Fishing strong tidal flow

[Sloth]

The majority of my fishing has been low current situations and I'm generally ok at annoying the crap out of a bream until it has a swipe.

But I'm really struggling to put it together when fishing a strong run-out or run-in. This concerns me as I know these are some of the times where the bream will be more aggressive and easier to take on lures.

I'm always tempted to fish against the current in order to keep contact with my lure but I think that's a losing proposition as bait doesn't swim up-current. So any tips on how you keep contact with your lure ? I kind of assume twitch-pause is not done and you just crank it as quick as required to keep it working ? ....... Or do you let it have slack and just let it run in the current? I'm mainly talking hb but I guess I have the same questions for SPs - I just don't get how you keep in control when you're casting up-current and retrieving with the current

[forsterfisho]

Sometimes I simply drift the plastic behind the boat with the current and hop it along the bottom, nothing fabulous about that style at all. On other occasions, I'll hold the boat with the electric into the current, cast upstream towards the structure, something like a bridge or a rock wall and allow the plastic or more commonly a crab float back in the current. I don't worry about keeping contact with the lure and generally only find I've got a bite when the like ticks or I come up solid to a fish.

For hardbodies I'll fish either direction, either up current or down. If I'm retrieving with the current, I'll just wind the slack in so that the lure is barely moving.

Hope that helps and makes some sense.

merry christmas.

[Sloth]

Makes sense. I'll give the hb a go as you've described... Usually I've been cranking them so I can feel them in the rod tip - when that's been with a heavy current they've been fairly motoring which has meant the retrieve is pretty short lived.

Merry Xmas

[smackmaa]

I usually drift and cast towards the bank or structure but slighlty up stream. I only usually fish blades, vibes or sp's in strong current though. Not good with hb's. If i have to hb i troll with the current. Probably why i cant catch jacks!

[Normoh]

Dunno if this helps as it's not bream related but I've had more success trolling in fast current for cod going with the flow at a cracking pace, and I mean quick! One 50m stretch saw 3 fish in three passes heading downstream and none going slowly up

[MiSCrEANT]

Originally Posted by Sloth

The majority of my fishing has been low current situations and I'm generally ok at annoying the crap out of a bream until it has a swipe.

But I'm really struggling to put it together when fishing a strong run-out or run-in. This concerns me as I know these are some of the times where the bream will be more aggressive and easier to take on lures.

I'm always tempted to fish against the current in order to keep contact with my lure but I think that's a losing proposition as bait doesn't swim up-current. So any tips on how you keep contact with your lure ? I kind of assume twitch-pause is not done and you just crank it as quick as required to keep it working ? ....... Or do you let it have slack and just let it run in the current? I'm mainly talking hb but I guess I have the same questions for SPs - I just don't get how you keep in control when you're casting up-current and retrieving with the current

This reminds me of my 1st lured bream. On a RMG scorpion (floating bibbed lure).

I caught it on a cast that was directed with the current. I let it flow with the current for a bit. Then I slowly retrieved back. I'm talking super slow here.

The effect I was after was to maximize lure action while minimizing the lure's velocity in the water. We all know that bream eat slow moving things.

Since there is current moving against the lures direction of movement, I didn't need retrieve as fast the get the lure's action working.

So, the lure was pretty much wobbling while moving a few centimeters per second. That I think is the kind of lure action that is perfect for breams.

After that thought process, I had caught my first lured bream.

EDIT: Legal lured bream anyway

[spawn_again]

i almost always fish into the current (boat faced upcurrent) and cast upcurrent letting the lure waft down with the current. with hardbodies it doesnt matter as much, but i tend to preer casting at an angle to the current, much like trout fishing

[Piranha]

Not sure if your local bait has a directional prefrence but in my local the bait swims up current as well as down and accross

In the situation explained i would be casting accross current or slightly downstream, but i'm not a bream fishermans bumhole

[Tambo_Junkie]

I usually float with the current and bring the lure back against the current.

That way you can often keep the lure stationary when pausing and also the line tight meaning less dropped fish on the take.

[smackmaa]

Man what an interesting thread.. Everyone has a different tactic they employ. Usually its a sea of +1's after the first few posts. Gotta love fishing.

[Sloth]

Interesting how many fish against the current. Obviously works for them though ...

So the idea I was working off was that in strong current the predatory fish will hold with their heads into the current. Sick or weak/injured baitfish which are overwhelmed by the current are swept downstream to the waiting predators. So if your lure does the same it's a natural presentation. Same as fishing drop-offs or edges of rips really .... It's the spots where changes in current disorientate smaller fish and make them easier prey. I'm not sure many baitfish are heading upcurrent in these conditions.

however - given how many people above have success fishing any which ways it suggests that idea might be bollocks.