Change of flow = change of species ?

[OldTaff]

Popped onto the River Medway this morning after a couple of hours in work. The rain has added a little colour which I was looking forward to exploiting.

The section I fish is relatively close to Allington Lock and when I arrived I set up a 4m whip and a stick float setup - there was a hefty flow running toward the lock and trotting the stick was fab producing a steady stream of small roach & bleak to single maggot fished 3-4 rod lengths out about 12’ deep.

When the flow stopped suddenly, as it does, the bites disappeared so out came the whip for a couple of teeny roach then some tiddler perch before the big boys moved in. Plenty of chunky perch headed into the landing net up to the point the flow switched on again, bites stopped and the stick float line began producing with better quality roach.

Has anyone else noticed a species v flow rate correlation on their waters ?

 

[Silverfisher]

Can’t say I have noticed it change species but it can certainly improve or harm the fishing at times.

 

[Pompous git]

I have fished the Medway at Wateringbury many times, when the lock is opened plenty of bites when the flow stops so do
the bites. Don`t know the answer to it.

 

[Silver fan 82]

Could it be that the extra flow washes more natural food downstream which triggers the fish into feeding?

 

[Dave Spence]

It used to be the same on the hobhole drain at Stickney. Once they started pumping and creating a bit of flow the fish switched on.

 

[Silverfisher]

I supect when comparing to no flow to some flow the flow forces the fish into going for bait impulsively as they don't get as much of a look at it compared to when it's stationary. As to comparing a bit of flow with a bit more flow I'm not sure why that can sometimes make a difference but sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't ?

 

[davej]

If the flow increases the fish have to swim faster using more energy, hence the need to eat to restore it.

 

[smiffy]

It’s probably a presentation problem. When a water is flowing you can get away with a little bit of dodgy presentation because the fish have to grab it before it drifts away. Take that flow away and the fish have time to check your bait out. Anything suspicious about it and they will give it a miss.
On tidal waters the fish can just disappear when the tide turns for no apparent reason. Could also be something similar happening here.

 

[fasteddy]

Same as the tidal rivers I fish, tide flowing in or out, fish will feed, when the tide stops, generally, so do the fish, tho there are exceptions to this.