ANGLING: With Kingfisher

We were promised a change last weekend and, yet again, we were disappointed. The odd downpour of a few minutes is just no good. Even when the sun is not shining it remains hot, humid and very uncomfortable.

The anglers are fed up with it and, if reports from most local venues are accurate, so are the fish.

The river is low. Weed growth is prolific and decent catches are few and far between. Having said that it is possible to catch, and some big fish are being taken daily.

The Ribble is not unusual in this respect. Rivers all over the country seem to be inhabited by fewer, but generally bigger, specimens that they have been for many years. Understandably these fish are more difficult to catch than their smaller brethren - all over the country.

Some anglers are doing very well on the rivers, whilst many are struggling.

Results from rivers up and down the country have, over the first couple of months of the season, been described as patchy. This is a word often used when it appears, on the face of it, that there are plenty of fish but they are not exactly giving themselves up.

It's much more interesting when you have to work hard at your fishing to succeed, in my view. It is a view shared by a number of experienced river anglers who, like myself, believe that over-stocked commercial fisheries are responsible for the lack of some basic skills generally, and an almost total loss of rivercraft. There are now anglers who, it seems, think that all they need to do to catch a fish is throw a method feeder and a lump of trout pellet paste at it. Having read about the 5lb chub and double figure barbel in the river they decide they'd like to catch one.

So they plonk themselves down just anywhere, chuck in the feeder and, not surprisingly, catch nothing. Like some of my contemporaries I believe that lazy fishing styles and lack of watercraft are to blame for the apparent poor form of our rivers.

Anglers who know how to work their swims, whether it be with feeder, link leger or float, are those who are catching. The Ribble is not a river for the lazy angler. Some anglers are expecting too much without enough knowledge. Swim selection is so important as even the best can't catch fish which aren't there.

Any narrow, pacy section which clearly is carrying much more dissolved oxygen than the slow (almost still) swims, also carries many more fish. They can also be more difficult to fish.

Being very low and clear does posse a problem. The fish are still there however, and anglers must adjust their tactics to succeed. The middle of the day is best spent in the pub. Fish late evening and early morning - even through the night.

Some pegs in shallow, fast water have been described by anglers fishing at night as excellent. Exact details of catches and location of swims is kept secret - but the top bait is definitely flavoured luncheon meat. It is producing both chub and barbel when fished over a bed of hempseed.

You shouldn't have any problem getting a decent peg on the Ribble at the moment. You may however, find the best pegs at Foulridge Reservoir taken very early in the day.

There is a night syndicate operational on the water but, with some fantastic bags of fish other than carp being reported widely, day ticket anglers are getting to the water very early. Ton up bags of bream, with individual fish topping 7lbs, are falling to feeder fished worm and worm/caster. Caster is a MUST in the feeder to hold the fish.

There really is no better roach water locally than Foulridge Reservoir, during late July and August. Fantastic quality and quantity is possible to pole fished tare, over hemp feed, from the match bank.

Anglers not proficient at this technique/bait will find that waggler fished caster will also produce exceptional sport. Still feed with hemp and, in the deeper water, take care not to feed too often as the fish come up in the water and are difficult to hook. Better to feed heavily but infrequently and fish your hookbait at full depth.

It has been a fantastic summer as far as spawning is concerned for the canal's roach. Never in too many years of observation to mention, have I seen so many fry.

As far as the bigger specimens are concerned, the best catches are still to be had early and late. Hundreds of quality fish can be seen throughout the day, basking near the surface. This is the time to select the area that you will fish later in the day. You could put in some feed if you wish - but often you need not bother.

There's little point in mentioning any aspect of the weather forecast this week, it just cannot be trusted. Except perhaps the temperature. That is set to remain high and so, regardless of whether it rains or not you should be able to catch.

As I said last week you shouldn't waste the opportunity. Just remember though, if you don't set your sights too high you are less likely to be disappointed. It really is a great time to go fishing - even if you catch little. I saw four kingfishers taking their first flights last week - over the canal.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.