WONDERING which swim
to choose on a river for different species of fish and for different
times of the year? Read on, as Angler's Mail helps you!
How to choose the best swim on your river
Any successful river angler knows that shoals of fish are never evenly distributed. There will often be long stretches that are completely barren of anything fishy, particularly in areas where the gravel bottom is carpeted with silt deposits.
The characteristics of river species is that pockets of fish shoal up in tight hotspots, which remain favourite holding areas for generations. Find any of these areas and your success rates could soar!
Clean
gravel beds are a key hotspot on any river. Kept clean of silty build
up by foraging fish, these areas offer a ready food supply for mini
species, notably dace, through to big barbel. These areas can also
produce good sport in winter for dace and grayling.
Shaded
bridge runs are another hotspot well worth investigating. These darker
areas are favoured by mini species which, in turn, draw in predatory
pike and perch. Deeper water under any bridge is also a key holding area
for river carp.
Channels
running alongside dense reeds are another favourite chub haunt. Even in
winter, when they become a mass of dead stubble, you’ll often find big
fish using the stems as concealment from shoals of fish such as minnows.
A freelined bait such as a juicy lobworm can often be the winning
method.
Slacker,
deeper water is a top daytime haunt for larger species, where they
conserve energy and shoal up among the weedbeds or where the bank is
undercut.
Tidal
stretches are usually prolific areas to focus on as they offer lots of
species a veritable feast of edible goodies. Dace, roach and carp in
particular seem to tolerate the brackish water, and you’ll often find
them right at the mouth of the river where it spills out into the sea.
Tidal stretches have fluctuating water levels and can be tricky to
master, but the rewards are definitely there.
Weirpools,
including simple boulder constructions, experience increased current
speeds, which keep the bottom clean and raise oxygen levels. They are
worth a cast in the height of summer, where sluggish stretches festooned
with weeds can lower oxygen levels. Weirpools are also key places for
predators such as pike and perch.
Locate
overhanging trees and bushes and there’s sure to be a shoal of chub
underneath, using the dark shade as a point of ambush for passing prey.
Barbel also favour these spots, especially on bright, sunny days.
Present a bait as close as you possibly can and you could connect with a
proper river whacker.
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