Fishing for Success

Legering - Rivers

Legering is a technique of fishing that results in the bait remaining stationary on the bottom of the river. The bait is anchored by a leger weight or swimfeeder and the end of the rod is used as a visual method of detecting bites. To allow you to detect what may be quite sensitive bites, fine quivertips have been developed which fit onto the end of rods that are designed for legering. When a fish takes the bait and moves off with it, the quivertip pulls around or drops back.

Quivertips are available in various strengths, measured in ounces, and different strengths are suitable for different venues. On very fast-flowing rivers you might need a 3oz tip, but on slower waters a 1oz tip would be a better choice.

Read more about What is Upstream Ledgering

Groundbaits

Groundbait is used to attract fish into the swim and to keep them in a tight area on, or close to, the bottom. It can be fed into the water in balls, thrown in by hand at distances of up to about 45ft (14m), or through a special groundbait catapult with a range of approximately 100ft (30m). Alternatively, an open-ended feeder attached to the line will carry the groundbait as far as you can cast.

In its simplest frm, groundbait is dried and crushed bread. Anglers call this 'crumb' and, when laced with squatts, this is the best mix for bream fishing.

Read more about Groundbait, What You Need To Know

Buying Your Gear That Is Best For You

It is usually about mid-way through the afternoon on a day’s fishing outing that you will know whether you have a properly balanced rod, reel and line. And if your arm is tired, if you feel ill-at-ease casting, or if you just can’t feel right every time you put those flies on the water – it is then you will wish you had paid more attention to the fishing tackle dealers advice. Nothing is worse than an ill-balanced rod, reel and line. Also keep in mind the type of groundbaits you are to use.

Read more about Buying Your Gear That Is Best For You

Top Equipment Fishing List

This list of small items is what we refer to as the gadgetry. While this is not meant trivialize these things, but they are desirable additions to the angler’s kit. See our previous post on buying your fishing gear for a brief backgrounder.

Read more about Top Equipment Fishing List

How And Where The Trout Feeds

You should understand something about how the trout feeds and what it eats in the river or the lake. Up until they reach a certain size, trout feed on insects and other small waters creatures. Then when they reach a size which these creatures can no longer nourish, the trout turns cannibal and will eat other smaller fish—even small trout. Except in very cold weather, trout will rise to the surface to snatch insects and when they do, this is called a ‘rise’.

Read more about How And Where The Trout Feeds

Types of Trout Fish You May Catch

When you start fishing as a beginner a trout is a trout and that’s that. It is only when you ‘gear up’ in the sport that you learn of the different kinds of trout there are in rivers and lakes. All trout are members of the Salmonidae family (which includes the fish from which their name is derived –the salmon).

Read more about Types of Trout Fish You May Catch

Rainbow Trout Fishing

An explosion in trout fishing happened in Britain and other European countries about the turn of the century, when the rainbow trout was introduced to their waters. The main reason was the fish’s remarkable growth in a relatively short period of time, and this above anything else persuaded the managements of stillwaters to introduce them for sport and for fish farms for marketing for food.

Wade Fishing Basics

When fishing a river you may feel that you have to get out on the water, so that you are within reasonable casting distance of where you feel the different trouts are lying. Don’t be deluded about this, however.

Where To Go To Fish

Anybody who really wants to fish has little difficulty these days finding out where to go. Tourist offices up and down the country have booklets, leaflets, brochures containing lists and lists of offering facilities at moderate prices. And for the trout fisherman these waters are particularly accessible and most of them cheap in price, if we compare them with salmon fishing.

Dry-Fly Fishing

First, you must remember that fish face upstream when feeding. This means that if you are standing behind them, either in the water or on the bank, they cannot see you. And if you remain stock-still , like a heron, the chances are they cannot feel or hear you either. This gives you a tremendous advantage.