Session Blog - With Deadfloat on the Little River

The spring on the Rhine was very successful with the Deatfloat Rig and now I wanted to find out whether a dead bait fish prepared with our Dead Bait Puncher would also work in a small river with little current. Only by testing and checking things can we make progress in terms of fishing and so I was drawn to a small river to try the experiment. The time window was short, one night was to be fished from the bank with two rods. I started in the early afternoon and of course I was very curious to see if the dead bait fish would work in this particular environment.

I love these short sessions, the procedures are quick and I don't need much tackle. The dinghy was quickly installed and I was on the river in no time, surrounded by magnificent nature. My plan was to rig another rod close to the shore, in addition to a U-pod mount, and so I looked for a section of river with sufficient current, which was not so easy due to the low water in the small river. After a while I found a suitable spot, the bank was small but completely sufficient for my little tackle, my stretcher and the two buster rods. I like to use these rods in the length of 280 cm on such small waters, they are very comfortable to handle and they provide enough fishing fun, even with smaller fish, which I expected on this water.

Once the camp was set up, I prepared my mounts with the help of the Dead Bait Puncher. I had trout from the supermarket and chub that I had caught and frozen a few days before.

I wanted to set one rod classically with a U-pose and the second one close to the shore. Since overstretching a water body is always critical and should be avoided, I looked for a bush on my own bank that stuck out far enough so that the lure could still be offered well in the current.

On such small and manageable waters, setting the rods is usually little work and goes very quickly, so after the work was done I could enjoy the wonderful evening with the slowly setting sun. Nature was in full sap and there was life everywhere. When the sun had disappeared, it quickly became fresh and I realised that it was not yet summer. After a warming coffee, I lay down in my sleeping bag and was curious to see what the night would bring.

To start with, I slept peacefully and deeply and was not disturbed by any fish in my night's rest. There were always fish to be heard during the night, but absolutely nothing happened on the rods.

Sleeping well, out in the fresh air definitely has a very big recreational factor but that's not really why we anglers are on the water. We want something to happen on the rods.

The night was foggy and cold and I thought a few times that it would have been better to set up an umbrella. When it got light and the fog slowly lifted, I finished my night's camp and brewed myself a hot coffee. I thought about the night and wondered if I had set the mounts well. Doubts arose in me because the rods remained absolutely still.

Fishing means that we never know what is going to happen and that is precisely the great attraction of our passion. It is often the case that we are disappointed by the fish when we have a good feeling and that we are surprised when we no longer believe in success. And just at the moment when I was finishing the last sip of my coffee and I was already inwardly preoccupied with dismantling and driving home, the Hells Bells bell snapped me out of my thoughts. It was the cocked rod. At first nothing happened but then it rang again and then the buster slowly tilted forward. Bite!!! I was quick on the rod and made a spirited strike. The fish was on and then everything happened very quickly. I went towards him with the dinghy and when I was above him and he realised he was hooked, a frantic but for the small river, very sustained drill ensued. A good fish had chosen the unhooked trout and when it was in the boat I was more than happy. A really good fish from this small river. Good luck!

The rest of the story is quickly told. After taking care of the fish, I dismantled it and on the way back to the car I reviewed this short session in my mind. Actually, my plan worked out perfectly and it was very nice of the fish to let me sleep in the cold night and eat in the morning. The unhooked rod with dead bait fish on a small river with little current works. That was probably the most important realisation of the night. That's good and of course gives me the greatest motivation for the future to repeat the whole thing, perhaps with a little more time.

In this sense, tight lines and many greetings,

Sven Dombach, Team Black Cat