Improve Your Coarse Fishing (UK)
DARREN’S THREE HOOKBAIT OPTIONS
Thirty yards below the crashing water of a Warwickshire Avon weir lay a scene of angling perfection. Garbolino’s Darren Cox was weaving a redtipped stick float tight against the trailing branches of a far- bank willow tree, and enjoying a bite every trot through.
the motions of casting, feeding and striking were in total harmony, and the Avon was rewarding him with regular dace and roach.
things looked promising for one of Darren’s target fish – a clonking summer chub – which he assured can be found in good numbers on this stretch just outside pretty Stratford- Upon- Avon.
however, small fish were beginning to home in on the bait, and while many of us would simply plug away and hope that eventually a bigger fish would muscle in, Darren is more pro- active.
to deter the tiddlers, he puts maggots and caster hookbaits to one side and reaches for a very unusual supermarket offering.
“Supermarkets offer anglers much more than just bread, corn and meat – there are some incredibly effective baits that are overlooked by the majority,” explained Darren.
“Edamame beans are my secret edge when trying to pick out the biggest fish in the swim and i now wouldn’t go river fishing without them.”
Map the swim
“the Avon is a brilliant river, with abundant shoals of both big and small fish, although the tiddlers are proving to be a bit of a problem today, because we’re after the bigger chub.
“At the start of the session i don’t mind catching these smaller fish, because the first 15 minutes is spent mapping the swim.
“it’s important to plumb the depth so you can understand the contours of the riverbed, and after this i figure out where the faster channels are because in summer this is where the fish are likely to be.”
Once Darren knows exactly where he wants to run his float he then focuses on singling out the best fish, and there are several ways he achieves just that.
Feeding style
Perhaps one of the most neglected aspects of river float fishing is feeding, and Darren believes
that you need to be constantly introducing bait to attract the bigger fish.
“Today I wouldn’t be at all surprised if I fed over six pints, and when fishing for chub you’ll struggle to find a better combo than hemp and caster. I feed a good pouch every run through and with today’s swim only a short trot this means the bait is going in very regularly.
“I fill the pouch with hemp and caster as my float is running through, so I’m ready for the next cast. This speeds up the whole process and helps you to get into that all important rhythm.”
Magic beans
It’s also pivotal that your hookbait is relatively small- fish resistant.
“If little fish take the bait it will simply never get through to the bigger fish, and alongside classic options of double and triple caster, I find edamame beans deadly.
“These unusual baits look like a big piece of hemp or a small tare. Not many anglers use them, but I find them a great option if you’re getting hammered by small fish.”
To prove his point, Darren hooked one of the beans through the top and rolled the hookpoint out of the side before casting it over his feed.
After a few trots through his float plunged beneath the surface and a sharp strike saw his rod take on a substantial curve.
“This is a chub,” assured Darren. Expertly playing the fish away from far- bank snags, it wasn’t long before an immaculate chevin of around 2lb lay in the net, and any doubts about the beans were banished.
Ring the changes
After this initial result on the bean, the chub really began to home in on the bait, and Darren was now making constant adjustments to try and catch them.
“Altering the depth of the set- up slightly can make a massive difference. It is amazing how seemingly minor changes can bring extra bites.
“I’ve also set up a small waggler to fish up- inthe- water, and have had one chub on it, fishing right among the feed. On some days it can be deadly, but today the majority of my fish have come on the stick.
“Extra fish can also be caught by casting around the feed area, as the shoal is likely to move throughout the day, so the odd cast above or below your bait is always worthwhile.”
While Darren emphasises the importance of trying different tweaks, he believes that you must make changes in a systematic manner.
“If you make two changes, for example your depth and hookbait, you’ll never know which one
made the difference if you catch, so I change one thing at a time, so I know exactly what I need to do to make the most of my peg.”
Aggressive approach
While trotting is a significant skill to master, Darren sees no point in holding back the strike.
“It’s fast and furious fishing! Some of the bites are really quick little dips on the float, and these need to be met with a rapid strike. Many anglers would ignore these indications but if the float moves the bait is in the fish’s mouth.
“It’s important that you have a floating line for hitting fast bites, so it’s easy to pick it off the surface up off the surface. I treat mine with Mucilin and floatant spray that fly anglers use, and this ensures a crisp pick- up every time.”
By constantly feeding, making minor adjustments and being positive, Darren amassed a stunning 35lb bag of quality chub, dace, roach, perch, and even a 6lb pike!
Next time you visit your local river bear Darren’s tips in mind – they could transform your session into a real red letter day. Oh, and don’t forget the beans!
“It’s important that you have a floating line for hitting fast bites”