Fishing the Flooded Avon

[bluerinse]

I fished the Avon In Stratford Last Night, I think I was the first this season due to the floods, Yesterday Morning I took a walk down the River, I saw that it was fishable in one swim only. So I came back around 5pm.

I set up with a heavy feeder Rod and set up for Barble, I sat for 2 hours without a sniff, I noticed a lot of fish topping in my swim, and then I saw what I believed were big roach toping, I set up a Stick float and started to feed maggots, the action was immediate, I was catching skimmers and small roach.

I knew there were bigger roach in the swim so I feed some small hooker pellets and changed bait to a jelly hookers, well what can I say I had an amazing session with at least 6 roach to over 2lb, I had bream to 3lb, I hooked a carp and was broken and I had a fish a chuck, It seemed that I was fishing the only calm bit of water for over a mile in each direction and every fish in the river was in my swim.

I had small fish attached by Pike and Zander as I was bringing them in, it was like fish soup.

 

Well I might try and get back tonight and target the predators, funnily I caught no perch?

 

I guess I had over 80lb of fish, (I don't use a keep net)

 

I also have some photos unfortunately I ran out of Battery just as I got fishing with the float.

 

Great Evening and a great way to start the season.

 

 

THE RIVER AVON 18/06/2007

[The Flying Tench]

Amazing stuff, Blue Rinse! I'm very interested in the way you were able to concentrate on the bigger roach by using 'jelly hookers'. I've never heard of them. Are they simply soft hooker pellets, a bit like jelly babies?!

[bluerinse]

Amazing stuff, Blue Rinse! I'm very interested in the way you were able to concentrate on the bigger roach by using 'jelly hookers'. I've never heard of them. Are they simply soft hooker pellets, a bit like jelly babies?!

 

Hi Flying Tench,

 

They are called "Jellets" Jelly Pellets made by VAN DEN EYNDE, I used Halibut, and they are jelly like and hook and hold really well, Bit pricey at £2.50 for 150g but are great for picking out the bigger fish.

They are a bit smaller than a pea. I tend to fish them on a size 14 with 4.4lb bs Line

 

I have done well tench fishing with them as well.

 

They come in a resealable bag, I always carry some with me and they last a long time if you only use them as the hook bait and feed with cheaper ground baits or pellets.

[Ken L]

Well done. A good haul in difficult conditions.

I'm planning on visiting the Avon in a couple of weeks but it'll be part of a shot at the zander with my dad rather than a go for the roach.

[The Flying Tench]

Hi Flying Tench,

 

They are called "Jellets" Jelly Pellets made by VAN DEN EYNDE, I used Halibut, and they are jelly like and hook and hold really well, Bit pricey at £2.50 for 150g but are great for picking out the bigger fish.

They are a bit smaller than a pea. I tend to fish them on a size 14 with 4.4lb bs Line

 

Thanks, Blue R. I shall certainly get some, but I'm a bit puzzled by one thing. If they're a bit smaller than a pea, that's about the same size as a decent piece of sweetorn - OK, it will slightly increase the average size of roach and dace caught, compared with maggot, but it doesn't really single out the bigguns. A 3oz roach will happily take a piece of sweetcorn. What is your general experience re this with the Jelletts? It may be I have read too much into this one exceptional trip.

[bluerinse]

Thanks, Blue R. I shall certainly get some, but I'm a bit puzzled by one thing. If they're a bit smaller than a pea, that's about the same size as a decent piece of sweetorn - OK, it will slightly increase the average size of roach and dace caught, compared with maggot, but it doesn't really single out the bigguns. A 3oz roach will happily take a piece of sweetcorn. What is your general experience re this with the Jelletts? It may be I have read too much into this one exceptional trip.

Not sure really, the only thing I can imagine is that the smaller Roach are chasing the maggots (free offerings) whilst the larger fish are waiting below for the pellet to fall quicker to deeper water, it might mean the small fish don’t have time to grab the bait on the way down, this would also explain why I caught bream on the pellets as the bait got deeper before the smaller fish above grabbed it. the pellets are even a little bit smaller than sweet corn. It could be the fishy smell of the pellet appeals more to larger roach, I really don't know, all I know is it works and it has worked for me on several occasions.

Unfortunately I didn’t get back out last night, I have an eye on the weather at the Moment, If the rain holds off here I might try and get out this evening.

 

Cheers Blue R