Why can't I catch anything?

[Daddy]

I'm fishing at the Odney Club on the River Thames at Cookham, Berkshire, downstream from a weir, which runs into the main river 500 yards further down. I'm using all types of bait and different sized hooks, but still can't catch anything!I can not get any closer than 100 yards from the weir, so i am fishing in the slower water.I have been using feeder and ledgering but not float fished yet - not one bite! from even the small fish.

All help appreciated.

Many thanks :)

[Poisson dans la Fleuve]

This is one of those questions that is difficult to answer lol. Are you getting any groundbait down? I would start off with probably 6 pound line and try a heavy cagefeeder with some groundbait plugging it with a handful of sweetcorn inside and plugged on top again with groundbait. Then perhaps a size 14 hooklength, you should be able to cast that up towards the weir in any case.

IMO it is best to target particular species when fishing big rivers, if you are looking for barbel/chubb, try Worm, halibut pellets, luncheon meat also, PVA bags are good for getting some bait down around the hookbait, depending on the speed of flow you may need some heavy weights though so you may need to go up to 8/10lbs mainline. Keep trying to cast in the same spot therefore keeping some groundbait in that area and eventually fish should come on.

Also we have had a lot of rain in the last few weeks, a rising river can be difficult to fish, a lowering river can bring rewards!

[Daddy]

Thanks very much for your reply- As i am new to fishing, thinking about what you said about keeping the groundbait in the same spot makes a lot of sense.I did try using groundbait but as i have only got a 1 1/4 test curve avon rod i struggled to cast accuratly or any distance.I might have to invest in a heavier feeder rod, do you agree? if so which brand/type do you recommend that is not to expensive ( or my wife will leave me! )

[Poisson dans la Fleuve]

Well your rod is OK but for faster flowing rivers you do need a bit off umph..... I like to do things on a budget also where possible, I am not one of these super keen guys who spend hundreds on kit, i prefer to get a reasonable rod in a sale or something like that. Thing is also, if you want to get into lake fishing for say carp, a heavier rod will suit there as well as on the faster water, and your Avon will be a good rod for the lighter work.

However, as you have noted, if you want to cast a decent weight to hold it in a flow, you do need something with a little backbone, as a happy balance I would suggest maybe a 1.75 test curve heavy feeder, between the 2 rods then you would pretty much handle most things, including carp up to 20 lbs as well as a good barbel in a fast flow.

if at first you don't care what you catch, however small i would suggest a smaller water, BIG rivers like the Thames aint easy to fish when you first start, i started about 10 years ago on small rivers and canals.... canals are good for catching smaller fish, maggots always do well there..... less distance to cast, you can simply throw ground bait in etc etc.

As for rods, on a tight budget...... i don't know whats tight for you but if you can stretch to this one, it has both an avon tip and quivers so a good all round feeder/ledger rod that you could use on rivers and still water alike.....

https://www.tackleuk.co.uk/#Shakespe...Barbel/sp/6365

If that is a bit much, just shop around on line for similar, you may well find a similar one for around £30.

[Complete_&_Utter_Blanker]

Originally Posted by Daddy

I'm fishing at the Odney Club on the River Thames at Cookham, Berkshire, downstream from a weir, which runs into the main river 500 yards further down. I'm using all types of bait and different sized hooks, but still can't catch anything!I can not get any closer than 100 yards from the weir, so i am fishing in the slower water.I have been using feeder and ledgering but not float fished yet - not one bite! from even the small fish.

All help appreciated.

Many thanks :)

Hi there

New to this forum myself, well actually I have been viewing for a while but never got round to signing up until I just saw your post and thought id offer some advice.
I'm from Maidenhead and have fished the Odney back stream a few times this season, just float fished and bagged up on the tiddlers.
If you take a couple of pints of maggots and keep loose feeding a few maggots every cast using a light waggler setup with a small 18 or 20 hook you should have no problem getting bites.
Ive had roach to around 6oz chub to nearly a pound and lots of small dace and bleak. its a bite a chuck when you get them going, it just takes a little while of loose feeding to get them interested.
Ive never fished with a heavy setup but I have seen bream to 7lb and carp to 25lb come out believe or it not.
anyway hope this may have been some help.

[Daddy]

Thanks a lot this has been help, i will try float fishing this weekend and will take my 8 year old son with me,lets hope wer'e lucky.
I've just ordered the rod bye the way as it seems good value for money,thanks again both of you for your kind advice.

[Poisson dans la Fleuve]

No worries...... enjoy!