Free Line 109 — October 2026 - Flipbook - Page 161
ALEX
PAUL HANSON
STEVE
BENNETT
BRIGGS
u p stream and woken up to ve r y sl a ck li n e s a n d o n a n u m b e r o f
o c casions a possible fish sn a g g ed u p i n we ed (o r l os t ! ) .
There is generally a far s i d e a n d a s l ac k s i d e wh e reve r yo u
f i s h (the far side being on t h e o ut s i d e ab ove th e u p s t re a m b e n d
o r inside of the bend when d ow n st re am ). T h i s c a n b e u s e d a s
t h e main tactics for waterc ra f t i n kn ow i n g wh e re h a rd g rave l
s p ots would be with p ass i n g fo o d an d wh e re s l owe r wa te r
m ay drop passing food to th e b o tto m . I n t h e w i n te r m on t h s ,
t h e carp seem to lurk i n th e s la c k , m o re s i l t y a re a s wh e re yo u
wouldn’t find them in the s um me r.
The River Medway i s almo s t li ke a rive r i n s i d e a rive r. T h e
o riginal contour of the rive r i s d ate d b ac k to p re -l o c k t i m e s
( p ossibly well before 1 80 0 i n s o m e a re as ) , wh i c h h a s l e f t a d ee p
t rough in the central cha nn e l wi th s h al lowe r w i d e m a rg i n s .
I n some stretches the marg i n s h elve s c an sp a n a t h ird o f t h e
w i dth of the river. Some s h e lve s c an be ex t re m ely pro d u c t ive
a l l year round – for insta n c e, t he fa ste r f low i n g o n e s i n t h e
s u mmer and slower movi ng s h e lve s ca n b e g o o d i n t h e w i n te r.
Big tree lines can ho ld b i g b o ul d er s . T h e tre e l i n e d b a n ks d o
n o t get as much natural fo o d d u e to t h e s h a d e , b u t c a n o f te n
h o ld fish looking for passin g fo o d dro p p i n g i n u n d erwa te r d i p s
c a used by the roots etc. Low g ra ssy ba n ks a re g e n e ra l ly n o t a s
s n aggy, but can be weedie r d u e to th e a mo u n t o f s u n - wh i c h
c a n hold fish for weeks at a t i m e du ri n g t he s u m m e r.
Lily pads are always a sig n o f a s i l ty a re a an d p o cke t s o f g rave l .
( A good type of nutritiou s si l t co mp a re d) . F i s h m ay s p aw n
i n lily pads if the stretch d o e s n o t h ave Ca n a d i an p o n dwe e d .
T h is is typical of Teston Co u n t ry Pa rk o n t h e M e dway. T h e
Ca nadian pondweed seems to grow i n t h e sh a l l ow a re a s t h a t
re ceive more sun, and aga i n I b e li eve i t i s m o re p re fe ra b l e fo r
FR E ELINE 47
