How do you start on a river ?

[bennygesserit]

I first started out as a kid fishing the river Severn , we had a caravan in Bridgnorth so I fished it up to about the age of 12 , biggest fish a four pound barbel caught on meat held on with a piece of grass attached to a swim feeder full of maggots.

I remember it being wonderful fishing with the Old Man underneath the Severn Valley railway.

Now having fished numerous commercials and canals and becoming "all carped out" my son and I have decided to give the rivers a go , but where do you start ? We are prepared to blank , possibly , the first couple of times but what venues and tactics would people recommend to start with and maintain our interest ?

I think perhaps a prolific day ticket water and probably fishing a feeder stuffed with hemp and a hair rigged trout pellet or worm - what do you think ?

We are in the Midlands prepared to spend some time driving

 

[dezza]

I have fished both the Severn and the Trent so I might be able to help.

I would strongly advise that you get hold of a good book on river fishing. Probably the best I have seen is "Quest for Barbel" by Tony Miles and Trefor West. Yes I realise it's a barbel book but it contains much river angling lore. Trefor West is a river genius.

The best way of tackling any river you have not fished before is to spend some time - no, lots of time - looking at the river and walking its banks. There you will be able to spot eddies, creases, glides, rafts, bends and many other fish holding features.

But get yourself a good book first!

 

[bennygesserit]

I have fished both the Severn and the Trent so I might be able to help.

I would strongly advise that you get hold of a good book on river fishing. Probably the best I have seen is "Quest for Barbel" by Tony Miles and Trefor West. Yes I realise it's a barbel book but it contains much river angling lore. Trefor West is a river genius.

The best way of tackling any river you have not fished before is to spend some time - no, lots of time - looking at the river and walking its banks. There you will be able to spot eddies, creases, glides, rafts, bends and many other fish holding features.

But get yourself a good book first!

That is a good idea Ron - thanks , whether I can spend a great deal of time on a day ticket walking the bank - I don't know , but we are determined to be more relaxed about catching i.e. not be in a commercial frame of mind.

 

[chav professor]

I was trying to remember how I started (or re-started if you know what I mean, as an adult that had just passed adolescence)... I have always been restless in nature, so even though I would fish maggots I would fish a swim, fish for bites and as soon as they dried up, moved on till I found another swim with some fish in it. So, for me it was a float rod, maggots and mobility.

I did learn a lot about the river and certainly learnt about why fish liked certain parts of the river at certain times of the year.

BTW, Ron's advice sound superb, I have not read the Trefor West book - I went down the Tony Miles route - It helped me to put into context what I was learning and taught me the basics that lead to a passion for Chub fishing!

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Benny,

the best possible advice I could offer would be to read the really excellent articles on here by Dave Slater, if they are still available.

He is a fabulous river angler, he thinks his problems through and is free with his advice too.

Alternatively I go with the Tony Miles route.

 

[peter crabtree]

IMHO The ONLY way to learn river fishing is get on the banks and have a go..

 

[chub_on_the_block]

To me river fishing is about recognising features or good swims, spending time locating them and recognising how these change under different conditions or with the seasons. Altogether a far more interesting job than fishing your average lake.

 

[Specihunter]

Feeder fishing is a good way to go, but mix up your baits as the fish might spook to pellets/boillies so carry some maggots or casters. Also experiment with your groundbait and see what works on the stretch of the river.

 

[barbelboi]

To me river fishing is about recognising features or good swims, spending time locating them and recognising how these change under different conditions or with the seasons. Altogether a far more interesting job than fishing your average lake.

Yep, you can never spend too much time on a river - learning the topography when it's low and clear will stand you well when the water is high and carrying colour. And as Ron says - you can learn a lot by reading some of the better books - after all these are very experienced anglers that have put the time in and are sharing their many years of knowledge gathering .
Jerry

 

[bennygesserit]

Benny,

the best possible advice I could offer would be to read the really excellent articles on here by Dave Slater, if they are still available.

He is a fabulous river angler, he thinks his problems through and is free with his advice too.

Alternatively I go with the Tony Miles route.

Thanks Dave's articles are still on here I will certainly read them !
I just know though I will get a lot of theory and then sit at the river bank and suddenly not have a clue , but I am going to give it a go anyway.

 

[Sean Meeghan]

Get yourself a BAA book, a few pints of maggots, a feeder rod and explore. The river Severn between Bridgenorth and Bewdley is a river fisher's paradise and there are miles of river to try. Talk to people on the bank, try the obvious swims and have fun.

I'll PM you some places to try.

 

[bennygesserit]

Get yourself a BAA book, a few pints of maggots, a feeder rod and explore. The river Severn between Bridgenorth and Bewdley is a river fisher's paradise and there are miles of river to try. Talk to people on the bank, try the obvious swims and have fun.

I'll PM you some places to try.

cheers Sean :thumbs:

 

[chav professor]

Go to the same hole in which I caught my Chub, where, in most hot dayes you will find a dozen or twenty Chevens floating near the top of the water, get two or three Grashoppers as you go over the meadow, and get secretly behind the tree, and stand as free from motion as is possible, then put a Grashopper on your hook, and let your hook hang a quarter of a yard short of the water, to which end you must rest your rod on some bough of the tree, and it is likely the Chubs will sink down towards the bottom of the water at the shadow of your Rod (for a Chub is the fearfullest of fishes,) and will do so if but a bird flies over him, and makes the least shadow on the water: but they will presently rise up to the top again, and there lie soaring till some shadow affrights them again: when they lie upon the top of the water, look out the best Chub, which you setting your self in a fit place, may very easily see, and move your Rod as softly as a Snail moves, to that Chub you intend to catch; let your bait fall gently upon the water three or four inches before him, and he will infallibly take the bait, and you will be as sure to catch him: for he is one of the leathermouth’d Fishes, of which a hook does scarce ever lose his hold: and therefore give him play enough before you offer to take him out of the water. Go your way presently, take my Rod, and do as I bid you, and I will sit down and mend my tackling till you return back.
Issak Walton.

5lb10oz

BTW -whilst I recommend a copy of the 'Complete Angler' in every fisherman's collection, whilst nice to quote from - its not the easiest read......

 

[Sean Meeghan]

I will sit down and mend my tackling till you return back.
Issak Walton.

Careful Christian you can get arrested for that now-a-days.

 

[chav professor]

I am happy to say that when i was learning and wanted as much information as possible, i used to buy as many fishing mags as possible, of course, the very excellent (and personal fave) Course Fisherman, Improve your coarse fishing and either one of the weeklies.

Usually good articles to get you thinking about an approach to a problem. I picked up a lot about shotting patterns for floats, etc..... (could buy Billy Lanes 'encyclopedia of float fishing' second hand for a few quid - its superb!!!!)

I now don't really bother much for mags, but occasionally buy Coarse fishing today if something catches my eye.

Just thought of another book you should get Archie Braddocks FANTASTIC FEEDER FISHING....... THIS WILL TRANSFORM YOUR FISHING IN AT LEAST HALF A DOZEN WAYS!!!!!!

 

[frederico]

hi,
Everyone seems to be recommending feeder fishing, but why not try trotting a float (especially a stick)? I began my river fishing 2 years ago when I was 13 fishing the feeder on the wharfe at wetherby which has been fishing appallingly recently but it is getting better, however when you caught a fish the sense of satisfaction was so much greater, but catching fish on the float from a hard Yorkshire river on a frosty winters day is one of the most satisfying feeling there is. I remember the first fish that I caught on the float- a grayling of about a pound,it was on an icy day in November and just as I hooked the fish it began to snow, even though I couldn't feel my hands or feet I was absolutely eustatic. Even though I have caught many fish bigger and stronger then that I will still class that fish as the fish I was the most pleased about catching. So,why not have a go on the float...

 

[barbelboi]

Hi Fredico, I believe that you’ll find that there are many on the forum that fish rivers and also use many different methods to catch fish – IMO some will always be more appropriate to a given river on a given day. Personally I love trotting, also stret pegging, meat rolling, free lining, ledger/feeder etc., although none will always be the best, or even the most enjoyable, all of the time.
Jerry
PS Being in Yorkshire anywhere on a frosty winter’s day would certainly not be one of my most satisfying feelings

 

[maceo]

I was a bit sniffy about legering previously. I considered it A) way too splashy and noisy and B) too slow and too much waiting around doing nothing.

However, I've been pretty much forced to use the feeder and the bomb on the river so far this season because of the strong flow there is after all the rain. It's OK I suppose. Better than I was expecting and I think I probably caught, on average, a better stamp of fish than normally on the float. The splashing from the feeder or weight crashing in doesn't seem to frighten them away for some reason.

I'll probably use it more this season depending on the conditions. Looking back I think I probably stuck on the float out of pig headedness sometimes and it might have cost me some catching.

Even so, like Frederico I still much prefer the float. Most of all I miss feeling the immediate pull of the fish on the strike - the weight of the lead or feeder really deadens things down on the heavier rig. The float will be my first choice whenever I can get away with it.

 

[bennygesserit]

I am happy to say that when i was learning and wanted as much information as possible, i used to buy as many fishing mags as possible, of course, the very excellent (and personal fave) Course Fisherman, Improve your coarse fishing and either one of the weeklies.

Usually good articles to get you thinking about an approach to a problem. I picked up a lot about shotting patterns for floats, etc..... (could buy Billy Lanes 'encyclopedia of float fishing' second hand for a few quid - its superb!!!!)

I now don't really bother much for mags, but occasionally buy Coarse fishing today if something catches my eye.

Just thought of another book you should get Archie Braddocks FANTASTIC FEEDER FISHING....... THIS WILL TRANSFORM YOUR FISHING IN AT LEAST HALF A DOZEN WAYS!!!!!!

Chav most of the magazines I have read talk about commercials or carping , so thanks for the title mate.

---------- Post added at 18:18 ---------- Previous post was at 18:17 ----------

Btw , chav , is that how you caught that lovely fish ? With a grasshopper ?

 

[chav professor]

Chav most of the magazines I have read talk about commercials or carping , so thanks for the title mate.

---------- Post added at 18:18 ---------- Previous post was at 18:17 ----------

Btw , chav , is that how you caught that lovely fish ? With a grasshopper ?

A snail!!!