Barbel in heavy reed (not streamer weed)

[Russ Shaw]

Hi everyone

I've found a small stretch of river which has heavy growth of underwater reed. This isn't the usual delicate streamer weed stuff you'd see on the Avon etc. but a dense underwater reed bed which looks like thick grass.

There are what look like small clearings in the reed but as the water is coloured I have no idea if that clearing goes to the river bed.

I've been trying to fish in these small clearings to ascertain if there are any barbel lurking but to be honest I'm not entirely sure if my bait/weight is hitting the bottom or sitting on the reeds sub-surface.

I've been using a hook bait (meat) rather than a hair, to avoid hooking the stuff, and a link ledger.

Also, as this reed sways in the flow it is giving savage false bites as it pulls the line with it.

I'm not entirely sure how to fish this stretch so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

regards
Russ

 

[Chris Turnbull]

First thing is baitdrop a few loads of feed in it and watch the reeds. If they start getting bashed about then you have some big fish feeding in there. Feed the swim properly though and you should soon draw them out.

 

[Bob Watson]

Depending on the flow and depth, you could try stret pegging to keep the line vertical(ish) in weed clear spots. This will keep line from the float to the rod tip out of the water and subsequently, weed.

If conditions allow, bites are normally unmissable.

 

[Chris Guy]

I think your reed bed is eelgrass. Easy enough for fish to swim through. Loads of it in The Ivel.

A method style approach works, with 3oz of weight to get the package through the weed.