River fishing help please

[Another Dave]

How fine is the tip on that telescopic, Ralph? All the ones i've looked at are a bit on the chunky side.

Your wee float sounds good but there are times when you want to freeline or light ledger (see my HDYGO post), which is why i ask.

 

[103841]

A 6 or 7ft light spinning rod would be perfect I would have thought, I’m sure you’ve got one Ralph?

 

[theartist]

If you can see the fish Ralph use as little weight as possible to get the single maggot out to them, 3g is a heck of a lot of weight for small river fishing.

 

[fishplate42]

If you can see the fish Ralph use as little weight as possible to get the single maggot out to them, 3g is a heck of a lot of weight for small river fishing.

My thoughts exactly, but I don't have much in the way of river floats at the moment. All I have are what I have 'acquired' over the past few years in lots or tackle I have been given. I need to invest in a selection of floats, but at the moment I am trying to work with what I have. This little float is the smallest I have so I thought I would give it a go.

I am thinking about using a small pole float, that might work better as they can be cocked with about a tenth of the weight of that little green float I have rigged (?)... Maybe one of these with rubbers top and bottom, like a miniature stick float?

Ralph.

 

[fishplate42]

A 6 or 7ft light spinning rod would be perfect I would have thought, I’m sure you’ve got one Ralph?

Hi John, Yes, I do have a couple of small rods of that size, but even collapsed they will be a real pain manoeuvring through the undergrowth as well as taking more time to re-rig. The beauty of the little telescopic rod is that it will collapse down to about twelve inches long and stay fully rigged. The other thing is, my short rods were expensive and I would hate to break the tip tiring to get through some of the cover that is really thick as no one has fished this stretch of the river in years - if at all. Also this little rod is only 5ft long when fully extended, making it much easier to cast (I hope!) in such an awkward spot.

I will let you know if it is successful - maybe later today.

Ralph.

 

[fishplate42]

How fine is the tip on that telescopic, Ralph? All the ones i've looked at are a bit on the chunky side.

Your wee float sounds good but there are times when you want to freeline or light ledger (see my HDYGO post), which is why i ask.

It is not the finest tip I have ever seen, but that is no bad thing in this situation. The tip ring is huge, but I suppose that is to stop it getting damaged when it is telescoped closed. I will try it as it is, but I may well customise it to suit my needs, by fitting a smaller tip ring and/or softer tip section - we'll see.

I have free-lined in this river in the past but that will usually attract lots of small dace. My set-up is only a starting point I will try it and see how it goes. I am in no rush and I will have fun experimenting. I may well try using a small pole float (like the ones pictured below) but rigged like a small stick float with rubbers top and bottom... Any advice will be welcomed from here! I will post the results of today's session later today.

Ralph.

 

[sam vimes]

I may well try using a small pole float (like the ones pictured below) but rigged like a small stick float with rubbers top and bottom... Any advice will be welcomed from here! I will post the results of today's session later today.

In principle, there's little wrong with using a pole float on a river. However, much depends on the depth and flow rate of the swim you choose. However, my experience is that many people impose unnecessary limitations on their fishing by using floats that are too small and too light. A light float can be difficult to cast and control. Go too light and you'll find that, unless conditions are exceptionally benign, you can do little beyond fishing right under your rod tip.

 

[fishplate42]

In principle, there's little wrong with using a pole float on a river. However, much depends on the depth and flow rate of the swim you choose. However, my experience is that many people impose unnecessary limitations on their fishing by using floats that are too small and too light. A light float can be difficult to cast and control. Go too light and you'll find that, unless conditions are exceptionally benign, you can do little beyond fishing right under your rod tip.

Good point. I am going to try my set-up as in the picture above (post #24) I will not have long this afternoon so I don't intend to muck about trying several rigs. If it does turn out to be too heavy, I have a lighter stick float I have just found (Angling times freebie) and I could swap it for that without too much hassle. Today's session will be about trying the telescopic rod out and if I catch a fish that will be a bonus. It is all a steep learning curve just now, but that is all part of the fun

I need to buy a few river floats - any recommendations? I need some for my local river (more of a stream) and for fishing The Medway, down at my brother's place - see HERE.

Ralph.

 

[sam vimes]

Ralph,
whilst acknowledging that your little river might be a bit different to the becks and small rivers I fish, I can honestly say that I rarely bother to fish with floats of less than three or four bb (1.2/1.6g). For most of my river fishing, I'm using 3 and 4g floats. I want to be able to boss the swim not have how or where I can fish to be dictated to me by the conditions I find. Using a relatively short rod, really light floats and any hint of adverse conditions is going to mean that you'll be dictated to. I suspect that many folks go down the light float route because they want greater sensitivity for small fish. I catch thousands of tiny dace, chub and minnows on 3/4g floats. The only reason I might use a lighter stick float is to alter my presentation, not for any lack of sensitivity.

 

[theartist]

In principle, there's little wrong with using a pole float on a river. However, much depends on the depth and flow rate of the swim you choose. However, my experience is that many people impose unnecessary limitations on their fishing by using floats that are too small and too light. A light float can be difficult to cast and control. Go too light and you'll find that, unless conditions are exceptionally benign, you can do little beyond fishing right under your rod tip.

That is all he needs to do on his local river, they are tiny rivers and at this time of year really intimate, I've been having a bit of fun lately with just a matchstick and a no8, granted a bit extreme and I wouldn't recommend it to a beginner but you can't go too light this time of year on small rivers, I would go to the other perspective that too many experienced anglers fish too heavy in low water conditions

I would give the pole floats a try Ralph on the Pool and get something like a 4 or 6 xno4 float for the Medway, you'll find something like a 4no4 would be versatile enough for both rivers in summer and a good size to have as a base if you're fishing maggot

 

[Another Dave]

Ralph, for a float 9 times out of 10 i just clip one of these on with a sharpened matchstick.



MagiDeal 12Pcs Tear Drop Foam Float Fly Fishing Strike Indicators Accessory: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

They're tiny (20mm long) take about a BB, or nothing at all with a large worm. I like them because i can go from lure fishing or freelining to floatfishing without having to break too much down.

 

[fishplate42]

Ralph, for a float 9 times out of 10 i just clip one of these on with a sharpened matchstick.

View attachment 5405

MagiDeal 12Pcs Tear Drop Foam Float Fly Fishing Strike Indicators Accessory: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

They're tiny (20mm long) take about a BB, or nothing at all with a large worm. I like them because i can go from lure fishing or freelining to floatfishing without having to break too much down.

Those look good, I will get some of those. I have been using a couple of bead float that I got in a lot. They work well for the little stuff, but I only have two of them and did not know where to get any more.

Ralph.

 

[fishplate42]

I made it back to the river for an hour or so yesterday afternoon to try out my new telescopic rod. It worked fine and I managed to catch some fish. Okay it is not the best rod/reel I own, but it does the job for the money spent. The perch were nowhere to be seen but I did catch a lot of small chublet.



There is a bit more about the session and a few more pictures of the venue on my blog HERE. if anyone is interested to see what a river in the heart of South East London can look like.

Ralph.