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Read about Dave's moving trip to Thailand click here Fishing Tips Facilities for disabled anglers Accommodation suitable for disabled anglers Detailed history of the River Waveney Back to Angling Page click here
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Dave Gladwell writes...Hopes High in the Water?Things never stay the same in Angling what ever we might think. It is not just the New Pole with the silly name or the bum-bashing box that looks like a throne now for the first time advertised at an amazing £1000 or even a brand new bait presentation, that changes the name of the game. A different set of metrological conditions that pertain over any substantial length of time will however have several inter-linked repercussions. These can create higher water levels in still waters than we have seen for several years in Summer. Then the Rivers have had more flow and colour than usual, sweeping insect life into new summer feeding areas, and creating an aurora of less light penetrating the water. Insect life likes some light and not always darkness, and takes up a position where it can absorb it, higher in the water away from the bottom. Cloudy water and a lack of sunlight has seen that a great deal weed growth has been curtailed. Good news is that with these flush through’s at Diss, the nuisance Azola has been swept on to fields to dry out and hopefully die. Fish are more active in good flow, the majority on the roam tending to be up in the water, much more of the time keeping away from colder water trundling along the bottom. By reason of these characteristics prevailing long enough for fish to commit themselves to their memory habits may be one thing, but the source of food is their main motivator. Energy that is used up can only be replaced with an increase in food.
Bream too are feeding at mid-water a great deal of the time in the Upper reaches. Fish that are often lank in the river still at this time of the year being not that long after spawning, are bloated fit to burst. Just look at the weight packed on this 6 lb bream and the roach are already pretty tubby too. What Carp that have been caught from the River at Shipmeadow and Ellingham have been equally well filled and several taken on suspended baits. At the Outney Caravan site where the Old River joins the main flow the water has been clean enough to watch carp, not as usual, grazing along the bottom, but feeding midwater alongside tench running up and down the weed stems to within inches of the surface. Pellets have began to get really good returns in the river, especially where they have been fed loose through a feeder and there is sufficient flow to draw them out. One of the best summer bags of 100 lbs plus Bream taken so far this year at Haddiscoe Bridge where the Cut joins the River, came on two bags of large 6m Ringer expander pellets, used simply because the holiday makers had nothing else with them. Strange the bream should take to them so readily though, making one wonder whether the look like a snail or other insect.
These fresh, soft, red shoots are mimed almost to perfection by the dark oily red maggot giving confidence to fish seeking food. This little two-hour bag of opening morning roach and chub is some of that taken by a light float run by trailing willow roots and foilage just three feet deep, and less than mid water. We must keep abreast of these small indicators, modifying our approach for fish large and small to get the best out of our visits and keep the old brain box working. If fish have fed up in the water for two months – then for how long is that going to affect their feeding behaviours?
Not very big I’ll agree but it was a species I had never ever caught before. In fact I had to take it 300 yards up to the Salmon Fishermen at Diglis Weir to find out what it was! They soon defined it as a “Twaite Shad” and when I got home I ticked it off in my in my Observer’s Book of Freshwater Fishes the same as I have done since I was 13 years old for a First Timer and Personal Bests! Now THAT is Fishing my Friends – Fantastic! Dave Gladwell ©
Can you let us know by email if there are any questions you would like to ask Dave regarding fishing technique, equipment or any fishing tips. www.bungay-suffolk.co.uk
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Already better bags of roach and chub are being taken on stick float techniques fished tipping up off the bottom at the end of the swim.
Perhaps because higher water levels in the Rivers have ensured more trailing willow roots in the margins a rich abundance of insect life is not clung in to them. 
Now just look at this little chap I caught on the Rivern Severn Worcester AC waters before the floods. It lit my eyes and filled my heart with joy!