Small fish-this is getting rediculous

[Chappa]

With a bit of spare time yesterday afternoon, this "stranger in town" headed off to Lymm Dam on local advice. The idea being to set up with small tackle and bag some small roach, perch or skimmers, as I always seem to struggle to catch them, (small fish), most of my fishing is on still waters after carp, tench or pike.

I got to the dam around 2.30 and set up on the bank opposite the church on peg 14, the sun was shining bright from upstream, and there was a firm breeze blowing from the same way. I cast out on a match rod with 2lb line to a size 20 hook on a 1.5lb hook link, with a single red maggot as bait, (shot evenly spaced with a dropper 6" from the hook). The biggest annoyance was keeping the ducks away but waving a big stick eventually did the trick (time after time). I was fishing dead ldepth on the sloping bank, trickling maggot in as loose feed, waiting for something to bite. It didn't

I changed to white maggot.

Changed depth.

Changed swim to further out, and closer in, nothing, not a sniff of a fish, and as the afternoon rolled on the river looked bigger and bigger! Eventually, in desperation I chucked out another rod with a block-end maggot feeder on it which promptly snagged on the first cast and is still wrapped around a tree root

I'm beginning to loose interest in river fishing full stop, I just can't seem to catch the little ones! Put me on a lake and I'll rarely blank, but rivers and canals are a complete mare! Anyhow, at least it didn't rain. Later on, around 5ish I saw a nice big tail swirl pattern in the water just off from where my line was, and that as they say, was all she wrote.

Today after work I'm going to try and grab some therapy on a lake, with bite alarms, 8lb line and hooks you don't need to "use the force" to bait up

Any advice from river specialists would be appreciated! Have a good days fishing everyone,

Chappa

[Fishing Forum Admin]

Unlucky mate , must admit I never do well on rivers too

[Norfolkboy]

Hope you have more luck next time mate.

[barbelblanker]

River fishing is quite different to lake fishing and takes some getting your head around. The main thing I keep coming a cropper on is just how far downstream loose fed maggot end up. With 10 foot of water and a good flow it's a long way. keep at it though as it is deeply satisfying once you get it to work. So I am told ;)

[fullcreel]

Unlucky, I have to say that since the new year, rivers have gotten the better of myself. Last autumn, no probs, great bags, but since the cold spell they sem to have shoaled up real tightly, in places where my hook bait aint.........

[Banana Steve]

Since the itroduction of carp puddles, River fishing was dying art, but i have noticed a trend around here and it seems that people are starting to go back to the rivers. to be honest there is nothing like watching a stick float trotting down a river stretch and watching it dip, strikeing and feeling the thump of a river roach on the end.

[asp383]

before my break from fishing, 99% was on rivers, including a flowing mill pond & 1% on a local still water, but mainly because i lived 200yards from the river & my grandparent's (now parent's) garden stopped at the river. i never had any technique, other than cast out & wait, only ever using worm or maggott either on float or basic ledger.
i too have found a lack of fish in the river, whether it's just lack of practice, weather & flow related or something else, i don't know, but i know the river isn't fished much as the length i fish is mainly gardens on 1 bank (only a few can be fished from) & a semi flooded field on the other that is harder to access now than 15 years ago.
but good luck with future river fishing