My 10 Facts Of Flood Fishing

JOHN BAILEY You’ll always learn loads and be inspired by this vastly experienced traditional angler, who also relishes exploring the latest coarse techniques… with help from his friends.

OCTOBER’S regular and often heavy rainfall has been a real reminder that winter is on its way… and that can mean more rain and flooding, big time.

In my younger days, floods used to depress me, but not for the past 20 years. I’m not saying that I actually welcome a flood, but whether I’m on the Wye, the Wensum or any river in between, I’m not downhearted.

As far as I’m concerned, there are ten major facts, so here we go…

1 Modern flood regimes

There is no doubt that, over the past 30 or 40 years, rivers throughout the UK both rise and fall quicker than they used to.

In large part this is down to river management and a legacy of the dredging that took place so disastrously in the latter part over the last century. It is also a testament to the fact that we farm more intensively these days, and the land doesn’t hold water like it once did.

To a degree, flood meadows are a thing of the past as well. They used to collect water in winter like a sponge, and then release it slowly throughout the dry summer months. Sadly, so many water meadows have now been drained and no longer serve that historic purpose.

So, as an angler, be aware that rivers can go up and down as fast as a fiddler’s elbow, and if you’re going to get the best out of them, you need to get your timing spot-on.

2 Different types of floodwater

Floodwaters are not all the same. There is good flood water and there is disastrously bad flood water.

The worst of all is probably snow-melt. You know the scenario: there’s been deep snow followed by a sudden melt and driving rain.

All that icy stuff ends up in the river, and temperatures plummet. Horrible!

Another killer is a summer flood that gushes off potato fields into the river and colours it like oxtail soup.