I must say that for a while I used a thermometer every time I fished, I religiously took the temperature and when I looked back at the data I learned a very great deal.
The most important lessons were:-
1. Water temperature meant absolutely nothing when compared with results.
2. Water temperature in comparison to air temperature meant absolutely nothing when compared with results.
3. Water temperature did change my attitude to my fishing, when it was very low I convinced myself that I was wasting my time and went home.
4. When water temperature seemed favourable, I fished for far longer than good sense should dictate.
5. I did not ever find “The ideal temperature” results would come, no matter what the temperature was.
6. I did not ever find “The worst temperature” results would come, no matter what the temperature was.
7. I ended up with a whole lot of data that would have been of more use had I printed it out and used it to light my stove!
My father was a fine specialist angler, he would sit and watch the river, explain in great detail why it might fish and where it would not, he had a huge data base of knowledge in his head that was the result of “learned watercraft”, he would almost never fish without a firm idea of what species he would target and where, often changing his mind at the last moment because “It won’t be right for Chub today, but it might be right for a few Jacks”.
For him the prime objective, the panacea, the fish on the top of his wish list, was big Roach and he would always look at the river conditions with that in mind, for him the ultimate challenge was to catch big Roach and every other species would take second place, I’m not saying that he did not enjoy catching Barbel and Chub, but if there was a chance of a “two” he would go for it, only reverting to fishing for “lesser” fish if the Barbel and Chub were getting to his bait before his beloved Roach, and, when that happened he would state that HE had got it wrong and that HE had ruined a good Roach swim by getting his tactics wrong, too much bait etc!
He caught a hell of a lot of big Roach, sometimes on what some might say were “unusual” tactics, but you could not fault his determination or his watercraft, of course he often got it all wrong (don’t we all) but his average performance was on a par with the very best anglers that I have ever fished with, and way better than most.
For him keeping an eye on temperature was vital, and I have to say I have also found that temperature is very important, but it is NOT water temperature that matters it is AIR temperature.
I will move heaven and earth to get out if the air temperature rises after a period of stability, for example if the air temp reaches 9 degrees for 4 days on the bounce and then rises to 12 degrees on the fifth day, then that is the day to fish.
If the air temperature is stable for 4 days and then threatens to drop thereafter, then it is the day before the drop that is worth fishing, not quite as good as a day when the temp will rise, but still worth fishing, it is not what the air temperature IS that is important but the stability or the fact that is rising – THAT is the important factor, river conditions are almost secondary, but if the river had good colour too, then that is a bonus that might help, but it is rising or stable AIR temperature that makes a difference.
Warm water with falling air temperature is rarely good and very cold water with a falling temperature means it is time to take up golf, brick chewing, fire walking or base jumping as any one of these pass times will be more satisfying than a day on the river, if you wish to catch big fish.
As a point of interest, over the past two years of my Barbel fishing, of ALL the big Barbel that I have taken, (by big I mean fish of 14lb and over) five have come with a rising air temperature (these have all been the biggest fish) seven have been taken when air temperature has been stable and three have come when air temperature has been dropping, however two of these were fish taken in the evening just as the temperature started to drop.
Only one fish came on a day when the air temperature was dropping, I kept at it as I thought the swim was worth a big Chub and the Barbel was a bit of a surprise, which just goes to show that every hard and fast rule can be proved to be wrong on occasion, that said the following day was proper cold and that may have been the reason the fish had a last munch before switching off for the duration of the cold spell.
Most of these fish came during the warmest part of the day 11am to 2pm and as a point of interest all were taken on small baits, mainly double maggot and one on double caster.
Fishing conditions seem to be of secondary importance, for example, last Tuesday air temperature was to rise slightly but wind speed and direction were to change markedly (it blew a hooly downstream with rain added as extra luxury), float fishing was to say the least difficult, but I persisted and at 2pm I hooked and landed a 14-5 that made the uncomfortable conditions more than bearable.
To be honest I expected to catch a fish as all the signs were positive - I knew there were big fish in the swim, I had seen signs that they were moving and thus hopefully feeding and I thought my tackle was fishing through the swim in a way that would be acceptable to the fish, I did not expect such a large fish, but sometimes the river gods do cut you a little slack.
I hope this will be of some interest to other anglers, (and does not start another argument), I tend to fish using indications that have served me well over the years and if it helps others to “nick” an extra fish then so much the better!
Tight lines chaps
