Working It Out, Part 342

All these blog posts about what was caught, the rod whacked over, etc, etc. But thats only part of it.

It's great being given leads and info and alot of the time it's essential, but you can't beat working it out for yourself, even if it takes a while. 

The Ijssel varies alot. Some areas, especially where they have the matches, are generally clearer ( snag wise ) and have slightly slower flow, but other places it's more difficult with huge rocks and deep fast water.

Last year I had some cracking fish out of a very snaggy spot, so returned for another go. Two casts, two sets of lost gear. Can't put up with that, so I moved to what I knew was a clearer area.

A few decent roach in a short session but that was it. Another move required.

I got the stiff 9 footer out with braid and lead and set about finding somewhere. I stood on the point of one the kroys and saw a nice steady bit of flow upstream. A few casts confirmed a sandy, clear bottom in probably 18-20 feet of water. A 90 gram claw feeder held nicely when cast upstream with a bow in the line.

I think I had two shorts sessions here and caught a few quality fish but I wasn't really getting in to them. It looked good to me so I persisted too long in the same place, bit silly really.

I set up a second rod ( I always fish badly with two rods but hey ho ) an unsuitable spinning rod with feeder gear and had a exploratory cast downstream, in a very deep area. Within ten minutes later I hooked and lost a barbel. Then it happened again. Hmm.

This is when I had a proper look at the flow. The river was dropping daily and the areas of fast, steady and slack water altering.

The fast water was now more fishable, so the 90 gram feeder was replaced with 110 gram and cast into the main flow downstream ( albeit just past the crease ). 

Not ideal fishing downstream in this flow but no alternative.

It was practically a bite a chuck, all species,  including those barbel previously mentioned. When I returned in the evening it was the same, I'd eventually found the right spot.

Just goes to show the fine line between relative success and failure. If I'd persisted fishing upstream I'm pretty sure results would have remained poor.

You need to be open minded, persistant and an opportunist.