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Choose the fishing area configuration
Fishing in areas with strong currents can be done in various places, but too great a depth makes the practice almost impossible. It's hard to imagine fishing effectively at depths of over 30 metres when the current reaches 5 to 7 knots.
With a strong current, I consider a drift in excess of 4 knots, and up to 7 knots, to be acceptable, but demanding. In such conditions, I set myself a maximum depth of around fifteen metres. Beyond that, it becomes really difficult to fish properly. If a strong wind is added to the mix, all the elements come together to seriously complicate the task.
How to hold the vertical properly?
Enemy number one if you want to fish properly in strong currents is the streamer, which is likely to drift away upstream of the drift. You'll have to constantly release braid, with all the risks that entails: snags, loss of bearings, misjudgment of the lure's exact position in the water column.
Fishing as vertically as possible is therefore essential. To do this, you need to choose a lure with sufficient lead, but also the roundest, thinnest braid possible. In this way, the effect of the current will be limited and the lure will be able to descend efficiently.
The choice of equipment is crucial!
To fish in such conditions, you need to select the right equipment. The rod must be powerful enough to support the weight of the lures. Personally, I generally opt for a 20/80 gram model, which allows me to double the maximum weight when fishing vertically. This power offers the advantage of being able to bridle the big fish hidden in these spots. A big bass in a strong current will give you a powerful fight.
My selection is Rodhouse's NFC MB 739 IM. I paired it with a suitable reel, size 4000 to 5000, fitted with PE 1.2 braid.
As I said earlier, the choice of braid is crucial. A poor-quality braid, badly braided or with an irregular profile, will be more susceptible to the current. As a result, the line will be pulled further away from the boat, complicating fishing.
Personally, I trust prodigy X8 braid from Rodbuilders Republic distributed by Rodhouse . This well-made braid has a very tight weave and is perfectly round.
As far as lures are concerned, the weight must be determined according to the type of spot, but I always prefer shads. The advantage of this type of lure, especially when correctly weighted, is that it descends quickly and remains active in the water column without requiring too much animation. I often settle for a simple vertical animation, which is enough to seduce fish in these conditions.
Black Minnow 160 or 140 mm with heads between 60 and 120 grams or Nitro Shad in size 180 on heads in 100 to 130 grams are my main combos.
The importance of the sounder
The use of a depth sounder is absolutely essential. It gives you a precise idea of the bottom profile, enabling you to fish as close to it as possible. That's why it's so important to keep your lure vertical, so that it stays perfectly plumb with the boat, which is exactly what you see on the fishfinder screen.
With this in mind, I keep a constant eye on the screen to anticipate rises and breaks in the terrain so as to release slack at the right moment.
