Now the floods have subsided

I,ve had a couple of trips out this week on my favourite river and tho things look normal its fishing is a little differant to this time last year.
It,s going to be fascinating as usual working it all out to come to some realistic conclusion in order to revise - if nescassary - tackle/ technique and general approach for some days that were equel to some I had last year.
Anyone else noticed a change on the rivers they fish and if so what, if any changes do you plan to make?.

I’m a little out of touch just returning from holiday. Although I tend to keep an eye on my local rivers I normally don’t start fishing them in earnest until the back end of September when I’ve got the tincas and crucians out of my system.
Jerry

Had my first session on the Don yesterday. Only a shortish visit of around 3 1/2 - 4 hours and not at an ideal time starting at around 10am. As I was tackling up another angler walked past and we chatted for a bit. He said he`d had some nice fish recently, talked a bit about baits and then wandered off in the direction of the weir pool.

I started off rolling meat through the swim but the current was too strong and the area the bait washed into was very snaggy meaning that I was constantly having to tie up new rigs. A switch to my heaviest lead only slowed the procedure and as I was becoming frustrated I wandered up to have a chat with the guy at the weirpool.

Upon arriving I saw he had a fish in the weighing sling, just about to be returned to the water. I only caught a quick glimpse of the fish and I automatically thought from its long lean shape that it was a barbel. "Nice fish" I said, "it`s a pike" he replied "Caught it on a halibut pellet!"

It proved to be an excellent conversation starter and I must have chatted with him for at least 45 minutes, maybe even an hour. Really nice bloke, told me what he was doing, the areas he was fishing and why he was fishing those areas, told me quite a bit about the other features of the swim, including where to find the bream. Also gave me a 2oz grippa lead when I explained the problems I was having.

Returned to my swim and fished a static bait at the edge of a crease. Had a couple of interested knocks but nothing materialised by the end of the session.

flightliner said:

Anyone else noticed a change on the rivers they fish and if so what, if any changes do you plan to make?.

Click to expand...

Another blank, so no change there mg:

I don`t know that stretch of river very well so it`s difficult to say whether it`s changed from last season. Certainly the weather we`ve had and are having is considerably different to last year so it makes sense that the rivers will be fishing a little differently.

My local rivers have seen up to three or more big Summer floods throughout June to early July. Definitely resulted in higher levels (obviously) and a lot more flow. Those early floods and a week or so after saw the Barbel feed very well. The amount of rubbish that has already been swept through has improved the general river condition greatly, lots of nice clean gravel but still huge amounts of good looking weed and massive banks of Reed Mace/Rushes.

Those levels have now disappeared, the flow is still stronger than in past years, and the rivers still look very good. But the fishing has now turned much harder as the level drops inch by inch back towards what has been normal Summer levels. The bank side vegetation has grown much more rigorously making quite a few usual swims/areas much more of jungle.

The Barbel that were happy to feed in earnest during the day (but in good flows and reasonably coloured water) are now retreating to their normal nocturnal habits (or is it the anglers reverting to type?).

My observances, and my reason for this post is that on my bit of river I have been using hemp n tare for roach. Last season the roach were in abundance and some really good catches were made by myself and a friend. This year -- tho only on the two trips made-- it appears that the roach are much less numerous tho the size and quality are are much better.
I know I could have many more fish using baits like maggotts (great in wintertime but not high summer and not selective enough) but the fish are much to small and are more of a niusance, nipping the end of the bait with nothing to show other than the odd two to four inch fish. My trips have turned up fish that altho very nice are proving very difficult to pin down, not taking in a hot spot in the swim but anywhere near, further down ,in , or further out, which is frustrating when I know just how good it has been in years previous.
I have one or two thoughts on what I am going to try next,.
Great sorting it all out tho-- its the ultimate game of angling chess.