish, as long as you're quiet. Add in the flow and other fishy features, and a lot of the work is done for you. (Not that that makes it 'easy'.) I find stillwaters harder, and I reckon that 'stillwater only' anglers would be surprised by how much easier than they think river fishing is.

 

PS I hope the forthcoming tench fever hasn't hit you too hard now the nice weather has arrived, and that you haven't been practicing the lift method in the garden again Nearly time to nestle between the grottos and statues and in the shadow of old Fred J himself, watching the red-tipped peacock quill...

[weirwulf]

Some of the difficulty in both still water and river is down to fish location and both venue types also have various challenges but the one challenge that makes a small river more difficult than any still water is the playing out of a good fish that the angler would only have caught using fine tackle but in an extremely restricted space. Converesely using light gear in open water is a relatively simple task.

[goosequill]

Aha, Herr 'Smith'!

 

PS I hope the forthcoming tench fever hasn't hit you too hard now the nice weather has arrived, and that you haven't been practicing the lift method in the garden again Nearly time to nestle between the grottos and statues and in the shadow of old Fred J himself, watching the red-tipped peacock quill...

 

Hee hee - I am thinking about that place a lot and, for now, I am remaining fairly sane at the moment. Funnily enough, I am just going to nip up there tonight for a walk.......

Edited April 27, 2010 by goosequill