Coloured Rivers

[Mark bullock]

I have recently been fishing the river Stour in Kent. After all this rain the river is now high and very coloured although still fishable. Catches have tailed off dramatically.
Any ideas on how to improve them. Lives usually outfish deads 10-1.
I thought of using the predator "Ultrabite". Any experiences? Whats the best way to apply it.
Thanks Mark

 

[stuart palfrey]

I fished the wye last week it was up and coloured did not get a sniff on lives but had one on sardine and one on whiting.Normally lives would out fish deads , from my experience lives lose there effectivness the more colour in the water . It has been a frustrating start to my river campaign.Try injecting oils into your deads it might help pike to find them.

 

[Phil Heaton]

I have found that a trotted deadbait, usually a smelly or oily one scores better in coloured water conditions. By holding it back (slower than the flow) the scent still goes ahead and alerts any pike that a food source is coming.
Last weekend on a highly coloured north Lincolnshire drain the only fish caught were when trotting through swims around bridges, everyone else was fishing static and blanked, at least up to me packing up.

 

[Dave Silvers]

Phil - highly coloured N.Lincs drain, wouldn't have been around the Belton/Isle of Axehome area would it.

 

[Chris Bishop]

I think most of the drains in Lincs were coloured up last week. I fished a couple and they were hammering through and tea-coloured.

I wouldn't worry what they look like up there, the fish seem to feedv in conditions you'd write off on "normal" rivers.

 

[Phil Heaton]

Dave, 3 rivers, trotted off bridge on nearest drain to keadby.

 

[Dave Silvers]

Thanx Phil, I'll look that one up.
Usually fish R.Torne where the drain joins it at Belton.
Hope to be there Sat. weather and DIY/decorating projects permitting.

 

[Phil Heaton]

Is that up the cart track from Belton just over the concrete bridge to the left, then back downstream 15 yards or so, where the Engine drain cuts through?
Have you tried further upstream on the slight bend (about 3/4 of the way up to the next roadbridge), I seem to do ok there also.
Downstream of Belton just at the end of the trees / bushes that runs along the centre of the Torne and Engine drain, in the Engine drain is a small feeder stream, then 20 yards below that a bush on the far bank, that area always seem to produce well. The biggest we have had from there being just under 14lb, not bad for a 2'6" deep and 8' wide drain.
We only go Sundays due to manacles on tesco trolley's on Saturdays, still good time to pick up baits on fish counter.

 

[Chris Bishop]

It's mental some of the fish that come from these tiny drains. Most of the Fen 30s in recent seasons have come from little land drains.

Wish I could get my head round fishing them - I seem to scare them off or just catch jacks....!

 

[Dave Silvers]

"Is that up the cart track from Belton just over the concrete bridge to the left, then back downstream 15 yards or so, where the Engine drain cuts through?"

Thats the spot exactly Phil.

Looks like we'll have to carve it up, I'll take Saturdays whilst you're shopping, You can take Sundays whilst I,m earning brownie points taking the wife to a garden centre.

The only time I've seen a baliff there is on a Sunday. )

I,ve tried some of the downstream spots but have always done better in the pool on the drain, just luck I suppose.

Chris B you must be spoilt for choice down in the real fens.

 

[Dave Silvers]

Went to Belton again today. Arrived at first light to find someone else in 'the' spot. I was just going to explain to the guy that I'd been up since 6 'o'clock, skipped breakfast and driven 45 miles to fish that peg and what the bloody hell did he think he was doing there anyway.
But then I decided that he'd got as much right as me to be there and thought I,d try the downstream peg/after the last bush/ by the feeder stream, that Phil mentioned, but looking at the quagmire I had to pass through to get to it I thiught better of it and went to find Three Rivers.
It's a great looking spot that appears to be full of potential, but with the wind increasing all day and blowing against the flow I'd have been better of with a wet suit and a surfboard, needless to say, I blanked.
Anybody else have a 'good' days fishing today.