With so much rainfall in the past couple of years caused by an El Nino climate pattern, our Australian waterways have been flooding at seemingly more common rates than normal.
Every angler in recent years has faced the struggle of being forced to fish dirty water in a flood event or to face the prospect of not going fishing for weeks or months on end.
Heavy rainfall causes our rivers to swell and sometimes break the banks of rivers, causing our river systems to fill with sediment which in turn makes the water dirty. Anglers in my circles refer to such dirty water as “running like chocolate milk”.
"Anglers in my circles refer to such dirty water as “running like chocolate milk”."
Dirty rivers and heavy river flows can make for challenging fishing. So what should anglers do during periods of a river’s high water flow? Should we stop fishing altogether until the water clears up? Should we head out for a fish and give it a crack in dirty water anyway? This article will look to shed light on these questions, covering our biggest tips on how to go about fishing dirty water when conditions are far from perfect.
I caught my first ever Australian Bass when a river was rising rapidly during heavy rainfall. So trust me, fishing flood water and heavy flow events is indeed possible.
What Causes Dirty Water?
Heavy rainfall causes our rivers to flood. A flood sees water levels rise to a point where the flow of the river breaks the bank of the river and travels onto the floodplains abutting our river systems. In this process, the heavy water flow causes sediment made up of sand, silt, and clay, to mix with the water which makes the water dirty. Light cannot penetrate water filled with sediment as easily, and so visibility in dirty water is drastically reduced. Combinations of lack of light penetration with the sediment in the water, only contributes further to the water being ‘dirty’.
Flood events play a significant role in keeping our waterways healthy and there are many species of fish that rely on flood events to travel downstream to spawn. The mighty Aussie Bass is one of those species which will travel downstream during a flood event to spawn. Aussie Bass’ very survival depends on flood events. Without flood events, our Australian Bass recruitment levels, and many of our other native species, would significantly decrease so it is vital for these flood events to happen.
"Flood events play a significant role in keeping our waterways healthy and there are many species of fish that rely on flood events to travel downstream to spawn."
What then, do we do when our common fishing spots are flowing heavily and are running chocolate milk?
An example of catching fish in both dirty water versus clear water is depicted in the video below. I caught two flathead in the exact same spot on two different days - one in dirty water and one in clear water.
Fishing Dirty Water – Tips & Tricks:
Despite popular belief, fishing in heavy flow events when a river is turbulent and dirty is not impossible. Understanding how to target fish in dirty water means you will still be able to get out for a fish when there are periods of heavy rainfall. After all, nothing is more frustrating for me than going lengthy periods without a fish, so I try to get out for a fish and fish all the conditions I am faced with.
The below are our top ten tips and tricks on how to target fish in dirty water:
1. The first tip I have for every angler wanting to catch fish when conditions are miserable is: INVEST IN A GOOD RAIN JACKET. I am no weather man, but if rivers are flooding, it is likely there has been periods of high rainfall and that more rain may be on its way. Fishing when you are cold and wet is not too fun, but you can keep yourself warm with a good waterproof jacket. With a good rain jacket, you will find the rain is not some big bad wolf to fear. Fishing in the rain can be just as therapeutic as fishing on a hot summers day when you have the right gear, so make sure you don’t skimp on your wet weather gear.
2. Fish still need to feed in flood events when the water is dirty, so getting out for a fish is a must to see you land fish. We encourage you just get out there and give it a crack. In saying that, make sure you are safe and that you are not putting your life at risk. If the water flow is still rising rapidly or is flowing heavily, do not go fishing. AND OF COURSE, do not drive your car through flood water or launch your boat when the river is roaring. A flooded river will be full of debris and is a powerful force of nature. NO FISH IS WORTH YOUR LIFE!
3. Fish will still be able to see and hear your lure in dirty water. Fish still need to feed when the water is dirty, so they will rely on their keen eyesight and sensing vibrations in the water to find their prey. Fish have evolved to be able to sense vibration which they do through their lateral line. Fish are able to sense even the most subtle vibrations through their lateral line, so even if their visibility is limited, they will still be able to sense your lures vibrations through their lateral line. For this reason, a lure with a lot of rattle and vibration is a MUST in dirty water.
"A lure with a lot of rattle and vibration is a MUST in dirty water."
4. It may be more difficult for fish to find and locate lures in dirty water, so fishing lures with a larger profile, a bigger rattle, or a more prominent vibration through the water column, will make it easier for your target species to locate your lure. Although covered already, this one is worth repeating. Upscaling your lure offerings is a must when fishing dirty water. The subtle approach may not be as effective when water clarity is subpar.
5. Fish the lower reaches of river systems during flood events. Floods may actually wash some fish downstream, or the fish might have travelled downstream in an attempt to spawn. As discussed above, Australian Bass will travel downstream to spawn in heavy flow events, so less fish will be located higher up in the systems.
Knowing this information will allow you to hone in on the areas more likely to hold higher populations of your target species (lower down in the system). In heavy flow conditions, I usually steer clear of fishing the higher reaches of a system.
With this tip in mind, you need to familiarize yourself with the laws around closed seasons – for example in NSW, you cannot fish for Australian Bass from 1 May to 31 August because this is the time they travel downstream to spawn. Hot tip: if a flood event happens in the months just before the Aussie Bass closure period, it is likely high numbers of fish will hold closer to the estuary mouths, so focus your attention further downstream leading up to the closed season.
6. Flood water can inundate the riparian zone and so this will wash insects and other food sources into the water. This means fish will be feeding on small insects that have been washed into the water, such as grasshoppers. This is important information when choosing and selecting lures. MATCH THE HATCH! Insect imitations can be a perfect choice to see you convert fish in dirty water.
7. During periods of high river flow, fish will sit out of the flow in current breaks (back eddy’s) and along sheltered structure. Target your fishing efforts in back eddy’s where the flow is not as heavy and where baitfish and insects are likely to be funnelled by the flow of the river. These types of areas are a sure place to find yourself some feeding fish in dirty water.
"Target your fishing efforts in back eddy’s where the flow is not as heavy and where baitfish and insects are likely to be funnelled by the flow of the river."
8. Some fishermen will tell you that brighter colours are more effective in dirty water, but I subscribe to the belief that a bigger profile lure, a bigger rattle, and more vibration, will be the decisive factor which will see you land more fish when the water is dirty. Soft plastics with paddle tails expel more vibration than other soft plastics, so focus your time throwing larger profile paddle tailed soft plastics in heavy flow events. Larger hard body lures with a lot of rattle are also a good bet.
For example, when chasing Australian Bass in dirty water, I would opt for a beetle spin jig head rigged with a minimum 3” paddle tailed trailer. A beetle spin rigged with a paddle tailed plastic as a trailer has plenty of vibration and a bit of flash – all improving your chances of your lure offering being seen or sensed by the fish.
"A beetle spin rigged with a paddle tailed plastic as a trailer has plenty of vibration and a bit of flash – all improving your chances of your lure offering being seen or sensed by the fish."
9. Add scent to your lure to make fish able to find your lure more easily. Adding scent can really lift your catch rate because having your lure and soft plastics smell like a baitfish or prey item, really improves your lures presentation when the conditions are less than ideal. Try to pick a scent which smells like your target species natural prey items. Matching the hatch, both in your lures profile and smell, will see improved catch rates. Sax Scent is our scent of choice!
10. Large leader sizes are not as detrimental when fishing high flow flood events in dirty water. Fish cannot see your leader as easily in dirty water so upsizing your leader will allow you to pitch and cast your lures into heavy structure where the fish will be holding. If your lure gets caught up on a snag, you will be able to get it back more often than not when fishing a larger leader size which is a huge benefit.
"Fish cannot see your leader as easily in dirty water so upsizing your leader will allow you to pitch and cast your lures into heavy structure."
Naturally, when fishing a heavier leader, you will be able to cast your lure tighter into snags because you will not be scared to lose your expensive lures like when you fish a lighter leader. Do not be scared to risk a cast or two into tight places you would not usually attempt to cast. After all, the fish will be holding tight against structure to try to get out of the heavy flow. As an example, in circumstances where you usually fish 10lb leader, try upgrading to 12lb, 16lb, or 20lb. This will also give you some extra pulling power to help you extract the fish out of tight snags and structure.
Closing Remarks:
Flood events are not all doom and gloom for the Australian angler. Part and parcel of catching fish during periods of high rainfall is knowing and accepting conditions are not perfect or favourable. To successfully catch fish in dirty water, it is imperative you get out there and give it a good crack regardless of water clarity. All it takes is a little variation in the techniques you use, and you will still catch fish.
An angler can be as effective in capturing fish when our river systems are dirty as when our river systems are running clear, if you put in a little more effort, have a little more patience, and a higher level of understanding.
To be an effective angler in dirty water, anglers need to be aware of the environmental factors and fish behavioural traits at play when a flood event occurs. If you keep some of these tips and tricks in mind the next time you head out for a fish when the conditions are not perfect, you might just shock yourself and catch fish. The fish still need to feed. You might need to work harder to convince them to eat, but with these tips and tricks in mind, the next time you head out to fish dirty water, you might still find feeding fish.
REMINDER.
DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH FLOOD WATER TO GO FISHING. NO FISH IS WORTH YOUR LIFE. THIS EQUALLY APPLIES TO BOATING - IF THE RIVER IS ROARING, DO NOT LAUNCH YOUR BOAT TO GO FISHING UNTIL THE RIVERS FLOW SUBSIDES.
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