Graham Marsden
Editor Emeritus
This is a dedicated thread for discussing article: Fishing Clear Rivers
Fishing Clear Rivers
- Thread starter Graham Marsden
- Start date
Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC)
Moderator
Fine article Graham,
Haven't been on the Dane since early season...when there was a nice bit of colour around Holmes Chapel area.
The high banking on parts of the Dane does emphasise the importance of keeping below or low on the the skyline. Have always been a bit squiffy re camou gear....but having almost lost sight of Spiders when he lurked in bankside vegetation at Harthill - i'll concede the good stuff is very effective indeed.
Poshers
(If I see you on the bankside of the Dane I'll keep the flouro jackets in the boot of the car!)
Haven't been on the Dane since early season...when there was a nice bit of colour around Holmes Chapel area.
The high banking on parts of the Dane does emphasise the importance of keeping below or low on the the skyline. Have always been a bit squiffy re camou gear....but having almost lost sight of Spiders when he lurked in bankside vegetation at Harthill - i'll concede the good stuff is very effective indeed.
Poshers
(If I see you on the bankside of the Dane I'll keep the flouro jackets in the boot of the car!)
Graham Whatmore
Senior Member
Excellent advice Graham on what can be the most difficult of all fishing problems, clear rivers.
I tried drilling stones myself for use in that very situation but it proved impossible even with a diamond tipped drill but it can be overcome to some extent by using waterproof araldite to glue a link to the stone and I still have a couple of them somewhere in the garage.
On prolonged clear conditions the fish will eventually feed but usually late in the day, dusk or just after dark so that is something worth considering if you have the available time. That very situation arose on the Wye when I took you to Breinton Graham remember?
I tried drilling stones myself for use in that very situation but it proved impossible even with a diamond tipped drill but it can be overcome to some extent by using waterproof araldite to glue a link to the stone and I still have a couple of them somewhere in the garage.
On prolonged clear conditions the fish will eventually feed but usually late in the day, dusk or just after dark so that is something worth considering if you have the available time. That very situation arose on the Wye when I took you to Breinton Graham remember?
Poshpaul (Angling Trust and PaSC)
Moderator
The dusk and after dark issue is a problem on some club waters. The club I'm, in with rights on the Dane, has a clear rule about being off the water at dusk....and given postings on the club website it has been an issue this year with members not so much pushing the envelope as taking the p***!
Given this, and the current good and dry weather this article is well-timed.
I am interested in the use of Stonz. I've been fishing with longer hooklengths this season - after taking on board wise words from the likes of Sean and Lee - would this negate the reason for using the stonz?
Given this, and the current good and dry weather this article is well-timed.
I am interested in the use of Stonz. I've been fishing with longer hooklengths this season - after taking on board wise words from the likes of Sean and Lee - would this negate the reason for using the stonz?
Graham Whatmore
Senior Member
You can always disguise a lead by smearing it with glue and dipping in fine sand, alternatively you can use acrylic paint to disguise it, I have a few that I've done that to. Does it get you more fish, hmmm! not sure about that but I think they would spook on seeing the line rather than a static lump of metal and if Bob Roberts video is anything to go by it makes not a jot of difference.
Stonz stones look very natural in the water but they are a bit pricey especially when you can actually make them yourself.
Stonz stones look very natural in the water but they are a bit pricey especially when you can actually make them yourself.
klik2change
Well-known member
A very thought provoking and interesting article Graham, and well written as always.
I have some disguised leads, and in any case I always use the brown ones, which may be Korda or other makes. However with 4ft hooklengths I doubt it makes that much difference. It's easy to forget the speed at which river fish like barbel and chub live their lives. They are not in the least like carp and tench, patiently chewing the cud on the lake bottom. It's much more necessary to have short hooklengths - and therefore visible rigs in the baited area near the hook - so disguising leads may become more an issue.
Nevertheless there is no reason for NOT disguising leads for river use, except laziness or lack of time, so if I get the opportunity I will paint or dip them all... However there is not much that can be done with feeders is there?
I have some disguised leads, and in any case I always use the brown ones, which may be Korda or other makes. However with 4ft hooklengths I doubt it makes that much difference. It's easy to forget the speed at which river fish like barbel and chub live their lives. They are not in the least like carp and tench, patiently chewing the cud on the lake bottom. It's much more necessary to have short hooklengths - and therefore visible rigs in the baited area near the hook - so disguising leads may become more an issue.
Nevertheless there is no reason for NOT disguising leads for river use, except laziness or lack of time, so if I get the opportunity I will paint or dip them all... However there is not much that can be done with feeders is there?
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Dave Slater
Well-known member
A very interesting article Graham. It has been a very interesting season so far down here. We actually had some colour in the rivers this summer and reasonable rainfall. The fishing was very good. One tactic that worked very well was to drop into swims which had been maggot fished for most of the day for the last couple of hours. Big baits seemed to do the trick. The fish seemed to feed well at dusk and into the night.
For the last few weeks the colour has gone from the rivers and they are gin clear. The fishing has been much harder since this has happened. The few fish I saw caught, and they were very few and far between, came out on pellets but my methods did not work well. The fish have just started to feed well again on my baits and I believe that they have needed a few weeks to get used to the conditions. Interestingly they seem to feed earlier now and, although the last two hours of daylight are the best time the bites seem to stop after dark.
For the last few weeks the colour has gone from the rivers and they are gin clear. The fishing has been much harder since this has happened. The few fish I saw caught, and they were very few and far between, came out on pellets but my methods did not work well. The fish have just started to feed well again on my baits and I believe that they have needed a few weeks to get used to the conditions. Interestingly they seem to feed earlier now and, although the last two hours of daylight are the best time the bites seem to stop after dark.