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Wind

Edward Adcock said:
I agree with Len regarding catching chub on the Thames. I do so much better in wind speeds less than 15mph and when the quiver isn't twanging.

In this instance I'm asking about barbel. In the image below would you tighten up to your bait or fish a slack line? Would you keep the rod high or low? Would you direct the rod straight to the bait? Or is it a matter of if you get a barbel take you will know about it? The bait was just inside one of those alcoves. There were 30mph + gusts throughout the day. It's an area where the river narrows and flows all year round - and there's gravel. The barbel caught around here in daylight are small - less than 6lb which suits me fine.

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I’m with Richard.

Rod as low as possible - usually fractionally above horizontal if in rests fishing for itself. Bobbin(s) to show bites rather than the rod tip.

If I’m feeling for bites then rod pointing at the bait and the tip probably underwater or if not, very close to the water surface.

Very rarely do I have my rods pointing skywards - but that is partly because I’m not fishing fast moving water or at significant range……also I’ve never owned a tripod style rest. And some of the stretches I fish have significant boat traffic.
 
I can understand if bank side vegetation doesn’t permit it and you can keep the line pinned back then I suppose it doesn’t harm where you have your rods.
Put em where it’s most comfortable to view I suppose
 
I'm guilty of fishing with my rod tips quite high. I do fish a long hooklength though. One interesting thing is - rod tips low in a shallow river as opposed to rod tips high in a deep river. Possibly just as much line in the water as each other ?? Or is it the angle the line is entering the water that matters ??
 
I once hooked the "party" boat on the Severn whilst feeder fishing with my rod up high in a match. Best bite I'd had all match. Nearly lost the rod. Quite difficult to bite through 8lb Maxima whilst the rod of trying to pull me downstream.
 
Edward Adcock said:
I find fishing in blustery conditions challenging in terms of positioning the rod tip. The Upper Thames in winter is similar to fishing the Fens as there is minimal cover. Yesterday, I was sat three metres from the edge so the rod tip was shielded by a bush and just above the water. How do you position yourself and rod in windy conditions? Is it a matter of simply finding a swim in which you can lower your bait and relying on the baitrunner or a two foot twitch?
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when fishing the fens for bream used to use a brolly to protect the tip
 
I started with the rod tip close to the water but the lead kept ending up down stream along the near edge. In the photo I am sitting a metre and a half above the water. There are few pegs along this stretch where you can fish at the waters edge. Sometimes the waves were a foot high and further down river where they hit the bank along a bend the waves reverberated up river. Ordinarily, when the river is at its usual levels as it was yesterday, 3/4oz will hold when fishing the far bank at this particular swim. However, I ended up using 2oz and that would only hold if most of the line was out of the water. Letting line out to form a bow also caused the lead to move. I have not found forming a bow on deep rivers to be successful. Having the rod tip up in the gusty wind meant it bounced around a lot. It was a 1.5lb barbel rod - not a quiver tip. Anyway, I'm sure if I had got a proper take it would have been obvious. That said the gusts wrapped the rod tip round quite a few times which got the heart going.
 
I like my rod tips level with my eyes.

Simply because my tips are my indicators.

I don't use the baitrunners and unless on the LS or Thames only have to worry about 1 rod. Also I usually have at least rod length of extra line out so most of my bites are bounces rather than wrap arounds threatening rod loss.

The extra line normally acts to give a bolt effect anyway.

Strong gale force winds see me sitting at home.!

Prefer low pressure ideally for a couple of days rather than quick drop.

Someone once said the LSevern never fishes well with an upstream wind, which of course is rubbish.....although it seems to be right in my Experience!!!
 
I did rather well on the Dove in February 2020 during some tremendous gales, over consecutive weekends. Always south westerlies and right in my face. So much so that I was sat with my back to the bank, and the brolley was used as a wind break. The vanes bent right over at times. And as my rod tips were out of sight, the centrepins were more than an adequate bite indicator.
It's exciting fishing, particular wondering if the tree behind will be losing any branches, and if they'll land on me. Thankfully none did.
 
Graham Elliott said:
Also I usually have at least rod length of extra line out so most of my bites are bounces rather than wrap arounds threatening rod loss.

The extra line normally acts to give a bolt effect anyway.
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I have been wondering about this for years but could not figure it out.

The wind speed was below 20mph but the gusts got up to 40. My heart sinks when I see forecasts above 15mph.

p.s. I'm on the waiting list for Ross...
 
Edward Adcock said:
I have been wondering about this for years but could not figure it out.

The wind speed was below 20mph but the gusts got up to 40. My heart sinks when I see forecasts above 15mph.

p.s. I'm on the waiting list for Ross...
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Yes Ross club prioritise Locals first Ed.

Son and Family moved to Faringdon not far from your area so I will be doing a bit more Tenching Cotswolds way this Closed Season.
 
At this time of year on stillwaters it is all about wind temperature compared against the water temperature. We are due three days of south-westerlies and that will drive the carp to the lee shores or shallows in the north-east parts. It will also warm up surface water on the rivers and fishing just below any of the skimming weirs should be productive.
 
Surprised that nobody has posted the old saying, which has a few variations but the same sentiment always.
"When the wind's in the west the fish bite the best, when the wind's in the east the fish bite the least, when the wind's in the south it blows the bait in their mouth, when the wind's in the north the pike fisherman goes forth.
 
Edward Adcock said:
Another two storms heading our way. Are these occurring more frequently?
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Yes Ed, I had decided to do Clifton Hampden on Wednesday evening. Then I noticed 40mph gusts forecast from 3 till 6pm. It's up a foot in the last 24 hours. More rain tomorrow.
Maybe Friday will be better as the rain and gusts should be gone by 3pm.
I think I'll just keep an eye on it and see how I feel on the day.
 
Edward Adcock said:
Another two storms heading our way. Are these occurring more frequently?
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Two in three days is pretty frequent, but on the whole it's not so clear. Since they've (the Met Office et al) started giving names to gale force storms it seems like there's almost one a fortnight. Before that they were just nameless storms so perhaps we took less notice.
 
Graham Elliott said:
I like my rod tips level with my eyes.

Simply because my tips are my indicators.

I don't use the baitrunners and unless on the LS or Thames only have to worry about 1 rod. Also I usually have at least rod length of extra line out so most of my bites are bounces rather than wrap arounds threatening rod loss.

The extra line normally acts to give a bolt effect anyway.

Strong gale force winds see me sitting at home.!

Prefer low pressure ideally for a couple of days rather than quick drop.

Someone once said the LSevern never fishes well with an upstream wind, which of course is rubbish.....although it seems to be right in my Experience!!!
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Yes Graham, hard to understand but I’m sure I was writing about this phenomenon on the L.S. 30 years ago. An ‘upstream’ wind was the kiss of death for fishing for all species there. The only reason that I didn’t simply get back in the car ( and drive home) was that I had just driven 40 miles to get there!
 
All our planned work has been cancelled for Friday and we’re on standby. Could be a long weekend.
 
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