From the bank

Six things that catch more Medway fish

  1. Fish the tide, not the clock

    The last two hours of the flood and the first of the ebb are worth more than a whole day of slack water. Work your session around the turn.

  2. Find the slack water

    On a big ebb the main channel rips through. Fish sit out of the pull behind bridge piers, moored boats, reed beds and any inside bend.

  3. Bread beats everything for roach

    Punch for winter fish, flake in summer, and a bit of liquidised bread in the feed. Cheap, deadly, and the Medway roach are used to it.

  4. Match the bait to the colour

    In clear water drop your hooklength and fish maggot or caster. When rain puts colour in, switch to something they can smell — worm, cheesepaste or a smelly deadbait.

  5. Know the close season

    Rivers in England close to coarse fishing from 15 March to 15 June inclusive, and you'll want a current Environment Agency rod licence in your pocket.

  6. Handle fish wet, return eels

    Wet hands, support the belly, unhook over the mat. European eels are critically endangered — every one goes straight back.