WEIR pools are a haven for many species, which are attracted to the abundance of natural food, well-oxygenated water and shelter.
Just about any species can be expected, big and small, with float, feeder and straight lead tactics all likely to score. These highly-productive areas really can offer ‘lucky dip’ fishing.
Read the currents
At first glance these pools can seem like a daunting prospect, but once you learn to read what’s going on below the foam and fast water, they become much more manageable.
The flow may be tanking along on top, but underneath it can be quite the opposite.
If you’re float fishing, plumb up to find any deep holes – which are banker fish-holding spots – and if legering, keep your hooklinks on the long side to begin with. Trial and error at the start is never time wasted.
3 PREDATORS-IN-WAITING
Wherever silverfish species such as dace and roach are, the pike won’t be far away, especially if there’s a deep hole nearby on the riverbed. Find an area of slack water and leger a deadbait for nailed-on rod-bending action! 1 OPPORTUNISTIC FEEDERS
Chub love to sit just out of the main current, downstream of the weir, ready to spot any food items carried their way by the flow. ‘Crease’ swims at the tail end of pools can be particularly productive for catching them. 4 BREAM ON THE BOTTOM
Just below the weir sill the water may look turbulent, but on the bottom it can be deceptively slow-moving. For this reason big bream often populate these areas. Target them with a legered worm or boilie hookbait.
2 FAST-WATER EXPERTS
Roach and dace cope better than most species with quick currents and can often be found in the fast water run-off. Trotting maggots underneath an Avon float or stick float is a great way to target them. 5 BENEATH THE SILL
Perch and barbel love to sit under the weir sill, where they snap up food items in the back-eddies. For barbel, cast a lump of meat into the foam, while lobworms or small lures will pick off the biggest perch.