I discovered a shoal of roach and chub at about 2 o'clock this afternoon whilst stalking so I waited till they left the swim before chucking in a few balls of chessepaste and lowering my bait in but when they returned all they did was cruise around in circles and ignore my bait. They didn't even attempt to eat the freebies but they also didn't appear in the slightest bit spooked. I also try worms and maggots in a feeder but apart from the odd unhittable tap on the tip I didn't get a sniff from them. Is this likely to just be the time of the day meant that they weren't in the mood to feed and is there any way to try to induce a bite in these circumstances? One of the Roach was by far the biggest one I've ever seen and the a couple of the chub were clonkers to so I was more than a bit frustrated when they swam round oblivious to my bait!
Inducing a bite from Chub and Roach
- Thread starter ByNasty
- Start date
R
Rodney Wrestt
Guest
Hi ByNasty,
perhapse these fish were corralled there by a predator rather than shoaling by choice, I know you said they weren't spooked but if a pike or two are sitting just off the shoal they won't look spooked till the striking starts, perhaps your presence was enough to delay the attack?
perhapse these fish were corralled there by a predator rather than shoaling by choice, I know you said they weren't spooked but if a pike or two are sitting just off the shoal they won't look spooked till the striking starts, perhaps your presence was enough to delay the attack?
Mark Wintle
Well-known member
It could be down to light levels. At dusk/into dark may be your best/only bet. Try reading this to see if it helps?
http://www.fishingmagic.com/news/article/mps/UAN/3280/V/5/SP/
With big roach it can take a long time to persuade them to feed anyway. For the chub it might be worth trying the pellet/boilie approach?
http://www.fishingmagic.com/news/article/mps/UAN/3280/V/5/SP/
With big roach it can take a long time to persuade them to feed anyway. For the chub it might be worth trying the pellet/boilie approach?
R
Ron 'The Hat' Clay
Guest
If the chub have not been spooked, try chucking them a big black slug. I they don't take it give it a twitch and prepare for an almighty pull.
Mark is spot on. Big roach will generally start coming on feed as the sun falls beyond the horizon. There is a critical time if the sun is shining when the direct rays of the sun cease to penetrate the water. This is an angle of 10 degrees which is the angle of refraction between water and air.
During overcast days, big roach will often feed all day.
Mark is spot on. Big roach will generally start coming on feed as the sun falls beyond the horizon. There is a critical time if the sun is shining when the direct rays of the sun cease to penetrate the water. This is an angle of 10 degrees which is the angle of refraction between water and air.
During overcast days, big roach will often feed all day.
I'm fairly certain there wasn't any big pike around because I could see into the water quite clearly and the fish were quite casually cruising in and out of the swim up and down the deeper channel that runs along the edge of the island I was standing on.
Mark and Ron pretty much confirmed my suspicions in that the fish had stopped feeding due to the light, the mist had burned off by the time I found them and with the water clarity being as it was it is most likely just poor conditions. I had already had one chub at about 7:45am while it was still misty and dull.
Mark, I've tried halibut pellets there with soaked pellets in a feeder before but didn't have any joy on them. Cos I'm covering about a mile and half of river I tend to fish single baits or a minimum of free offerings.
Ron, by that stage of the day I couldn't see any slugs around but I did try worms which, apart from getting anihilated by the minnows, went completely ignored.
Mark and Ron pretty much confirmed my suspicions in that the fish had stopped feeding due to the light, the mist had burned off by the time I found them and with the water clarity being as it was it is most likely just poor conditions. I had already had one chub at about 7:45am while it was still misty and dull.
Mark, I've tried halibut pellets there with soaked pellets in a feeder before but didn't have any joy on them. Cos I'm covering about a mile and half of river I tend to fish single baits or a minimum of free offerings.
Ron, by that stage of the day I couldn't see any slugs around but I did try worms which, apart from getting anihilated by the minnows, went completely ignored.
Matt Brown
Member
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Have you checked their reaction to Hemp or Hemp and Caster?
Try throwing in 1 piece of Hemp or a single Caster in at a time and keep it going in making sure the fish can't see you. Kepp bait dropping through the water.
I've found that disinterested fish will often ignore bait lying on the bottom but will often have the odd go at small baits dropping through the water.
If you get them going you can start to put in more bait, but be patient. Ideally you want them feeding to the point where they're actively looking for anything edible, including bait from the bottom.
Caster and Hemp are also quite dark in colour and can spook fish lees than larger of brighter coloured baits.
Sometimes it might take 2 or 3 hours to get them going but it's often worth it.
Try throwing in 1 piece of Hemp or a single Caster in at a time and keep it going in making sure the fish can't see you. Kepp bait dropping through the water.
I've found that disinterested fish will often ignore bait lying on the bottom but will often have the odd go at small baits dropping through the water.
If you get them going you can start to put in more bait, but be patient. Ideally you want them feeding to the point where they're actively looking for anything edible, including bait from the bottom.
Caster and Hemp are also quite dark in colour and can spook fish lees than larger of brighter coloured baits.
Sometimes it might take 2 or 3 hours to get them going but it's often worth it.