Free Line 109 — October 2026 - Flipbook - Page 168
ALEX
PAUL HANSON
STEVE
BENNETT
BRIGGS
Crabs:
One of the hazards of fish i n g fo r c arp o n t he M e dway i s cra b s !
T h ere tend to be crabs in t h e M ai d s to n e st re tc h t h a t c o m e u p
f rom the tidal section and p la g u e yo u i f yo u a re p re s e n ti n g
f i s hmeal boilies. Fishi ng w i th p a r t i cl e wh en t h e cra b s a re a t
t h eir peak can be detrim en t a l; yo u may re e l i n yo u r l i n e to
d i scover it has been dama ge d s eve re ly o r eve n c u t th ro u gh by
t h e crabs feeding intensely.
Pop-ups 6in off the botto m c a n h e lp c o m ba t t h i s , a n d i s i d e a l
fo r fishing above under wa te r ca b b a ge s try i ng to m i mi c s n a i l s .
A nother tip is to fish tiger n u t s to avo i d c ra b t rou b l e s . Us i n g
A r mowrap has helped me to f i s h b o i l i es a m o n g s t c ra b wh e n
a l l else fails. Towards the e n d o f O cto b e r, a s t h e we a t h e r g et s
c o lder and the rains co me , t he c ra b s se e m to d i s ap p ea r.
Leaves and debris:
Again, in the winter, the s t ro n g w i n d s a n d ra i n w i l l f i l l
t h e river with millio ns of l e ave s a n d b ra n c h es . T h i s c a n b e
p roblemat ic when fishing, a s t h i s w i l l c atc h yo u r l i n e a n d b ow
i t downstream potentially dra g gi n g yo u r 5 o z g r i p p a l e ad s o f f
t h eir spots. The leaves b e c o me l es s o f a p ro b l e m a f te r t h e
f i rst few floods push throu gh , ma k i n g i t e as i e r to p re s e n t b ai t s
a gain.
Rowers and boats:
Fishing the rivers come wi th a s t ro n g h e al t h wa rn i n g fo r
t h ose with a weak heart or s t re ss f u l te n de n c i e s . Rowe rs s e e m
to be the carp angler’s natu ra l en e my, a s t h ey a re o f te n row i n g
towards you at speed, faci ng t h e o th e r way. I f yo u r l i n e s a re
n o t pinned down with ba ck le a ds , yo u wi l l p ro b a b ly en d u p
w i th the oars stretchi ng yo u r l i n e s a nd p o s s i b ly c au s i n g yo u to
re spool. For this same reas o n , yo u m ay l o s e h u n d re ds o f ya rd s
FREELINE 54
