Spate river fishing

[ayjay]

If it's mild both the Avon and Stour will fish their heads off for barbel when there is some colour in them, I don't fish the Stour much but some big catches have been made, the Avon loses it's colour very quickly but still fishes better high than low, in wintertime anyway.

 

I actually like to fish the Avon when it's right out of it's banks, it fishes even better then. My favourite flood swim on the Avon is unfortunately no longer so reliable since the topography changed but it used to take me 20 minutes wading knee deep across fields to get there and I would often go and fish it for just one hour or so, it was that good.

 

Just in case you're in any doubt, here's an old press cutting I've turfed out for you, it's about 10/12 years old when I still used to keep all that sort of thing.

 

[Newt]

One suggestion that seems to fly in the face of reason is to locate an obstruction (tree, rock, bridge piling, whatever) and fish just upstream of it.

 

There is usually a small area where the water hits the obstruction and 'bounces' the other direction so that you have a little still water even with a brisk flow.

 

Fish know about these and larger fish will use them as ambush points to get an easy meal from smaller creatures that are confused by the flow or stunned by ramming into them.

 

I've had much better luck over the years fishing 'in front' of the obstruction than 'behind' it and most other anglers will be ignoring those spots. As noted, you will need to keep moving since an obstruction will only hold a couple of fish but you can revisit them frequently since they are prime spots and if you take a fish, another will be along shortly.

[corydoras]

I don't know what course fishing is like in a spate situation, nor what contitutes a 'river' (IMHO if you can jump it its a burn) but when I was a nipper I used to fish the River Leven in Dumbartonshire for salmon and sea trout. The Leven is always a fairly fast river (second fastest in Scotland) I think the mean flow rate is something like 14yds/second.

 

Anyway, when the river was in full spring spate, right up to the tow path was one of the best times, even if it was a wee bit dangerous. Best bait was a live minnow, or a wee silver droppen.

[dogstick]

I don't know what course fishing is like in a spate situation, nor what contitutes a 'river' (IMHO if you can jump it its a burn) but when I was a nipper I used to fish the River Leven in Dumbartonshire for salmon and sea trout. The Leven is always a fairly fast river (second fastest in Scotland) I think the mean flow rate is something like 14yds/second.

 

Anyway, when the river was in full spring spate, right up to the tow path was one of the best times, even if it was a wee bit dangerous. Best bait was a live minnow, or a wee silver droppen.

 

 

BLOODY POACHERS !!

[andy_youngs]

Best bait was a live minnow, or a wee silver droppen.

 

what's a droppen?

[corydoras]

BLOODY POACHERS !!

The River Leven has a sensible fishing policy. It is not one of these daft fluff chucking only places. You can fish fly, worms, maggots, lures any legal bait any legal method. The only things that I can remember being prohibited were any kind of float, and set lines, you need to keep your rod in your hand.

 

Anyway what would be the point in trying to chuck a fly or a float into a river that is flowing at nearly 30MPH in some stretches, when in full spate.

Edited December 7, 2006 by corydoras

[corydoras]

what's a droppen?

A Droppen is a spinner from ABU, similar in design to a MEPPS.

[dogstick]

one of these daft fluff chucking only places

 

I sometimes stray into these places accidently,not sure if the fishing is better but it feels that way

[corydoras]

I sometimes stray into these places accidently,not sure if the fishing is better but it feels that way

 

You can fish a fly if you want, and many do but most of the big fish are taken on a devon minnow.

[andy_youngs]

2 thoughts come to mind : (1) fly spoons, (2) bar spoons. It's the same principle, a spinning blade & hook attached to a fly rod. But they're very different disciplines.

 

A fly spoon is a free spinning blade & hook mounted on a small swivel / split ring

 

A bar spoon comprises a blade and small clevace, which spins around 0.024 diameter steel wire mount which is bound to the hook.

 

Pictures of both are attached.

 

They can be very effective for catching fish on a fly rod. At the moment I'm experimenting with tying different fly patterns onto bar spoons .. it's great fun ...