Water temperatures

[Dave Johnson]

Evening all,
Anyone venture out on the rivers this weekend-apart from you Cooperman who emptied the river-and Mike who sorted the pike from the Ouse-by the way, well done. Four of us were 'well done ' on the Severn on Sunday. The river looked perfect and probably at its normal winter level or lower. We all opted for the roach on caster, bronze maggot and flake on both float and tip and never even had a touch.
I also put out a barbel rig for three hours in my 'feed lane' and never had a touch.
I dare bet the pike would have done well, as the water clarity was as clear as its been for probably four months!
Did anyone else get on the Severn anywhere over the weekend?
Athermometer may have given us some guidance-but I cannot believe it was cold enough to completely kill of ALL sport-any thoughts?

 

[Birds Nest]

I dont know about the Severn, but I had 3 hours on the Dove at Scropton on Saturday.. The water level had dropped to a fishable level, leaving a lovely line of rubble, oil tins empty bottles etc where the high water had been... It was quite pleasent sitiing in the sun, I had a 3lb and a 5lb Chub on Flake and crust... Went to the same spot on sunday, after the frost and had nothing... Well Perhaps I did and blamed the wind... I Dont think it kills all sport I just think you need to think harder about location and presentation in the colder weather... I always go along the lines that deep water is the warmest when cold and the coolest when warm and always worth a try when the Temp has changed dramatically in a short time... Not that it does me any good all the time... B

 

[Dave Johnson]

yes, the general topic of conversation on the way home revolved around the fact that we should have gone all out for chub on the Dove or Blythe. The stretch at Coton-in-the-Clay has produced some good chub this season albeit slightly overpowered on 8lb maxima-but welcome all the same.
Dave

 

[peter webber]

I spent all day yesterday (monday) on the river medway at yalding. Never even had a bite until 3.55 with resulted in my only fish of the day,a 1lb roach.
I even spent an hour with a small plug roving in the hope of a pike or chub. I had a take on the second cast with I missed but other then that nothing.
Today i'm going to the east farleigh stretch of the medway, i'll let you know how I get on or as the case may be....

PETE

 

[James Ayling]

Fished the River Pant onSunday and had 9 Chub on bread and a Trout for 10LB total weight.

Of the 30 people fishing the match at least half of them blanked or had only one fish. Most of the fish caught were trout. Normally at this time of the year the river is running alive with Dace but only a few were caught in the last hour off the top of the water when it had warmed a little.

 

[peter webber]

Well I spent today at east farleigh andup untill about 3pm all I had to show for it was a small dace and a very small roach. Then I hooked what I thought was a large roach but turned out to be my first ever chub over about 12oz ( sad or what?). It whent just under 2 1/2 lbs and made my day

PETE.

 

[Neil Wayte]

Fished friday night on the Lea relief channel with small fish sections for the chub and never had a bite.It was warm up till midnight but around 3.00am the cloud cover lifted and the tempreture went through the floor.Very heavy frost.Fished the river all day with cheese paste and flake and only had one bite.In need at least two bites to catch some thing because the first one always comes as a surprise.Loads of people on the river but only a couple of fish caught including a 5lb carp on Flood and frost paste.
Going back again friday miday untill saturday night so hope fully with the weather being cold all week the chub will have got used to it and will feed.

 

[GrahamM]

Yes, they should be well settled to it now and should be on feed tomorrow, Friday and Saturday, and then it could be barbel time again because I believe it's going to get a lot warmer next week.

 

[Neil Wayte]

There were two out of the Lea on sunday and it was bloody freezing.Both doubles 10lb and 12lb.

 

[DAVE COOPER]

Neil

You wrote "Loads of people on the river but only a couple of fish caught including a 5lb carp on Flood and frost paste."

That's interesting, because I used Frost and Flood for the first time a few weeks ago (and blanked) but I thought then that the flavour seemed more of a carp flavour than a barbel one. Kind of malty. I think I will try it on my local carp water as I bet no-one else is using it.

 

[Neil Wayte]

The old chap who used it did so only because he had run out of Lob worms.Apparently he had tried it before with no luck but in desperation he was lucky.I've not smelt it so I'm not sure if it's malty or not.