Whats your favourite swim feature?

[chub_on_the_block]

Overhanging tree on far bank..deep pool below a riffle...fishing next to lily pads at close range ...long-range casting to an island or gravel bar...fishing where two rivers meet..casting up to moored boats or from a boat ...the list is endless

But what is the most enjoyable feature to fish?

For me i think it would be a deep pool with some overhanging trees, probably at a bend in a river, where i could trot or ledger for roach, chub barbel or river bream. Preferably never fished, remote from noisy roads etc and difficult to find.

[kidfisher]

you cantgo wrong with the margins easy and lovely to fish
KF

[sam vimes]

After careful consideration I've come to the conclusion that it's probably water. However, that's only because I suspect that a few tons of hungry fish would probably be an inadmissable answer.

[Simon K]

Originally Posted by kidfisher

you cantgo wrong with the margins easy and lovely to fish
KF

Agreed.

[flightliner]

I have a swim on the swale, it has a distinct hump at the end of it and by holding back a float as it approaches it in order to lift the bait then letting go to allow it to drop on its far side I can usually tempt a chub or two that are holding behind it-- fishing magic!!

[chub_on_the_block]

Originally Posted by flightliner

I have a swim on the swale, it has a distinct hump at the end of it and by holding back a float as it approaches it in order to lift the bait then letting go to allow it to drop on its far side I can usually tempt a chub or two that are holding behind it-- fishing magic!!

That sounds like my sort of river...pity it must be nearly 200 miles away!

[Sean Meeghan]

Made me think this! My favourite feature is a negative image of Flightliners - a fast gravelly shallow with a depression or scour at some point. Hold the float back hard until it reaches the scour then let it run at river speed. Deadly for grayling.

I can think of three such swims, one on the Aire, one on the Wharfe and one on the Calder. Roll on Winter!

[chub_on_the_block]

The one swim i get nostalgic about sometimes (now living too distant from it, the feature of interest now being gone and the rights to fish now being syndicated!) was on the Thames at Romney Island Windsor. The river here is about 60-70yds wide, 8 ft deep, with overhanging trees on far bank (Eton college grounds no less). Theres a a bay or two, several weirpools, etc but one swim had a fallen old dead tree in the water at the far bank lying pointing downstream..probably in about 8ft of water. It was a long range feeder swim, and the closer you could get to the tree the higher were the chances of chub, barbel bream and good roach. If you landed within a yard or two, the sense of anticipation was often as priceless as the result.

I should emphasise that this swim information is at least 25 years out of date, but I'm sure theres some out there who would remember it.

it is why i am chub-on-the-block!..."Any Luck mate?..".."couple of chub on the block" (you could also trot near in for roach on hemp/caster/tares)

[Ric Elwin]

On rivers where you have a long deep stretch: The faster, shallower water at the start or end of the stretch. Most anglers will go for the steady water towards the middle of the deep stretch but 4 years flyfishing on rivers taught me that this is usually not the best place.

[watatoad]

Fish of the species I am after at that time.