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

[Guest tigger]

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.

 

 

Chub and Barbel move around a lot of the time they don't allways just sit holding position. Only the other day I was trotting my local river and then the fish dried up and I caught nothing for 20mins. As I was baiting up my hook I noticed A chub sailing down stream past me followed by about a dozen all around the 2 1/2 lb mark. As soon as I saw them I threw a large handfull of maggots in and cast out my hook and instantly got one of the chub followed by several more.Then the bites stopped again for a while before the Perch started to take my bait then followed by Dace, followed by Roach so the fish do move arround a lot. My point is the bait dropper won't frighten frighten all the fish off as they're constantly moving up and down the river, and even if it did it wouldn't be long before the swim was visited by other patrolling fish.

Edited August 13, 2008 by tigger

[Dan Dan]

I've trotted a float through many a time, not easy to control it with all the weed and that around but I do know of a couple of holes this side of the shelf in the middle. Would it be worth prebaiting, or just investing in a bait dropper. I can pick one up for £5.99 so I think I will!

[Guest tigger]

I've trotted a float through many a time, not easy to control it with all the weed and that around but I do know of a couple of holes this side of the shelf in the middle. Would it be worth prebaiting, or just investing in a bait dropper. I can pick one up for £5.99 so I think I will!

 

 

I think you'll find it to be worth the £5.99 unless it gets snagged and you loose it . Remember not to over fill it as it can stop it opening properly. Good luck DD.

[BoldBear]

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.

I use 'PVA Net tubing' attached to the lead; because I have also had PVA Bags float with the hook still attached after casting. a bag can sometimes float unless you put a stone in the bag.

 

If I'm using a PVA bag I now attach it to my lead and squeeze all the air out before I tie it. If there is too much air in them you can find that the bag can sometimes spread your feed further downstream than you intended.

Of course if you are using PVA Netting you don't get these problems.

Edited August 14, 2008 by BoldBear

[Guest tigger]

I use 'PVA Net tubing' attached to the lead; because I have also had PVA Bags float with the hook still attached after casting. a bag can sometimes float unless you put a stone in the bag.

 

If I'm using a PVA bag I now attach it to my lead and squeeze all the air out before I tie it. If there is too much air in them you can find that the bag can sometimes spread your feed further downstream than you intended.

Of course if you are using PVA Netting you don't get these problems.

 

 

I've used the Korda pva netting and in warm water it melts within a few seconds and in hot weather and running water it melts too quickly, obviously it will melt slower in winter. Also if your trying to lay a bed of bait say hemp and micro pellets it would be a pain in the arse keep filling bags/netting up and casting out to youre swim.