THE JOY OF FISHING
As the closed season draws near, what should we be targeting on the rivers? Here are three suggestions…
THE FINAL four weeks of the coarse fishing season are prime time for the river angler. With any luck the weather will be kinder, with no need for sub-zero clothing. And, with lengthening daylight, fish will be feeding.
They sense the change and know spring is on its way, which in turn stimulates feeding – spawning time isn’t far away either, and they need to build
themselves up for this.
So make sure you’ve got at least one river trip planned before March 14, because the hardest part will be choosing your target fish. Many options are open to you, so let’s look at three of them – although I should stress these are just the tip of the iceberg!
The pike season seems so short to me because I rarely get going until December and it's now nearly all over, as spawning will take place in a matter of weeks. I just have to find the time for another trip and that, if conditions allow, will mean chasing a river croc, rather than a stillwater one.
Ideally, the water will be fining down and clearing, although as long as it isn't the colour of soup, I’ll take it.
As for location, start to think about where the pike want to spawn. That can often mean shallower water, especially if overhead branches offer cover. Don’t overlook spots that have failed to produce all winter, because the fish will now be on the move.
A typical scenario will be one big hen fish attended by a pack of jacks, so don’t be in a rush to move on if you catch one of these small suitors, because the next cast could bring something much bigger. The female will be highly aggressive, not only to her admirers, but to any bait placed in her path!
Stay highly mobile and don’t weigh yourself down with loads of tackle. One rod will be enough, and lures or especially a floatfished deadbait are great ways to search the river. You can do without all the hassle of alarms and drop arm indicators, simply focusing on that big orange float-tip.
Fish just overdepth with a nice oily bait like a herring or a sardine, hooked in the tail root and the flank. Such an easy meal will be hard for a big pike to ignore, so keep moving every 20 minutes until you find one. You’ll need to use very strong tackle, because it’s inevitable you'll get snagged, and you’ll want to be able to bend the hooks out without fear of breaking the line.
What’s my overall favourite river species? That’s a difficult one, but it has to be barbel, and I’m hopeful of meeting one or two before the season ends.
Providing the water isn’t cold, a flood won’t put me off, but with
