Top 6 tips for fishing in a flood
**Please be very careful when fishing in a flooded area as this can be extremely dangerous. So make sure you proceed with extreme caution and if in doubt then don't fish!**
We’ve reached that stage of the river season again when conditions are well and truly against us. We’ve had sub-zero temperatures, snow and heavy rain over the past few weeks, and we’re now faced with very high rivers in most regions.
It’s turning into yet another season where we’re only going to get around six months decent fishing and in my opinion, it’s time we got rid of the outdated 1876 river closed season law.
In my opinion, the closed season should be lifted on rivers now, and clubs and water owners should be allowed to manage their own stretches.
Hopefully, we will see a change in the law soon but until then we either pack away our gear until we get good river levels or we wait until June 16. For many, that will mean a six-month break, so is it really any wonder that the number of anglers fishing on rivers is in decline?
I won’t be packing my river gear away any time soon. Instead, I’ll be looking for windows of opportunity when I can get out and catch a few on my favourite winter haunts. I need to be in the right place, with the right approach at the right time.
Before we look at tactics, though, my first advice would be to always ensure that you’re safe.
No fish or catch is worth risking your life for, so take extra care if you’re venturing out on a swollen river over the next few weeks.
1) slacks and side streams
Now that the rivers have been up for a while, a lot of the fish will be shoaled up in the steadier water close in. Don’t think you always need to cast a long way out.
It’s worth checking out all the small streams and brooks in your area. Some of these are only inches deep in the summer months, but when there’s a lot of extra water in the main river these are the places fish head for. Roach and dace, in particular, will populate these places in big numbers and if you find the right spots you could be in for a real red letter day!
2) Marinas
Boat marinas are safe havens for fish when rivers are in flood.
They fill up with silver fish and predators like perch, and pike follow them in, so don’t be surprised when your elastic stretches out of your pole for several metres in the middle of a roach catching session!
3) Use a pole feeder
This technique is one to try when there is a lot of dirty water in the river. It’s a deadly way to catch all species, and well worth mastering for the difficult days.
4) swimfeeder with worms
For me, on flooded rivers. worms are the number one bait – all species eat them.
I’ve even had small roach snaffling bait you’d think would be far too big for them. A worm is the most natural bait you can use, and there must be loads washed into rivers when levels are high. Make sure you have heavy enough leads on the feeder to hold the bottom.
5) try a flat float
These Cralusso pole floats are designed for use in fast flows. I carry them in sizes up to 15g.
If I need heavier than that, I prefer a swimfeeder. It’s important to use the right size float so that the bristle is sitting with a slight tilt upstream.
If it’s tilting downriver, it’s too heavy and if it’s tilting a long way back, it’s too light. It’s worth making up one or two of each float on winders so that you’re covered.
6) Use a smelly bait
I have had loads of success using this crushed halibut pellet mix. Barbel and bream love it, and I introduce it to the swim via a pole cup or through an open-ended swimfeeder.
I use it neat for barbel and chub and cut it 50/50 with brown crumb for bream. Hookbait is usually an 8mm or 10mm halibut pellet.