Worth fishing a rising river with snow melt?

[Paul Neate]

My local river is starting to rise (slowly) as the past week's snow begins to melt.

Is it worth fishing under these conditions (air temperature still only 2 degrees above freezing)? Or give it a couple of days to settle down?

 

[john r stockburn]

My local river is starting to rise (slowly) as the past week's snow begins to melt.

Is it worth fishing under these conditions (air temperature still only 2 degrees above freezing)? Or give it a couple of days to settle down?

personally I would not bother, snow melt water with cold air temperature means stay at home

 

[peter crabtree]

No harm in trying.

I'd be looking for slack water on bends and margins.

 

[ian g]

If it was December I would say no , as it's almost the close season I would say yes . That was my logic yesterday ..........................I blanked

 

[binka]

I think it's very subjective to the river, depending on what is around it.

If you're in or downstream of an urban sprawl or major road network then there will be salt and all manner of other nasties coming down, I reckon those things figure more than the water temperature but if you're lucky enough to not be too affected then it's got to be worth a go, especially if you've got fish such as grayling and chub in there.

At the end of the day if the fish are hungry, and there's food around, they're gonna eat it by my reckoning.

 

[tigger]

If the water isn't too coloured then the grayling should still be playing.

 

[keora]

My local river is starting to rise (slowly) as the past week's snow begins to melt.

Is it worth fishing under these conditions (air temperature still only 2 degrees above freezing)? Or give it a couple of days to settle down?

I imagine the water will quickly become discoloured as snow water flows into the river, and the temperature will be very low. It possibly might be fishable for chub or pike. As you've put your question on the fly fishing section, I assume you will be fly fishing. Has the trout season opened where you live? If not, you could try grayling fishing, although at this time of the year grayling fishing is winding down.

 

[Tee-Cee]

The only experience of this type of fishing was on the Ouse at St Neots many years ago, although other stretches on the same river could produce the odd, and sometimes very good, fish, particularly where a side stream entered the main river. Generally speaking, it didn't pay to fish the main river when rising but snow on the ground (thus low temps) didn't seem to matter...
Not to say the fishing was prolific in any shape or form and maybe I did it purely to be by water (not to mention coming from London by train and not knowing what sort of river I would find!) but as far as I was concerned, if I wasn't by water I would never know what might be on offer! (Lob worms the best bet at such times, 'laying on' in a deepish slack IMHO)

Perhaps it comes down to 'need and desire' but a lot, lot better than sitting at home thinking about going in my book, even if it results in a blank! Live and learn, sort of thing....

Give it a go is my suggestion and even if you are only moderately successful those fish will be very, very special because of the effort made. I will make this same effort come the weeks end knowing only too well that a single fish (or blank!) will be my reward!