Fishing in a river with a strong current can be very tricky and complicated at first and just frustrating. First off do fish even feed much in a heavy current? And if so what spots should you look for? Do you need specific lures for this type of application?
Are you even using sinkers? We have all the answers here on this how to fishing guide. By the end of this guide your going to know how to fish in a river with a strong current and you will be shocked at the results you get from the fish you catch now lets get to it!
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Do Fish Feed Much In A Heavy Current?
When fishing in a river with a strong current your going to feel like fish hardly ever feed and wont catch much fish while doing so. But actually that is not the case when your fishing in a really strong currents this gives an amazing chance for fish to really get in there because the current is going to bring a ton of fish food with it.
So this makes an excellent opportunity for fish to feed and for you to take advantage and fish in. It does take a specific technique in doing so and this is where you want to really pay attention to your surroundings. Fish love to feed during strong currents but do so in certain spots.
What Spots To Fish In A River During A Strong Current?
First your going to want to look around you and look for the structures that block the strong current. This is because whatever is blocking the current is going to make a calm spot behind that structure and this is the key to fishing during strong currents.
If your fishing near an inlet this tend to create strong currents and really make for great practice to fish on during strong currents so that you can hone on your fishing techniques. If you see a structure that is on the bottom like maybe a ledge or even some rocks on the bottom this are great signals and fish are most likely going to be there.
Imagine your fishing in a river where their is rocks in the middle of it and their is a really strong current the fish will sit at the bottom right behind the rocks where the powerful current is coming over.
The reason for this is because for one its going to bring fish bait in that location but not just that on top of that its also going to create the perfect calm area where fish love to be on and just sit there since they don’t have to do any work to swim in place.
The Hardest Thing About Fishing In A Strong Current
If you don’t have the right equipment its going to be way tougher to fish during this strong currents. If you don’t have the right lure when fishing it can really be much harder to do so. The perfect for this application will be the heavier lures.
The main reason your going to want the heavier fishing lures is so that you can compensate for the really strong flow in the water.
Making sure you fish with the right lure matters for the most part and if you don’t your going to really have a hard time when fishing in a river during a strong current. When your casting your going want to try to cast further up the current because by the time your heavy lure gets to the bottom its going to be near the calm spot area where the fish are.
Do not cast directly on top of the location because by the time your heavy lure gets to the bottom its going to be further down the current where their is no calm spots and no fish. If your are using live or cut baits your going to need to use a very heavy pyramid sinker.
The pyramid sinker is the best application because of its sharp edges and flat sides. These sinkers usually touch the bottom which is what you want for this type of application.
What You Shouldn’t Do When Fishing In A Strong Current
Do not ever use heavy egg sinkers for this type of fishing application because they will roll on the bottom no matter how heavy your sinker is. When the current grabs your bait its going to pretty much just drag that egg sinker down to the bottom which is not what you want.
For this reason you really have to use a heavy pyramid sinker its sharp enough and heavy enough to really catch the bottom and this is what is needed to catch fish in a river with a strong current. Also do not use light lures they just aren’t going to cut it due to the current being so strong your going to really need the heavy lures for this application.
Long casting directly at the calm spots where the structures are is the worst idea because the strong current will make sure your lure wont stay in that location. Make sure to cast further away down the current and let it flow to the calm spot.
Don’t waste your time fishing in areas where their is no structures like rocks or tree stumps because no structures means no calm spots and that means no fish. Always fish behind the structures where the strong current is going towards this is where the calm spots are and so are the fish waiting for their feed to flow.
In Conclusion
In conclusion fishing in a river with a strong current is only going to get much easier with practice and the right techniques and tools. If you don’t know what spots to fish on your never going to catch anything. Also you really need the right tools for the job and that’s going to be the heavy sinkers and heavy lures for this specific application.
Once your ready just make sure to look around your surroundings for structures that cause calm spots where fish love to be near to feed at. Once you have all of this down get out there and apply this techniques on your fishing trips and watch all the fish just come to you with ease.
As long as you follow this how to fishing guide your going to be great at it and even better with practice. Now that you know how to catch fish in a river with a strong current go and catch fish in a river with a strong current and see how amazing you do!