Just watching on the bank and rob Hughes mentions using a pop up more in the winter than the summer due to leaf litter. So how clean are lake beds in general? How long does leaf litter stay on the bottom? Is it suddenly may and the leaves are gone let's get back on the bottom baits?
I get his thinking but I can't imagine the bottom of some lakes is ever clear.
I get his thinking but I can't imagine the bottom of some lakes is ever clear.
In reply to Post #1
I think the lake bed is littered with dead leaves. Reeling them in on the hook in my Syndicate. Can't disagree with Rob as his videos are always fascinating.
Rotting leaves do change the Ph of the water so be interesting to know if that's why short zigs work well in winter.
I think the lake bed is littered with dead leaves. Reeling them in on the hook in my Syndicate. Can't disagree with Rob as his videos are always fascinating.
Rotting leaves do change the Ph of the water so be interesting to know if that's why short zigs work well in winter.
In reply to Post #2
Surely if you get fish feeding on a spot, they clean off the leaves?
Surely if you get fish feeding on a spot, they clean off the leaves?
I use wafters all year round unless I'm fishing around slot of weed then I'll use a pop up, seems to work for me
In reply to Post #1
Oak leaves can stay intact on the bottom of silty lakes for up to five years apparently. Other types of leaves break down very quickly.
I fished a swim underneath a large oak tree last week and most of the lakebed was very clean, but I know that the area on the end of the prevailing wind will be covered in leaves.
I still get most of my winter bites on bottom baits.
Oak leaves can stay intact on the bottom of silty lakes for up to five years apparently. Other types of leaves break down very quickly.
I fished a swim underneath a large oak tree last week and most of the lakebed was very clean, but I know that the area on the end of the prevailing wind will be covered in leaves.
I still get most of my winter bites on bottom baits.
In reply to Post #1
Hi Alex
I lived in Eastern Europe and fished there for over a decade and they drain down their lakes reguarly. I've probably seen over 200 drain downs and it's pretty shocking (mostly winter)
Worst being:
Cheap boilies that don't break down. (Cell isn't cheap, but doesn't break down like you'd think)
Rigs obviously
Dead maggots (loads)
Nuts (acorns, chestnuts etc) even tigers
Leaf litter seems to take 2 seasons to break down
Certain weed seems to break down quickly, but others turn to a mush when the temp drops quickly
Just my observations, hope it helps
Best
Jon
Hi Alex
I lived in Eastern Europe and fished there for over a decade and they drain down their lakes reguarly. I've probably seen over 200 drain downs and it's pretty shocking (mostly winter)
Worst being:
Cheap boilies that don't break down. (Cell isn't cheap, but doesn't break down like you'd think)
Rigs obviously
Dead maggots (loads)
Nuts (acorns, chestnuts etc) even tigers
Leaf litter seems to take 2 seasons to break down
Certain weed seems to break down quickly, but others turn to a mush when the temp drops quickly
Just my observations, hope it helps
Best
Jon
In reply to Post #1
I remember when I first got my Bic and a glass bottom bucket, it put me off of bottom baits for ages, it's a mess down there!
I remember when I first got my Bic and a glass bottom bucket, it put me off of bottom baits for ages, it's a mess down there!
Seen and heard from anglers all the time after casting a lead as far out as possible is the amusing run down of substrate lake bed analysis and any vegetative weed growths within the spot chosen to present a bait which is always conveyed with such self assured certainty and all this information from flicking a lead about the spot, point being I think we all only have a vague idea of the bottom really without eyes on properly.
In reply to Post #7
Just remember all those fish you caught on bottom baits until you realised! A bit like the way everyone stopped using popups when the original Korda vids came out......
Just remember all those fish you caught on bottom baits until you realised! A bit like the way everyone stopped using popups when the original Korda vids came out......
In reply to Post #1
Pretty much all lake beds are unclean to some degree, all my fish this year bar 1 was caught on bottom baits and generally on very unclean areas, it didn't bother the fish.
Pretty much all lake beds are unclean to some degree, all my fish this year bar 1 was caught on bottom baits and generally on very unclean areas, it didn't bother the fish.
How much of there natural diet is presented on a nice clean area suspended about 2 inches above the lake bed ......or do they have to rummage around in all sorts if ***** to get there din dins
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Years ago I fished a very old water that was very silty, shallow and lined with trees all around.
One day I hooked a fish and it got me snagged on a branch overhanging the pond just to the left of where I was fishing.
The swim I was fishing was 6' deep, when I waded out with net in hand to free the fish, I was walking on a solid clay bottom, but I was shocked to discover that the silt was only 2' below the surface and I could feel it swirling around me and feel it with my hand and could waft the black silt upwards to confirm it. That means I was fishing in 4' of silt and did not know it. How far my lead and bait was sinking into it I do not know as it was only about a 30' underarm flick out so no chance to feel for a donk but my marker rod lead must have been hitting the clay as I was getting a donk and I was measuring 6' depth.
It must have been a very watery silt and the carp must have been swimming deep in it to find food and been able to smell and locate the bait.
One day I hooked a fish and it got me snagged on a branch overhanging the pond just to the left of where I was fishing.
The swim I was fishing was 6' deep, when I waded out with net in hand to free the fish, I was walking on a solid clay bottom, but I was shocked to discover that the silt was only 2' below the surface and I could feel it swirling around me and feel it with my hand and could waft the black silt upwards to confirm it. That means I was fishing in 4' of silt and did not know it. How far my lead and bait was sinking into it I do not know as it was only about a 30' underarm flick out so no chance to feel for a donk but my marker rod lead must have been hitting the clay as I was getting a donk and I was measuring 6' depth.
It must have been a very watery silt and the carp must have been swimming deep in it to find food and been able to smell and locate the bait.
In reply to Post #12
Awesome, I am going to start steam cleaning my baited spots!
Awesome, I am going to start steam cleaning my baited spots!
In reply to Post #1
I found using a breakaway lead after finding spots with a normal lead a real insight in to what I was missing. What felt clean had a layers of dead silkweed and crap over it which wasnt being picked up by a bare lead, also gravel spots having zebra mussel beds on, it wasnt pea gravel after all! One thing about the mussels is that you could tell if fish had recently fed on them as you'd bring in fresh bits of shell, or even old bits of shell where they'd been turned over maybe the year previously.
Well worth doing more to check spots out. I learnt the hard way after fishing reduntantly overnight a couple of times before making the extra effort.
I found using a breakaway lead after finding spots with a normal lead a real insight in to what I was missing. What felt clean had a layers of dead silkweed and crap over it which wasnt being picked up by a bare lead, also gravel spots having zebra mussel beds on, it wasnt pea gravel after all! One thing about the mussels is that you could tell if fish had recently fed on them as you'd bring in fresh bits of shell, or even old bits of shell where they'd been turned over maybe the year previously.
Well worth doing more to check spots out. I learnt the hard way after fishing reduntantly overnight a couple of times before making the extra effort.