Just Two Weeks Left for Coarse fishing on River and Streams

As I sit writing the rain is lashing down, the gusting gale force wind is causing my trees to sway to and fro, at times it looks as if a giant had grabbed hold and given them a good shake. The garden is full of birds including a pair of bullfinches and black caps, the pond is a hive of activity as frogs and toads go about the business of spawning, even the newts are more active than usual. My local river Ribble has some two feet of extra water with a temperature of 46 degrees F. This morning fishing a big slack I had nine chub averaging three and a half pounds all caught on sausage meat paste. We have just two weeks of the current coarse fishing season left on our rivers and streams, and I reckon we couldn’t wish for a better end to the season. This time last year is was horrid on our river low water temperatures and low flow rates. Officially the draught has ended with all water restrictions countrywide being lifted. Some of our southern rivers are looking better now than for some years.

It’s certainly been one of the best winter seasons for many years, if you have been one of the many who have been out on the river bank then no doubt like me you probably had some great fishing. I’ve had more double figure barbel this season than ever before. The next few days will be spent fishing the river Ribble close to home for chub, dace and barbel, though I shall only fish for the dace if the river is normal level, should the river be up several feet then my target fish will be chub and barbel.

During the last week of the season, I will have a couple of days on the Hampshire Avon London Anglers Association water at Britford in search of a big roach. I will fish with bread crust or flake, either trotting the stream or stret-pegging. Many of the successful roach anglers on this water fish a swim feeder with liquidised bread using gentles or bread flake, one very successful angler this season has been catching a good number of roach on hempseed, when I last spoke to him back in November he had caught a total of 13 2lb plus roach.

The other water I will be fishing is the river Kennet on the Wasing Estate fishery where hopefully it will be bank high and coloured. I certainly want complain about the miserable cloudy wet weather, if it rains I will have a smile on my face. Despite what some writers say I find it’s usually easier to catch fish in a flooded river, than a low gin clear one. What will cause me some concern is if we have gale force winds during these last two weeks, then it could be rather dangerous on some of the wooded lengths of our rivers. A few weeks ago many trees crashed down on the Wasing Estate. Thankfully no one was injured. What has surprised me this season are the large number of double figure barbel being caught from the Kennet, even more surprising the number of doubles coming from the Dalston and Brimpton beats. I have had some great sport fishing the swims just up and downstream of the ‘Salmon Hut’

Keep it Simple on the Kennet

What has surprised me this winter are the number of anglers fishing big weights and sitting in one spot waiting for a barbel, Take my advice, don’t be a trapper waiting for a fish to feed in one spot, “Go roving”. This winter I watched an angler fishing a 4 ounce watch lead with a hair rigged halibut pellet down the fast flow in the middle of the river on the Dalston beat. His rod was well bent with virtually no chance of seeing a bite unless a barbel really wanted to pull the rod in the river. In seven fishing sessions this angler hasn’t had a single fish. On one occasion I was fishing just below him with sausage meat paste using just two LG shot close to the bank in some quiet water. I had three fish. Having caught my second fish he joined me to see what bait I was using. After telling him, I then explained my set up, I also gave him some paste to try. Later in the day I noticed he was still fishing the same spot with a halibut pellet and the 4 ounce watch lead. The paste remained untouched. I cannot do more than offer advice. Remember barbel don’t always whack the rod tip round, many times I get just a few taps.

Before fishing walk your chosen length of river you plan to fish. Take note of the slower bits of water, paying special attention to creases or seams, over hanging bushes with trailing branches in the water. Trees that have crashed into the river, on the Wasing fishery there are several new fish holding spots. If the river is high and coloured many of those shallow swims of summer could well be the place to fish. Remember barbel are not always out in the faster water, many of my fish are caught under or just downstream of my rod tip in the quieter water close to the bank. Talk to other anglers and seek their advice, you will find most are very helpful, often pointing out a swim to try. I have lost count of the number of anglers who I have spent time with, giving them LG shots, baits and showing them various swims, often putting them in winning swim. In fact every guest I have had on the river this winter has returned home with personal best fish. I reckon I have spent more time this winter helping other anglers than fishing myself. It’s great when you see an angler bank a good fish.

My fishing is usually done by roaming from swim to swim either during the daylight or in the darkness. I have a bucket with a shoulder strap which contains my baits, some hooks, weights, scales and weigh bag. I carry two rods, but often fish with just one. I start off by walking the chosen length, dropping in three or four hook baits in all the likely looking spots. Having done this, it’s usually time for a fresh brew. After a break I walk off down stream fishing all the baited spots. Sometimes I will fish for five minutes, other spots I might stay fifteen twenty minutes. Then move on. Should I get a fish I usually drop in a couple of baits and move on? Returning later to fish the spot again. There are times when I will get an instant take. Other times its fifteen minutes. If no bites I usually move on.

Baits and Tackle

Never before have we anglers had such a good choice of tackle and baits for our fishing at such a cheap price, tackle today’s is cheaper than it’s ever been. A question I am often asked is “How important is the latest advertised rod”? My answer “Its not”. In my book many of the high priced rods are far too stiff, I see angler’s river fishing with rods that are reckoned to have a test curve of 3lbs. That’s the type of rod I would use on the coast. I don’t think they are suitable for most river fishing situations, certainly not for my style of fishing. Personally I don’t think you need worry if your fishing with a ten or even twenty year old rod, Recently I had a father and son join me on the river for a days chub and barbel fishing, young Sam Probert had this quiver tip rod that was as stiff as a broom handle. Looking in the back of his dad’s car I noticed another rod. “What is that rod I asked” Sam said “It’s my Dads old rod” Dad Craig then said “Its thirty years old”. I put the rod together, then said “That’s the rod we will use” It had a nice soft action with some power in the butt. Within ten minutes of fishing young Sam had a personal best chub of 4-12-0 on legered crust. The bite from that chub wouldn’t have been seen on the stiff rod; no doubt the fish would have immediately ejected the bait.

The rods I use are at least ten years old; I often use a twenty five year old rod which I find perfect for chub with its soft all through action. My two most used rods are models I helped design with an engineer many years ago. Legering for chub, roach, bream, perch and tench I use an eleven foot six inch three piece rod for lines between three and six pounds with an Avon action. For my barbel fishing I use a twelve foot three piece rod that was designed for lines between eight and twelve pounds again its an Avon action. This rod is perfect for the job of casting and playing hard fighting barbel both on big rivers such as the Ribble and Severn or the smaller rivers like the Teme and Kennet. Knowing I cannot replace my current barbel rods should they get lost, stolen or broken I have recently purchased from Brian Whitlock of Lostock Tackle Box near Preston Lancashire two Triptych rods built by Harrison’s of Liverpool, twelve foot three piece with an estimated test curve of one and a half pounds. What I liked about these rods, are they are built in this country, have a nice action with good quality rod guides. Also purchasing fishing tackle made in the UK you are helping keep people in work. For £300-00 I feel I have a good pair of rods that will no doubt last for many years. As yet I haven’t yet used these rods but when I do replace my current model these Harrison’s will do what I ask of them. Mick Holgate has a pair and he wouldn’t change. Richard Walker had it right with his MK1V AND MK1V Avon’s, sadly I had mine stolen including a landing net with laminated cane arms. How I would love to have a couple of cane MK1V Avon’s today for my fishing, many years ago Sharpe’s built a lovely cane Avon rod.

Fixed Spools or Centre Pins

I use both fixed spool and centre pin reels, I know some anglers have purchased the latter models probably as a fashion item. For me they are a working tool designed for the job of casting and playing a fish on. On the smaller rivers I usually use my centre pins for all my fishing, I can drop the bait on a dinner plate size spot under the far bank bushes without a problem. I can control the pressure of a fighting fish with either thumb or palm of my hand. Though I have some Shimano bait runner reels I rarely use them, much preferring my old Mitchell 300’s 1953 vintage which are still working well. I cannot see any reason for change. As Alan Roe often tells me “I see your using those old coffee grinders again” They might sound like a grinder, but they still wind in the line when I have a good fish. Over the past eighteen months I have been using Gamma Copolymer line from the Unites States, I have used it with confidence even in the ocean for bass and mullet. I cannot fault this line. Several times I have hooked a fish which has gone across a bad snag. When pulling the fish back I have felt the line being roughened up on the snag but it’s not broken. Bass have taken me in kelp beds but still I haul them out. The knots seem OK I haven’t been let down by Gamma so I use it with confidence. For chub I choose 6lb, for barbel its 10lb but should I be on the Teme I will step up to 12lb, even 15lbs. The hooks I use are barbless in sizes 2’s 4’s and 6’s for all my chub and barbel fishing. If I have lost a fish on a barbless hook it’s because I have made a mistake. Pallatrax offer a good range of barbless hooks. The weights I use are quite simple either Pallatrax stones or LG shot.

Pastes or Crust are My First Choice Baits

Over the next two weeks you can expect some days when the water has some colour, the baits I recommend are sausage or luncheon meat paste, Pallatrax Jungle paste will often work when the other paste baits don’t, some of my friends use the Pallatrax sticks with paste moulded around the stick. I use just a chunk of paste. Recently I was given some Monster crab paste from Cotteswold baits it worked; in fact I had a brace of doubles on one occasion in two casts. When fishing paste baits I use a long tail 15 to 18 inches between hook and weight, there are times when I will use a small stonze as a back weight when rubbish is coming down. Lobworms are a bait I wouldn’t want to be without. But the must have bait is a loaf of bread. Even in colourer water I have had my share of fish on a big chunk of bread on a 4 – 6 inch link. Once the water has started losing some colour, it’s the first choice bait. You will see I haven’t mentioned pellets or boilies. I have no use for these baits in winter. I catch enough fish on the previously mentioned baits. Over these last few days, I suggest when you go fishing you rove from swim to swim, fishing baits into all the likely looking spots.