Spate river fishing

[Andy Macfarlane]

Fish a river in spate?? You're damned tootin' I would. A lot of the Salmon and Sea-Trout caught in Scotland would only do so if the river was heavily flooded.

Rain brings all manner of bugs and beasties into the water that would otherwise survive quite happily, up trees, on the bank, under rocks etc. when conditions are normal. So much so, you'll often find the hardier anglers venturing out when most normal anglers are parked in front of the telly, wishing what could be. In fact, some anglers only venture out when the river looks fir for bursting, in the belief that this is the best time to catch.

Call it instinct or intelligence or what you will but many river fish 'know' that rain brings with it, a myriad of stuff to eat. Lobworms, slugs, beetles, grubs and all manner of food that would not normally find its way into the water, ends up going for an unwanted swim and the fishies know it.

Fish will happily hold ground in even the wildest stretches, knowing that sooner or later, nature will provide a substantial meal.

I tend to leave the float gear at home, opting for legering instead. Even the smallest rivers can be quite turbulent, when in spate, so it’s not unusual for me to take along some very heavy weights, of the type that draw some very peculiar looks indeed and it’s hardly surprising when you consider these weights normally only see daylight when I’m sea-fishing!!

Finesse fishing can take a back seat in these conditions too. Normally, visibility is very low, so 2lb hook lengths are from my experience, a waste of time. I’m quite happy using 6 or even 8lb mono for my rigs. If the fish are feeding quite heavily and they quite often do when the river is running high, there’s little scrutiny going on from the fish, so worry not, if your rig seems a little over gunned.

Just get out there with a tub of lobs, some 2-4oz weights, some fairly heavy mono, a good sturdy rod and fish beachcaster style, otherwise your bait will find itself on the very bank you are standing on. Seriously, you’d be surprised what turns up in these conditions. I’ve had some of my best trout when the weather is comparable to that of a monsoon.

[corydoras]

Fish a river in spate?? You're damned tootin' I would. A lot of the Salmon and Sea-Trout caught in Scotland would only do so if the river was heavily flooded.

Hi Andy

 

I agree, but I think that you and I are mostly thinking about the salmon, seatrout and brownies. I was talking to a coarse fishing friend of mine about this just last night and apparently the same does not hold for coarse fish. Apparently coarse fish don't like it up them.

[wurzel]

Hi Andy

 

I agree, but I think that you and I are mostly thinking about the salmon, seatrout and brownies. I was talking to a coarse fishing friend of mine about this just last night and apparently the same does not hold for coarse fish. Apparently coarse fish don't like it up them.

 

 

Hello coarse fishers

 

Fishing a river in full spate is my favourite time, although big rivers like the Severn are a bit daunting, but the rivers here in Essex(steams in comparison) never get un fishable, except perhaps on the first flood of the year with the amount of dunage.

My experience is that when the river is on the up and coulred barble are the only thing I usually catch, once it fines down a little even if it doesn't drop any thing can be on the cards.

I very seldom use more than an once of lead, I very rarely fish slacks, the creases beside them is a different matter, I like to fish from curves or bends or perhaps where the bank sticks out into the river, this is so I can fish straight down the current , fishing a cross the current is hard work and requires much more lead, the line soon gets weighed down with dunage.

An added bonus is having the river to my self, although more anglers are starting to cotton on these days, a few years a go Fishers Green on the Lea used to be deserted during the winter floods nowadays the car parks are full.

[peter mccue]

Hi Andy

 

I agree, but I think that you and I are mostly thinking about the salmon, seatrout and brownies. I was talking to a coarse fishing friend of mine about this just last night and apparently the same does not hold for coarse fish. Apparently coarse fish don't like it up them.

 

Only if it's snow melt (kiss of death) otherwise bring it on, some of the best coarse fishing to be had comes in a good flood, have you never read bernard Venables

[corydoras]

Only if it's snow melt (kiss of death) otherwise bring it on, some of the best coarse fishing to be had comes in a good flood, have you never read bernard Venables

Snow melt was never that much of a Kiss of Death on the river I cut my teeth on, but as I have already said, I was really talking game fish. The leven is not really a coarse river, once you get downstream of the barrage at balloch, there were not that many coarse fish to be found apart from the odd pike. Above the barrage you get perch and roach to. I have never read any books on fishing, I learned all my angling from my dad, a couple of uncles, my schoolmates and from my own experiences.

[peter mccue]

Snow melt was never that much of a Kiss of Death on the river I cut my teeth on, but as I have already said, I was really talking game fish. The leven is not really a coarse river, once you get downstream of the barrage at balloch, there were not that many coarse fish to be found apart from the odd pike. Above the barrage you get perch and roach to. I have never read any books on fishing, I learned all my angling from my dad, a couple of uncles, my schoolmates and from my own experiences.

 

Bit of a shock to learn you've never read a fishing book Cory, your posts always gave me the image of an erudite sort of guy, don't take that the wrong way mind you probably are.

 

Can I suggest you try any Chris Yates early stuff (it's all good)

 

The Magic Wheel, full of classic fishing stories, poems, etc

 

Bernard Venables of course.

 

Jim Gibbinson, quality instructional books laden with common sense & a somewhat acerbic humour running through it.

 

Worth a look Cory, I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy them.

[corydoras]

Bit of a shock to learn you've never read a fishing book Cory, your posts always gave me the image of an erudite sort of guy, don't take that the wrong way mind you probably are.

 

Can I suggest you try any Chris Yates early stuff (it's all good)

 

The Magic Wheel, full of classic fishing stories, poems, etc

 

Bernard Venables of course.

 

Jim Gibbinson, quality instructional books laden with common sense & a somewhat acerbic humour running through it.

 

Worth a look Cory, I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy them.

I'll have a trawl through ebay and see what I can find.