Swim Choice

[John Young]

Hi

just wondered if anyone ever checks the depth of water in front of them before choosing there swim?

I ask because early in the season I picked a new swim I had not fished before it looked perfect set everything up and fished the swim for about 90 minutes casting to different spots. I soon realised I was fishing in a swim that only had 12-18 inches of water!

I moved down a few pegs and came across a well known angler and told him what I had just done. He replied he had done the same earlier that day!

I guess its all part of fishing and learning your river But a hard lesson if you had traveled some distance as that was about 2 hours gone.

cheers John

 

[Robert Richbell]

Unless its a swim i know well, i always feel around with a lead for depth, snags, silt, grave etc. It can save you a lot of wasted effort.

 

[Adrian Williams]

As a rough guide a 1oz lead sinks at around 1ft per second, If you are on a new stretch and the current is slow enough it's always worth leading around, just as you would on a lake.

 

[Dave Gaskell]

It can depend on the time of day and year as to whether you catch fish in 12-18 inches of water from the Goyt

 

[David Gauntlett]

I dunno Dave, a jammy git I used to fish with could catch fish from a damp tea towel

Cheers, Dave.

 

[Patrick Cooper]

Hi guys,

My first post on here, I think its very wise to lead around, better to lose a lead than snag a fish eh?
Also local knowledge is precious and can cut down on recce time, it also adds a social side to our sport.

Pat

 

[Robert Edwards]

Hi all, another newbie, so be gentle!
Ive feel that my angling has benifited greatly from feeling the lead/feeder down on a tightish line. Not only can you get an approximate depth but also the makeup of the river bed. The latter proved important on a trip to the wye this summer, when the river was up and coloured, how hard the feeder hit the deck, was an indication as to whether I was in the weed or the gravel runs in between.