River fishing question

[fruitloopy]

I went to a spot on the River Nene early on Sat morning to get what seems to be the only peg to fish on Orton Weir. It seems I didnt get there early enough (5:45am) as someone seemed to have beaten me to it by only a few minutes!

I headed upstream a bit and cast a ledger in but got continously caught up on streamer weed. I walked around for a bit but all I could see on the bottom along this stretch was a carpet of this weed.

 

The question is, is it worth trying to fish it and if so what is the best method or tactic? Is it better to give it up as a bad job and go elsewhere to find a clear spot?

 

Thanks.

[Newt]

[BoldBear]

There's several things that you can do to increase your chances in a river full of streamer weed. The Barbel like to stay out of sight under this weed so try to find any clear pieces of gravel running between it were they can dart out to intercept food and dart back under the streamer weed again; or bury your hook right in the middle of a softish piece of luncheonmeat (or spam) to prevent it from catching on the weed as it falls through the weed; Ideally on the outside of a bend or where there is a depth change caused by a narrowing of the banks and try to stay alert when the evening comes (or early morning). when the streamer weed is shorter at the beginning of the season Chub often like to swim just above the streamer weed picking off food being washed downstream and when they are in this mood they seem to ignore anything that you offer them on or close to the bottom, so you could try a long leger link which allows a long hooklength to waver just above the streamer weed.

When after the Barbel in thick streamer weed it often helps to fish upstream so that you can attempt to pull the fish down through the weed easier; as opposed to trying to pull them through it from upstream.

Also because you can't always see them doesn't mean they are not there, the Barbel can merge into a gravel bottom quite well; and sometimes if you stare at a patch of gravel for long enough you may just start to see the odd slightly lighter looking fin gently waving and once you see this the rest of the Barbel can sometimes start to get clearer.

Good luck and tight lines.

BB

Edited July 7, 2008 by BoldBear

[fruitloopy]

 

What the hell is that?!?

 

There's several things that you can do to increase your chances in a river full of streamer weed. The Barbel like to stay out of sight under this weed so try to find any clear pieces of gravel running between it were they can dart out to intercept food and dart back under the streamer weed again; or bury your hook right in the middle of a softish piece of luncheonmeat (or spam) to prevent it from catching on the weed as it falls through the weed; Ideally on the outside of a bend or where there is a depth change caused by a narrowing of the banks and try to stay alert when the evening comes (or early morning). when the streamer weed is shorter at the beginning of the season Chub often like to swim just above the streamer weed picking off food being washed downstream and when they are in this mood they seem to ignore anything that you offer them on or close to the bottom, so you could try a long leger link which allows a long hooklength to waver just above the streamer weed.

When after the Barbel in thick streamer weed it often helps to fish upstream so that you can attempt to pull the fish down through the weed easier; as opposed to trying to pull them through it from upstream.

Also because you can't always see them doesn't mean they are not there, the Barbel can merge into a gravel bottom quite well; and sometimes if you stare at a patch of gravel for long enough you may just start to see the odd slightly lighter looking fin gently waving and once you see this the rest of the Barbel can sometimes start to get clearer.

Good luck and tight lines.

BB

 

Thanks BB, that makes sense. I'll give it a try on Sat...if the bloody weather improves!

[Newt]

That rather strange lure is called a buzzbait. The large spinner allows it to stay on the surface at fairly low speeds and with the hook pointed up, it will easily cross the worst weed without fouling.

 

The spinner kicks up enough froth that fish can see there is something moving along in a very noisy fashion but can't be sure exactly what it might be until they have stunned or killed it.

 

Works well for preds at first light, last light, all day if very cloudy, and at night.

[Guest tigger]

Sounds a good place for trotting a float.

[chavender]

yeh ,sound like the perfect place to fish with a Paper float ! in fact i beleave some clever chappy has writen a article telling just how too make your own home made paper floats just right for that type of swim .

[John S]

You don't mean THIS one do you chavender?

[chavender]

might be ,still good plan though float fish it ,in fact stret-peg is the way too go

[terry t shirt]

Depending on how fast the flow is could be an time for a zany idea of Freelining a slug or piece of luncheon meat down through the streamer itself. It'll tumble along until it rest against something looing almost totally natural.