Small river tatics

[mvwales]

I am going to be fishing a small fast flowing river, that contains dace, roach and chub. I'll be fishing just up from where the small tributry river flows into a big river so the river at that point will be slightly deeper and wider unlike futher up where the river will be fast and shallow.
I am thinking of using one of my lighter tips on my Avon quiver fishing a maggot feeder.

Any other methods, tactics or adive would be great.

 

[greenie62]

Liquidised bread feeder, flake on the hook, OR
Link-ledger paste on hook - if the maggies don't work!
Tight Lines!

 

[theartist]

Be mobile and ready to move, some swims could hold nothing this time of year whereas some will be choc full of fish, maggot will be more selective and give you a better picture first time out. Dace are shoaling up right now usually near some rapids so don't let the pacy swims put you off, plus they are great fun in the fast water.

Oh and let us know how you get on

 

[no-one in particular]

I bit of stealth and keeping low may be in order especially if the waters clear and no stomping along the bank. I fish one or two small streams and I find I have to be a bit more careful in this regard than on a big river. And if you catch a few fish they may spook more easily so, a move of swim more often is sometimes required. especially chub, one fish may spook the swim for a while. I would tend not too use a feeder; sometimes it doesn't matter but, splashing a feeder into the water may spook the fish a bit on occasions especially a small river. , something quieter, a float or light ledger, with a few small handfuls of bait very now and then. If the rivers not wide, it may be better than a feeder.
Of course, not knowing the river you want to fish MW, that may not be good advice and the bit your fishing may be quite wide. But light and easy are sometimes better on small streams.

 

[edsurf]

I fish a small mill stream for roach , dace and chub and use trotting tactics with a small Avon rod, it allows me to explore lots of swims you cannot cast into and keeping mobile lets you see more of the river, as above stealth is the name of the game.

 

[pf0x]

Agreed. Lots of difference tactics to try (the beauty of fishing). Nothing wrong with your suggestion. I'd spend a few hours or sessions trotting maggots on a float in various swims to try and get an idea of what is there.

Can't beat a little cage feeder with liquidised bread and flake on the hook if you want the static approach.

I've never done well just sitting in one swim on small rivers. Instead I've found roving is best.

A single slug/lobworm/bread flake or cheese paste cast under a bush or tree. Waiting 20 minutes then moving. Even coming back to a swim at the end of the day to try again etc.

 

[Judas Priest]

Lobworms are the bait par excellence in this situation. Small ruck bag or waistcoat, 1 rodrest strapped to the landing net by a couple of hair bobbles and off you go. No chair as a unhooking mat serves the purpose and you can walk and explore miles in a day

 

[russell_bush]

But no kettle Mr J.P ? Vital, as you well know...

 

[no-one in particular]

Lobworms are the bait par excellence in this situation. Small ruck bag or waistcoat, 1 rodrest strapped to the landing net by a couple of hair bobbles and off you go. No chair as a unhooking mat serves the purpose and you can walk and explore miles in a day

I must admit, I am partial to a chair in all fishing situations. I found a small one by fish sense. Its a bit bigger than a child's size stool with an all important back rest and it folds up quite small. I can get down on a hooking mat, the problem is getting up again. Poor old sod.

 

[symonh2000]

Float fished Maggots with either a loafer or avon float is how I would tackle it. Or on another day I would be tempted to take a light spinning outfit.

 

[no-one in particular]

I had a book called "Small Stream Fishing" by David Carl Forbes once, it was written in the 60's or 70,s I think. It was a good book but, I sold it on. I see its available on Amazon etc. A bit old but, some good tips in it. I think its a bit of a collectors piece..

 

[Keith M]

When I fish a new stretch of stream and I am unsure of what fish are in it I usually take some fresh bread, a few maggots and some lively redworm and maybe a few small 3mm halibut or crab pellets.
I travel light with all my bits and pieces in my waistcoat pockets or in a small shoulder bag.

I sit and watch for signs of fish while lobbing in a few small pieces of crust and flake onto the surface and watching it wash downstream for around half an hour.

If I don't see any fish surfacing I will feed a few maggots and alternate with maggots and small redworm on the hook and trot through the swim, or use a small link leger, concentrating on features like weed rafts, the insides of bends, and any deeper runs.

What I don't do is just sit and watch a tip for ages, if something isn't working then I'm constantly trying something different and changing swims; keeping very quiet and low.

Keith (BoldBear)

 

[tincatim]

I think it must be a confidence thing but whenever I tackle any new stretch of river I always start of my trotting through with maggots. The humble grub can catch anything that swims plus it enables me to map out the depths and contours of the bottom.

As others have said it's not the only tactic that works and I've had some success with the maggot feeder and legered meat and bread.

 

[dorsetandchub]

Used to fish the Blackwater in Camberley / Bracknell and did ok using a shorter float rod, 10ft, and a tiny Drennan mini stick (about four inches long and taking 2 x no 4) tooled with a closed face reel.

Maggots were nearly always sufficient and, as others have said, I used to rove and keep low.

From a water even I could (probably) jump across in places, I had some terrific chub (up to 4lb plus) and big gudgeon and a few nice roach.

I found it very helpful to also walk the water as I ended up spotting bream and some sizeable barbel that one would never have suspected were in there.

Best of luck with it, I find small stream fishing one of the most enjoyable aspects of the sport and I miss the Blackwater dreadfully. I think you might have kick started me into going back for a couple of sessions....

 

[mvwales]

OK report I trotted with a loafer float kept feeding small amounts of maggots every few seconds. No fish at first kept trying new swims found a long glide and caught 2 brownies, 2 chub to about a lb and 7 dace all in all.

 

[pf0x]

OK report I trotted with a loafer float kept feeding small amounts of maggots every few seconds. No fish at first kept trying new swims found a long glide and caught 2 brownies, 2 chub to about a lb and 7 dace all in all.

Thanks for the update. I've found small rivers very hit and miss. i.e. one week the fish are in one area but the next week you have a complete blank.

It's nice to catch anything this time of year.