Low river - brown algae

The chronic shortage of rain seems to be having another effect on my local rivers. Fished the Stour yesterday; a below winter level flow but all of a sudden the bottom is covered in a brown algal sludge.

The light rain this morning won't do much, just hope it pours for the next month.

The hard frosts and stale conditions are making the fish increasingly hard to find too.

What state are your rivers in?

I fished the Idle yesterday mark and blanked. It was pulling off ok and was no clearer than usual.

I cant understand it, ok it was very cold, but I fished the same peg two weeks ago when it was even colder and stood still and still had a few. It was one of those funny days when you cant explain why but you just sense your not going to catch before you even start. even so I gave it my best shot for four hours without even a sucked maggot.

Beecy,

Having had one modest roach on the fine gear last week, I went for broke with flake on a size 4. One good bite, hooked it and lost it in a sunken reed bed, a good chub by the look of it. Still, after the -6 frost it had warmed up and was pleasant out in the sunshine.

according to local papers the Lee has stopped flowing for the first time that anyone can recall !