What else can I try? Fish having a laugh

[tomino2112]

Hi,

I have been fishing one pond/lake for about a week now (all together about 5 sessions) and caught only one tiny roach.

The water has plenty of fish some of which are pretty huge. There are carps, pikes, perch, tench you name it.

Now to the real struggle. I have identified a spot and time of the day when I know 100% there will be fish. Every day I go there there are fish splashing around, showing off their fins, basically having a laugh.

No matter what I throw at them they just won't take. I tried waggling pellet, bottom sweetcorn, floating bread, all possible combinations of whatever you can think of. I am casting right in their mouths. I know I am not missing the depth because the water is so shallow, they basically lying on their bellies and just splashing around...

The bed is extremely weedy, it is natural water not taken care of, so I am trying not to do bottom feeding so they can actually see the bait, but again, tried everything and nothing takes.

What else can I try?

 

[chrissh]

Try fishing a bomb with a 8mm pop up or a buoyant pellet use a hook length longer enough so the pellet sits just above the weed … fire out a small amount (around 12ish) of 1 or 2mm feed pellets every 3-4 minutes so the fish will follow them down if you find that the dry pellets aren’t sinking to slow soak them in water 1 minutes per 1mm (1mm = 1 minute 4mm = 4 minutes) this will make them sink faster... also try to cast in the same spot every time

 

[tomino2112]

Try fishing a bomb with a 8mm pop up or a buoyant pellet use a hook length longer enough so the pellet sits just above the weed … fire out a small amount (around 12ish) of 1 or 2mm feed pellets every 3-4 minutes so the fish will follow them down if you find that the dry pellets aren’t sinking to slow soak them in water 1 minutes per 1mm (1mm = 1 minute 4mm = 4 minutes) this will make them sink faster... also try to cast in the same spot every time

Thanks for replying.

popup - tried that
various hook lengths to be above weed - tried that
casting to same place for hours - tried that
fan casting - tried that
feeding small pellets - tried that with great success - drawn fish into swim, feeding happily, yet not eating whatever is on the hook.
waggling pellet amongst the small pellet feed - tried that
popping up pellet above weeds amongst the small pellet feed - tried that.

Still no success...

Only bites I have had in this place is on floating pressed bread from tiny roaches

---------- Post added at 09:18 ---------- Previous post was at 09:16 ----------

To be honest in all the time I have spent there I saw maybe 2 or 3 fish being caught so obviously it is not the easiest water to fish, but being able to see the fish for hours, basically spoon feeding them and still nothing.. seems strange to me.

Btw I have also tried different sizes of everything. Line, hook, bait, swivels etc

 

[chrissh]

Try a slow sinking feeder known as (Depth Charge Slow Sinking Feeders)
A slow sink will find the fish at all depths.
Set up
1. Use around an 18-20” hook length
2. Use a float stop each side of the feeder around 4” from the loop or quick change bead of the hook length (so the total length hook to feeder is 24”)
3. Set the feeder with a pellet on the hook and adjust with No: 10 shot
4. Loosely fill the feeder with damp pellets (2 or 4mm)
5. When you cat out stop the cast just before the feeder hits the water to tighten the line then sink the rod tip to sink the line
6. Use a feeder rod
Link to the feeder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYvMUrWedeY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTRp8L8silc
SET OF 4 DEPTH CHARGE SLOW SINKING FEEDERS & BOMB,MATCH,COMMERCIAL,FISHING | eBay

Slow Sinking Bomb
Store - Miracle Baits - Get the edge

 

[Alan Tyler]

What you describe sounds very much like spawning behaviour, or possibly distress through lack of oxygen because of the heat. Neither is conducive to good fishing, in fact I think it's still illegal to deliberately angle for spawning fish.
If they're chasing around, rubbing up against each other and shuddering, that's spawning.
If they are drifting around near the surface, gulping air, but using as little energy as possible, that's oxygen stress. At this time of year, I'd have thought the only fish left with spawning on their minds would be carp, which are a bit North of their natural range, and need a real heatwave to be in with much of a chance of successful spawning; however, the obvious tactic - fish for species which spawned in May/June and are feeding up to recover - will be subverted by the fact that dam' near every fish in the water will be feeding to bursting-point on carp eggs.
Hot-weather cruising, however, can offer opportunities if the fish are merely moody and not actually distressed. Not least is the fact that you'll get a very good idea of how many fish - and how big - are present, especially carp, tench and bream, and before and after the peak heat, they will sometimes take a surface bait (though by the time bream are at the surface, it's usually too hot for anything to feed). If they're unhappy, they'll all be up.
I should add that I know next to nothing about rudd, which may have their own set of rules.
Dusk and dawn, this time of year more than any other, offer the best chances.

 

[tomino2112]

What you describe sounds very much like spawning behaviour, or possibly distress through lack of oxygen because of the heat. Neither is conducive to good fishing, in fact I think it's still illegal to deliberately angle for spawning fish.
If they're chasing around, rubbing up against each other and shuddering, that's spawning.
If they are drifting around near the surface, gulping air, but using as little energy as possible, that's oxygen stress. At this time of year, I'd have thought the only fish left with spawning on their minds would be carp, which are a bit North of their natural range, and need a real heatwave to be in with much of a chance of successful spawning; however, the obvious tactic - fish for species which spawned in May/June and are feeding up to recover - will be subverted by the fact that dam' near every fish in the water will be feeding to bursting-point on carp eggs.
Hot-weather cruising, however, can offer opportunities if the fish are merely moody and not actually distressed. Not least is the fact that you'll get a very good idea of how many fish - and how big - are present, especially carp, tench and bream, and before and after the peak heat, they will sometimes take a surface bait (though by the time bream are at the surface, it's usually too hot for anything to feed). If they're unhappy, they'll all be up.
I should add that I know next to nothing about rudd, which may have their own set of rules.
Dusk and dawn, this time of year more than any other, offer the best chances.

Very interesting! I would not say they look distressed, and they are not gulping for air, usually showing rear fins, like they would be going after stuff on the bottom. There is also usually just one or two fish there, more coming only after i start feeding.

Does not look like spawning either, but i suspect they are mainly carp so there might be something to it.

There is lots of people around the bank and some "veterans" walking around chatting so I am sure someone would tell me if the fish were not ready.

I would love to target perch in that water but even though everyone says there are many, i am yet to see any or have any luck spinning for them.

 

[itsfishingnotcatching]

If the pool is a natural water then the fish will be used to finding natural food sources, pellet, sweetcorn and bread would not be a staple diet so it may be worth trying more natural baits, (pinkies, worm, castor etc.) The methods you describe suggest a reasonably heavy set-up which in shallow water may spook the fish. What is the BS of the line and hooklength you are using? in natural pools it may be necessary to tackle down to attract bites. There is always the risk of losing bigger fish but I would personally start with no more than 5lb line, a 3lb hooklength and a 16 hook with one or two castors or a worm, if this doesn't achieve results work down to a single pinkie on a 20 or even 22 hook. This should attract some bites. If a pellet waggler is the only float method you have tried, a lighter insert waggler may be a better option, go for smaller floats in shallow water with bulk shot at the float allowing the bait to sink slowly.