The fish are back in the River Pool - Advise please

fishplate42 · Jul 2, 2017

Back in 2009 the EA introduced thousands of fish into the River Pool. A short while later an illegal dumping of something toxic into the river killed all the fish. There were hundreds, if not thousands of fish floating dead on the river.

Today, seven or eight years later, the river is alive with fish. Perch, and chublets were in good supply as well as what looked like small roach.

I have identified several swims that would be good spots to fish from. I can find nothing that says I can't fish there, but on the other hand there is nothing to say I can. I plan to just go and fish it and if anyone (official) says I can't I will just apologise and pack up.

The river is very shallow. 10-12 inches at the most, with the odd deep hole at 15 inches! It has a steady flow which is quiet fast where it is narrowed by boulders or banks of vegetation. Access is good in most places.

For convenience I was thinking of using punched bread as hook-bait.(?) But what gear should I use? I have a nice 3m whip that would be convenient or should I use a small rod and line?

What about the rig, what type of float? I was thinking about using light line and small hooks - Size 20?

I have never fished a river, large or small, before. Any help would be gratefully received.

Ralph.

103841 · Jul 2, 2017

You'll need some heavy kit Ralph, you might hook a Boris.

theartist · Jul 2, 2017

Main thing would be to fish light, rod, net and a pouch of maggots is all you'd need you'll probably exhaust a swim very quickly so keep on the move, maggots and a really light float would be my choice. Great to hear it's got some fish in it now ,I've fished the Cray and it looks like they're putting some effort into the river habitats down that way.

103841 · Jul 2, 2017

I"ve actually just spent the last hour or two reading reports describing how the EA are decimating our rivers, very clear to witness on my local Kentish Stour, makes depressing reading.

Nice to read something positive they've achieved.

john step · Jul 2, 2017

As said a light set up. Maggot. At that depth I would use a short float, perhaps a dibber type otherwise the float would be stroking the backs of the fish.

In tiny rivers it is most important to keep below the skyline.

fishplate42 · Jul 3, 2017

Thanks for the replies, it sounds as if I am on the right track, apart from the bread that is. I will have to get a few to take with me. I have been looking at fish identification and now I am wondering if the fish I saw in the Pool not chublets but dace...

Ralph.

greenie62 · Jul 3, 2017

Sounds like you've found some fun there, Ralph:thumbs:

Don't go too small on hooks - chublets and perch are notorious hook swallowers! - I'd go for a 16-18 - and small worms if they're not having the maggots - with a 2" Peacock quill float 1-2BB attached with top & bottom rubbers or even touch-legering/free-lining, no float . The other option is the Fly rod - depending on how much casting room you've got!

Let us know how you get on - Tight Lines!

theartist · Jul 3, 2017

Chublets will have black tails whereas Dace will look more silver.

fishplate42 · Jul 3, 2017

Thanks for all the help and advice. I must admit, it is obvious now it has been pointed out, but keeping below the skyline is something I had not considered.

I do think I have found some very local fun. The Pool is ten to fifteen minutes walk from our front door and I can fish it early, at first-light. I will take your advice and use slightly larger hooks, especially if I am using maggots.

As for whether they are dace or chublets I will have to go and take another look. I will try and get some pictures especially if I actually manage to catch one.

Initally, I was planning to use small bread punch but every reply has suggested maggots or worm. Is that just a preference or do you think the fish will not be interested in bread? The reason I ask is that if I have to go and buy maggots I will need to make a nine-mile round trip to get them. I don't go fishing often enough to hold a 'stock' of maggots, but that may change if this works out.

Ralph.

greenie62 · Jul 3, 2017

fishplate42 said:
....Initally, I was planning to use small bread punch but every reply has suggested maggots or worm. Is that just a preference or do you think the fish will not be interested in bread? .....

It depends on how quick you can get the bread down to their feeding zone! - Or you could end-up surface fishing! - tends to create more disturbance.

My preference for worm is from fishing streams with brownies in them, together with perch, chub and roach.

Have you tried loose-feeding and seeing what they go for - and how long it's in the water before beng attacked? Can be instructive!

PS: Frozen maggots may solve your supply problem!

Peter Jacobs · Jul 3, 2017

If the fish are not too large in size then I'd be tempted to take pinkies as well as maggot . . . . use the pinkies for loose feed with a maggot on the hook ,or even 2 pinkies on the hook . . . . . providing of course that you have a decent shop close by that stock them as not too many seem to these days.

fishplate42 · Jul 3, 2017

greenie62 said:
It depends on how quick you can get the bread down to their feeding zone! - Or you could end-up surface fishing! - tends to create more disturbance.

My preference for worm is from fishing streams with brownies in them, together with perch, chub and roach.

Have you tried loose-feeding and seeing what they go for - and how long it's in the water before beng attacked? Can be instructive!

PS: Frozen maggots may solve your supply problem!

Thanks for that. I will try loose feeding and see what happens, as you say, I could learn something. I think this is going to be a case of a bit of trial and error, but being right on my doorstep that will not be a problem.

I had not though about using frozen (dead) maggots, that will solve that problem. It looks like Wednesday morning will be my first attempt - I will post the result, good or bad!

Ralph.

mikench · Jul 3, 2017

I have never tried pinkies! Are they better than maggots in certain cases?

greenie62 · Jul 3, 2017

mikench said:
I have never tried pinkies! Are they better than maggots in certain cases?

Yes! - Escaping from bait-boxes! Beware!

Peter Jacobs · Jul 3, 2017

mikench said:
I have never tried pinkies! Are they better than maggots in certain cases?

They are much smaller so wont be feeding off a shoal of relatively small fish that can easily happen lose feeding maggots.

I often used to feed pinkies but use a maggot on the hook . . . . .

They also come in a mixture of colours that can prove attractive on occasion, but beware . . . they are the master escape artists . . . . especially if they get wet.

fishplate42 · Jul 3, 2017

Peter Jacobs said:
If the fish are not too large in size then I'd be tempted to take pinkies as well as maggot . . . . use the pinkies for loose feed with a maggot on the hook ,or even 2 pinkies on the hook . . . . . providing of course that you have a decent shop close by that stock them as not too many seem to these days.

My local shop has pinkies, but I have not used them before. can I use them dead, that is to say after freezing? It is impractical for me to use fresh bait for this local fishing as a trip to the tackle shop for each session will defeat the spontaneity of being able to fish locally.

The other thing worth asking is how long would you (any of you) keep maggots/pinkies in the fridge? I can usually keep my leftover maggots for a couple of weeks but they are not looking as good as the fresh ones by then. I do 'take them for a walk', as my missus calls it, every two or three days.

Ralph.

greenie62 · Jul 3, 2017

fishplate42 said:
.....how long would you (any of you) keep maggots/pinkies in the fridge? I can usually keep my leftover maggots for a couple of weeks but they are not looking as good as the fresh ones by then.....

Riddle them with fresh corn meal every few days.

PJ has a formula which seemed to work for fridge kept maggots - was it 10000 CentigradeHours?

Don't know if it works for pinkies/squats!

That's why I suggested freezing them!

fishplate42 · Jul 3, 2017

That's interesting. So at 5ºC (temperature of my fridge) They should last the best part of 12 weeks. 10,000/5 to give hours, which gives me 2000 hours, 2000/168 = 11.9 - and a very small bit!

If they last half that time, that would be good enough for me to have fresh maggots/pinkies.

On the other hand, 'dead maggots/pinkies can't escape'... That sounds like a cosa nostra threat, but I suppose that is what maggots will end up doing anyway. "Our thing" as far as a maggot is concerned is "Swimming with the fishes" anyway.

Ralph

theartist · Jul 3, 2017

Spend a minute throwing them a few maggots Ralph, I fish tiny little rivers like this all around the country and they are all the same. Sure the fish can see you but if they have remained in the swim they are there to be caught, a few freebies regular will get them feeding and it can be a simple as lowering a maggot on an 18 with a no8 ten inches from the hook in their path so don't discount freelining maggot. They may spook with a float cast and they may spook after one fish and they may just spook anyway before that so then it's a case of off quietly to the next spot. Watching them take the bait is such a fun way of fishing, use the float only in spots where you can't see the fish.

Peter Jacobs · Jul 3, 2017

For maggots the optimum life time is 1200 ° Hours . . . . and maybe slightly more for pinkies . . . .

If you keep the maggots in the average 'fridge at +3° then:

1200/(24x5)=10 days . . . after this time then the skins go very tough and my experience is that it seems to make them less attractive to fish.

After the 8th or 9th day I'd actually prefer to freeze them but knowing how much I feed (mind you less than Mr Maidment) I rarely have many left over anyway . . . . .
Hope this helps - there will be people who say they have used magges that are 3 or 4 weeks old . . . . well, just not for me.

The fish are back in the River Pool - Advise please

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