Theopening weeks of the river season rarely play out the way we’ve imagined them during the close. You picture big fish, fish rolling and boiling over your bait as they ravenously devour your feed. Unfortunately more often than not you’re faced with low gin-clear water, sluggish flow, and the barbel still busy with other things.
That doesn’t mean it’s game over. Far from it. Pick your swims carefully, fish to suit the conditions, and target species that are actually up for a feed, and you can still get off to a solid start. You just need to adjust the dream slightly, and fish for what’s in front of you.
Here's how I approach it...
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Fish a buoyant float
On big rivers, sensitivity of the rig isn’t important, the buoyancy of the float is. You could be dragging bottom, so you want something that won’t get pulled under. A No2 or No3 DH Speci Waggler is perfect.
CATCHING CHUB ON A FLOAT IS EXCITING USING ONE OF THE BEST CHUB FISHING RODS.
When to fish a feeder
If we’re lucky enough to get some rain that puts colour into the river, this is when the feeder will work. The feeder relies more on scent, so I’d fish a pungent groundbait with pellets for barbel and bream.
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Land what you hook
There’s every chance of a barbel or big chub, so your tackle needs to be strong. In the pacey water, I’d go big with lines, fishing 7lb Pro Match direct to a size 14 or 12 Animal Spade hook.
NEED HELP SELECTING THE RIGHT HOOK? OUR BEGINNERS GUIDE WILL HELP YOU MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES.
Don’t stop feeding
This is critical, even if you’re not catching, you have to keep loosefeeding, and can easily go through six pints of bait. Cheaper feeds like hemp are best, although I’d also have some maggots with me.
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Go for pellets
Chub and barbel are tuned into pellets, and firing in 4mm pellets while fishing a 6mm on the hook has given me great days. They’re also small fish-proof, whereas maggots would only get smashed by them.
LEARN HOW TO PREPARE PELLETS PROPERLY FOR FISHING IN THIS INTERESTING GUIDE.
Earn your stripes
On really hard days, perch may be the only fish feeding, they’re very obliging and they run big too. Look for deeper, steadier water close to any cover, fishing the pole with worms and red maggots.
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