There is no doubt that fish can detect and respond to odours and flavours, and these sense are far more acute in fish than in humans. Indeed, one of key features of Marukyu baits is the ‘pulling power’ of the smell and taste of the ingredients. But there is little point using the best baits available if you undermine their benefits by accidentally tainting them.
The baits and groundbaits that anglers use are all subject to one procedure that can ruin their effectiveness… handling. Anything on our hands can easily be transferred while baiting a hook or making a groundbait mix, yet few people take any precautions to avoid this form of bait contamination. For example, if you fill the car with petrol or (especially) diesel while travelling to a fishery, the smell will linger for ages. Fortunately, most filling stations provide disposable gloves so this potential problem is easily avoided. Many sunscreen lotions and insect sprays have been proven to repel fish, and if you use either, thoroughly washing your hands afterwards is a good habit that will ensure that your day’s sport isn’t ruined by thoughtlessness. Several soaps and hand sprays are manufactured specifically for anglers’ use to prevent tainting.
Human sweat contains a cocktail of chemicals, some of which are repellent to fish, notable an amino-acid known as L-serine. Once you know that, baiting up or making a mix with sweaty hands makes no sense whatsoever. And smoking is another obvious way in which your hands can become tainted while fishing.
Washing your hands on the bank is easy – scoop out a small quantity of silt or sand from the fishery margins, or use bankside soil, and rub it into your palm and fingers (especially the ends of your thumbs and index fingers). Wash in water or towel your hands clean… quick, simple and effective.
Top Tip
You can use this bait tainting factor to your advantage if you rub a little of your preferred bait flavour onto clean hands. It can prove somewhat anti-social but it could give you a small, important edge.
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| As we move towards the back end of the patchy summer and the days get shorter, the key dawn and dusk fish feeding periods occur at more civilized times. No longer is it necessary to arise at silly o’clock to be on the bank before sunrise, and it’s well worth doing so over the next few weeks.
Fish can respond strongly to underwater light levels. In part, this behaviour is protection against predators, although many of their natural, invertebrate prey also only venture away from their day-time hiding places during low-light conditions.
However, the penetration of light underwater is rather different to what we observe from the bank. When the sun is high in the sky, light penetrates the water surface and illuminates the underwater world. But when the sun is rising or setting, light bounces off the water surface and, beneath, light levels remain low. The critical angle between the sun and the horizon is about 10 degrees.
To us, the light becomes slightly brighter or more dim, but to fish the difference is akin to turning a light switch on (or off). We’ve all experienced early morning sessions which begin well before bites dry up. Conversely, evening sport may be patchy until the last hour or so of daylight, during which sport is fast and furious.
This factor is of particular importance on well-fished venues where, by now, fish will have re-acquired caution and leaned to avoid crude tackle or poorly-presented baits. Fishing at the ends of the day – even if sessions are short – can be the best way of maintaining catches.
Top Tip
On many commercial venues, departing anglers toss any unused bait and groundbait into the margins prior to leaving. Where allowed, try fishing close in during dusk – you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it can be to catch fish in these areas.
Top Bait Tip
It follows that with low light levels, the smell of the bait (in the case of fish it is the Taste) is very important.
That is why I recommend a few drops of SFA 420 liquid Sanagi to any hook bait.
SFA 420 is also PVA friendly and is perfect for enhancing any stick mix or PVA bag. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
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| Wondering about the weather |
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| Many parts of the country have experienced exceptionally dry weather lately, with rivers flows at low levels and the margins of stillwaters exposed and dry.
Rivers can recover their levels quite quickly, of course, but occasional flushes of storm run-off will not re-charge the springs and aquifers that feed many flowing waters. The short-lived gushes of fresh water can produce excellent angling conditions, fish leaving the security of food-rich weedbeds and other overhead cover to feed avidly in open-water areas. The increased colour associated with rain water is also important, giving fish the confidence to venture into areas that, otherwise, they would only frequent in low-light conditions or after dark.
On stillwaters, low-levels reduce the water area, especially on lakes and reservoirs with extensive, shallow margins. This concentrates the fish, reducing the bays and reeded margins where they can feed on natural foods with little risk of getting caught. In theory at least, droughts can make fishing easier, especially on specimen waters where fish stock densities are low. Fish will still use the margins, but their presence will be more obvious – look for unusual patches of coloured water, bubbling, ‘flats’ on the otherwise rippled water surface and bow-waves.
On heavily-stocked venues, the combination of less and warmer water can result in fish lethargy, the fish appearing to laze around during the day with little inclination to feed. Dawn, dusk and over-night angling sessions are often the most successful.
If the weather turns windy, fishing into any breeze – even quite close to the water’s edge – is often a successful tactic.
Top Tip
When river or lake levels are well below normal, make careful note of the exposed features, photographing or mapping them if you can. This information will prove extremely useful in identifying the best swims when levels are back to normal. ______________________________________________
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by Dr Bruno Broughton
By late July, coarse fish everywhere should be feeding hard and piling on weight. However, on popular venues they will have become more tackle-shy than earlier in the year. It may take more finesse and additional care over hookbait choice and groundbait use to fool wary fish. The more stable the weather, the more these factors apply.
However, our Atlantic climate means that there will also be windy, wet periods. These storms can stimulate the fish to feed with greater abandon. In rivers, especially, a flush of extra water can trip the feeding switch and result in excellent sport. In coloured water, baits which give off strong, attractive smells will score best.
Thunderstorms are also likely for the next month or so. The sudden pressure changes, the influx of cold water and the massive aeration effects of torrential downpours can result in fish feeding with apparent abandon. Carp in particular can become very easy to catch on floating or sub-surface baits immediately after the storm ceases (but, obviously, wait until the storm passes first for safety reasons).
Once flat calm, warm or hot weather resumes, pay particular attention to fish-holding features. The shade afforded by lily-beds, encroaching reeds or overhanging trees are often good spots on stillwaters, as are the outfalls of inlet streams or underwater springs.
Top Tip
If you fish a lake where aerators are used, try fishing close to the devices if this is allowed. When aerators are switched on, fish will often move to their immediate vicinity and remain in the oxygenated, moving water the aerators generate. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
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