WINTER BITES

[far bank stalker]

You could try something very simple like hooking the maggots across the middle Someone once commented on AN, that that was the best bit of advice he had ever read.

 

Den

thanks, the minute i read this it made sense!

[far bank stalker]

Yes, or thread a single maggot onto a size 18

 

The other simple thing is the distance from bottom shot to hook. This bottom shot is very important - it is the tell-tale shot that governs bite indication.

 

Start with the shot at about 8" from the hook

 

If you get sucked maggots and don't see the bites, move that shot a couple of inches closer to the hook.

 

Conversely, if you get snatches and miss them, move it a couple of inches further away from the hook.

 

...and try at different depths/different lengths of line laying on.

 

If all else fails, try a different month .

hey thanks! the advice about threading the maggot was golden! same problems today, only the fish were visibly in my swim. several bites in i threaded the maggot on to an 18 and bingo, a small dace on the first cast!

 

nothing else for the day, but it was my first of the year so again thank you!

[Vagabond]

hey thanks! the advice about threading the maggot was golden! same problems today, only the fish were visibly in my swim. several bites in i threaded the maggot on to an 18 and bingo, a small dace on the first cast!

 

nothing else for the day, but it was my first of the year so again thank you!

 

Nice to hear of advice taken and so getting a result.

 

Well done - hope you catch a bag of dace next time

[davedave]

i dont know about everybody else but the finest i ever go is 4lb mainline to a 2lb hooklength, and i still catch ok.

 

I dont like to fine it down too much in case of a big carp or bream coming and snapping you off, learnt that the hard way

[far bank stalker]

i dont know about everybody else but the finest i ever go is 4lb mainline to a 2lb hooklength, and i still catch ok.

 

I dont like to fine it down too much in case of a big carp or bream coming and snapping you off, learnt that the hard way

no big carp to catch where i am (near llangollen) but quite a few bream. i had one about 4lb on the 2.4/1.5 ok, but it was a shock, i wasn't really expecting to catch bream trotting in the daytime to be honest.

 

i suspect there are some big ones though because the locals really target them and the fact that they live in constant current means the give a very good account