Is it worth fishing a flooded river?

Is it worth fishing a flooded river?

Flooded rivers frequently provide an excellent chance of catching coarse fish, especially big barbel, roach and chub, yet relatively few anglers fish them successfully. This is because the extra water is normallly cold and it carries sediment which may clog the gills of the fish. It certainly puts them off feeding!

How do you fish for a river chub?

Look for cover such as snags, weed rafts and undercut banks. Areas of slower water or creases in the main flow can be ideal holding areas for chub. Try feeding these areas and then jump between the spots until you find a shoal of willing chub. One of my favourite methods for catching chub is trotting.

What happens to fish when a river floods?

“During high water, fish move towards the banks to find seams, pockets and eddies that provide calmer water and lower velocities. They hold behind rock substrate and submerged woody debris to find current breaks. Sometimes fish move into smaller tributaries during a flood and drop back when flows recede.

Can you catch fish in flood waters?

Fishing in flooded rivers may not be appealing to some, but for others, a flood brings many fishing opportunities despite the challenging situation. A flood is going to naturally change the elements of fishing, but don’t let it affect your determination to land a good catch.

Is it good to fish a river after heavy rain?

Rain will aerate the surface water and often has a cooling effect, both of which can activate fish.

Do pike feed in flood conditions?

A flooded coloured river at this time of year can often be perfect conditions for predators like pike and perch to feed quite hard while the water is still fairly warm and they will use the poor visibility to their advantage.

How big do River chub get?

about 33 centimetres
The river chub grows to a maximum of about 33 centimetres (13 in), with males larger than females. Common length is about 14 centimetres (5.5 in).

Is it good to fish a river after rain?

Where do fish go when water rises?

As water levels rise, fish consistently move closer to the water’s edge. This means that while you may want to fish deeper out in the lake, reservoir or river during the late summer and fall, you should spend much of your spring fishing closer to the banks.

How do you fish after a flood?

Generally speaking, flooded water means muddy water, in rivers and the upper parts of the lakes. When water clarity decreases, anglers are going to want to use baits that fish can home in on. Large spinner baits, bladed jigs, rattle traps, and other moving baits that can displace a lot of water and create vibrations.

Where do fish go when creek floods?

But where do the fish go? They mostly hunker down in rock crevices and slack water or they get washed downstream, but they also have an opportunity to benefit from the bounty of floodwaters. Picture an average rainy spring day.

Can you catch coarse fish in flooded rivers?

Flooded rivers frequently provide an excellent chance of catching coarse fish, especially big barbel, roach and chub, yet relatively few anglers fish them successfully. It’s probably because they do not make any real attempt to maximize their chances during a flood.

Why are there so many fish in a flooded river?

If you’re not sure where the fish are, travel light to try several spots in a session. Another common factor in flooded rivers is how much the fish tend to concentrate in groups. The stronger the flow becomes, the more this will happen, sometimes leading to huge numbers of fish in limited space. The fish might have deserted their usual haunts]

What are the best tips for flood fishing?

Adapt your tactics. Some species, such as barbel, can feed well during flood conditions. But very different tactics might be called for! Another golden rule of flood fishing is to tackle up to the conditions. This can often mean putting your own preferences second to those of the fish.

Where do perches go when there is flooding?

This perch was caught in filthy water, right under the bank! The short answer tends to be anywhere they can escape the full brunt of the flow. Bends, slacks and obstructions are all worth a look if they offer shelter.