Change of seasons

[dann]

Perhaps a stupid question but...

As the seasons change, how far are fish likely to move in a river or is it a case of them still being there, just not feeding much and sticking to the deeper water?

The reason for asking is I regularly fish a section of the Thames, in the summer I got to know it quite well and knew which stretches produced certain fish.

As the weather started to change to autumn, the smaller silver fish like bleak and minnows all but disappeared. Even the really sheltered spots that were bankers in the summer seemed empty. At the same time, the perch and pike either moved off or took a dislike to my lures. During this autumn period, I had a good run with roach and chub and again learned a few good spots for them.

A few weeks back when we had a cold wind, the river switched off. It’s like there is nothing there, not even a bite. I have tried every bait known to mankind, on a float, ledgered, in the margins, in the middle, the far bank and anything in-between. I’ve tried all sorts of feeding without a change.

So my question is, would the fish move up or downstream to different stretches of the river or is it likely that they are there but have all had a word and decided to ignore me?

I appreciate there is an element of local knowledge so perhaps not easy to answer on my specific case but I am curious all the same.

 

[theartist]

The Thames always got me like that in winter, think it's a pretty hard river once it starts to actually push through a bit as it's so slow all summer. I used to concentrate more on the smaller tribs once winter came so admire your tenacity mate.

What I guessed is the majority of fish moved to the lock cuts and marinas where it was slower

 

[sam vimes]

The rivers I fish are quite different to the Thames. However, I've little doubt that, where seasonal fish movements are concerned, there will be similarities.

On my rivers, the movements of certain species are particularly obvious. Much depends on the prevailing conditions, but places where I can batter dace out in summer will see them disappear some time in October. They move miles downstream. Fortunately for me, grayling tend to do the same from higher up the river and end up in the places I'd be catching dace in the summer.

Most river species will drop downstream somewhat as winter approaches. However, small stuff like minnows and bleak can all but disappear. Many will still be there somewhere. Being relatively short-lived, plenty will die off.

 

[dann]

Thanks for the feedback gents.

theartist - Not sure about tenacity, I think it's more convenience and tight fistedness :wh I am a member of the club and it's 5 minutes from home. As I have been away a lot for work, I grab the odd 2 hour session when I can fit it in around family stuff and it doesn't make sense to drive somewhere further away and pay for a day ticket for that amount of time.

Interesting that you mention the fish moving downstream, there is a weir slightly upstream of this spot so I wonder if that affects how the fish move?

Either way, I think it is time to either give it a rest or find a new spot for the winter months.

 

[wanderer]

I owned a holiday home right next to the Nene for 14 years and along with my dogs we used to wander the stretch, 1 and a half miles between two locks one side and 3 miles the other with three mill pools and several feeder streams and mill races. I extensively studied the movement of carp through all seasons, they definitely move downstream and occupy any deeper or slack backwater that they can find, before spawning they always want to get as far upstream as they can and this makes them easy to find. The Chub seem to be the exception they seek the fast water at all times, the predators follow the fry downstream, the one complication is an inlet from a sewer stream, the water temp remains relatively warm and holds fish at most times of the year.

 

[maceo]

Hi Dann - I fish a bit further up river from you in Oxfordshire and the characteristics of the river you mention are precisely the same here!

In the summer the river is almost literally jumping with fish, bleak especially and the problem is getting through those.

In the winter, sometimes, there's just little or nothing doing - especially when the water's moving through fast.

One advantage of the winter is there's not nearly so much weed on the bottom, so you can trot through deep.

Fish one or two maggots (which you can't do in the summer for the bleak) on a float and small hook 16 or 18, close to the bank around reeds and under trees. Don't use ground bait.

Don't get tempted to keep changing methods either. Persist with this for a while and eventually you can get some rewards..

 

[Jim Crosskey 2]

Dann

Like Maceo, I live a little upstream from you in Oxfordshire, however I'm going to suggest a slightly different approach - that tackles the same problem (river is jumping with fish up until the late autumn and then they disappear!)

through the winter - if I only had 2 hour sessions at my disposal - I would fish exclusively for chub. A few reasons, as follows:

1) they feed. Lots of other fish just aren't eating like they were a few months ago, whereas chub will always have a nibble, down to the coldest or most flooded conditions you can find.

2) They will be present. I'm imagining that your near Reading somewhere? I can pretty much guarantee that in any half-mile or so stretch of the thames round there, there will be a really good chub swim - if not three or four. Chub like a feature - overhanging bush, a raft, a gap between two far bank trees. Also anywhere the pace of the river changes or two different levels of flow meet - always worth a go. My biggest piece of advice around this is the spots that are hot for chub in winter are most likely places you couldn't get a bite in during the summer, so keep an open mind. My best winter chub swim is adjacent to an island in the river. During the summer, the flow is so low that the water doesn't really move round the island at all. Come winter, it pushes past one side like a raging torrent and on the other in a much more gentle fashion. The fish prefer the gentle side and are lined up under the far bank trees on that side of the island.

3) Bait can be very simple and kept in the freezer. I use cheesepaste (hook) and liquidised bread (feeder). Each thing needs a 30 second blast on the "defrost" setting on the microwave to be ready to fish. So my whole preparation time in terms of deciding I'm going to go fishing can be sorted in about ten minutes. Like you, I have family commitments and sometimes you really don't know that you're going to be able to get to the river until the last minute, so just being able to grab everything and make that quick exit is often the difference between going or not.

4) When possible, I would always go for the two hours before dark - so at this time of year, that means getting on the bank at about 3.30 or 4.00pm. I'll then have two or maybe three swims that I can rotate through (though if I'm happy that my best chance of a fish is in the swim I'm in, i'll stay put).

 

[dann]

Thanks Jim. Some good advice.

There are some great looking chub swims, they are all on the opposite bank

In all honesty, I have been back to the section of river I mention above twice since the post. One where I managed 25 odd roach, dace and small perch and the other where I couldn't buy a bite.

I've been spending more time on the canal recently, it's been a bit more predictable for short sessions.

The section of the river is near Pangbourne. A beautiful place to be, fishing or just walking the dog and spending time. I'll be back in the summer for sure.