Right guys, ive finally moved house, my club ticket has arrived and im ready to start my first river fishing adventure on monday evening after work. Ive walked a short stretch of the wyre very close to my house and seen some likely looking swims, mostly slow moving pools only a few foot deep with a couple of 2ft deep glides of running water having little rain of late. Ive set up a feeder rod with a movable link leger on float stops that can be used with either small bombs shot or feeder with a size 8 super specialist hook on 2ff 5lb hl. I intend to go out and fish 4 or 5 swims across the last 2 hours of light. What baits and feeding tactics would you reccommend. Im gonns travel light and rove so dont want to take heaps. Would hand feeding (its narrow) be better than a feeder disturbing the swim. Thanks in advance (very excited)
If I were you, I would have another walk down the length, and take some crusts, or floating casters with me. Make sure no body's fishing first, but throw a few crusts or floaters in, and follow them downstream at a distance, the chub will soon show you where they are. As to actually fishing, once you know where the fish are, I'd use the same tactics, throw a few crusts in, and freeline a crust after them, It's a style to get the heart racing, seeing the loose stuff get taken, and then a big pair of lips take yours! When I was younger, and fitter, I used to love wandering the Nidd, ( a small Yorks river, similar to yours), with just a rod, net, a few spare bits, a loaf of bread, and some cheese paste. I'd either freeline, or just pinch a shot on the line, and cast to likely spots, either casting downstream, or up past a feature, and slowly bring it back. Also take a few small floats, so that you can hold back, and work a bait under any over hanging willows.
I would definitely leave the feeders at home!
John.