spotting fish and picking the right part of a swim to bait

[Dan Dan]

Hey guys,

 

I read a lot about fish behaviour and "spotting" a fish (usually when fishing rivers for chub and barbel), but most of the rivers I fish are pretty deep and you can't effectively spot a fish, which makes baiting up a swim accurately hard.

 

From what I know of fishing the river (it's a part of the Wey) and this swim in particular is that it's very shallow under the bridge (to the left, upstream) but it's full of crap like trolleys and motorbikes so I doubt many fish will be there.

Then as comes into the main part of the swim (in front of me) the shallows drop off from the centre outwards, getting deeper towards the banks. There's a lot of weed in the centre and on either bar and i'd imagine these would be the places to bait up. Fishing the near bar is easy enough, but the weed is terrible. The far one is harder as I have to cast across the current and it's unlikely the feeder will drop to the same spot each time.

However, what I think would be the best spot to hit is at the end of the bar, straight down the centre of the river.

 

I should really take a picture and label it because I doubt any of that is very clear, but what i'm asking is how can I know where to bait up if I can't see the fish to bait towards!

[DavyR]

I would guess that if you fill your feeder with a variety of sized halibut pellets and plug it both ends with fishmeal groundbait, any fish downstream should be tempted to follow up the scent trail and find your bait. Chopped worm in the feeder is another good smelly option.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about not being able to see the fish - I sometimes think they're harder to catch if you *can* see them...

[Guest tigger]

Hey guys,

 

I read a lot about fish behaviour and "spotting" a fish (usually when fishing rivers for chub and barbel), but most of the rivers I fish are pretty deep and you can't effectively spot a fish, which makes baiting up a swim accurately hard.

 

From what I know of fishing the river (it's a part of the Wey) and this swim in particular is that it's very shallow under the bridge (to the left, upstream) but it's full of crap like trolleys and motorbikes so I doubt many fish will be there.

Then as comes into the main part of the swim (in front of me) the shallows drop off from the centre outwards, getting deeper towards the banks. There's a lot of weed in the centre and on either bar and i'd imagine these would be the places to bait up. Fishing the near bar is easy enough, but the weed is terrible. The far one is harder as I have to cast across the current and it's unlikely the feeder will drop to the same spot each time.

However, what I think would be the best spot to hit is at the end of the bar, straight down the centre of the river.

 

I should really take a picture and label it because I doubt any of that is very clear, but what i'm asking is how can I know where to bait up if I can't see the fish to bait towards!

 

 

If you want your bait to get to the bottom in a river or anywhere else use a bait dropper.

[Dan Dan]

If you want your bait to get to the bottom in a river or anywhere else use a bait dropper.

 

I've seen a few about, wasn't sure if they were usable for casting distances, or more for under the rod tip fishing.

 

The river's up at the moment as it's been raining quite heavily for the last day or so, might have to use a lead tonight...

Edited August 13, 2008 by Dan Dan

[Anderoo]

I can't really visualise the swim but some good areas of rivers (small rivers like the Wey, at any rate) to bait up and fish are:

 

- creases in the flow, where slow water meets fast

- sudden drop-offs or depressions in the riverbed, where food accumulates

- the end of pools where the bottom shallows up

- gaps in weed, especially streamer weed

- underneath overhanging trees or other cover

- water which is significantly deeper than surrounding areas

- in high water, areas of slack water

- steady water, especially if a decent depth over gravel

 

A good way to find the productive spots is to floatfish, trotting the whole swim.

[Guest tigger]

I've seen a few about, wasn't sure if they were usable for casting distances, or more for under the rod tip fishing.

 

What do you call casting a distance? I would imagine they would be good for the majority of rivers. They really are the best way of getting your bait to the bottom in a river. You could use pva bags or stockings but I've seen them melt to quickly in warm summer water and the bait is free to wash away in the flow before hitting bottom.

[Dan Dan]

Yes, ive a feeling the PVA bags i'm using are melting before they reach the bottom. The water's really deep (around 12 feet in some places) so I think a biat dropper would be best. I'm talking about casting 60 feet max.

[Andy Macfarlane]

I often handle PVA bags and string with oily hands to prevent them dissolving quite so rapidly. I also have a few bags stored in a small tupperware type box with a little oil. It simply gives them a little more time and it makes life easier if you're using moist bait/feed/mash/fish chunks etc. They last that wee bit longer if it's raining too. There's nothing more annoying than trying to cast a PVA sausage only for it to fall apart during the cast. Vegetable oil of one description or another seems to the best because it doesn't have a very distinct flavour and it's cheap.

[Dan Dan]

Thanks Andy, some good ideas there. Is it normal for PVA bags to float on the surface before they sink?! I was fishing one the other day and it bobbed up on the surface and then disappeared. Probably just came off the hook as I only just nick it through the bag usually.

[Guest Rabbit]

if you can I would as Anderloo suggested trot a float down the swim.the fact that a moving bait i more natural to chub that have seen it all wiil be the better chance of success I would think.

Why are you thinking you should feed the swim anyway? These are fish holding area anyway, the chub position themselves there for safety, and a steady food source, by splashing around too much with a feeder or bait dropper will see the chub scarper., they will come back to feed, but after you have gone. i would try bread first as a hook bait, it's a killer for chub and they probably are fed bread as to not be wary of it.