Watercraft is the skill of knowing when and where to fish for a particular species. It is a skill that takes a lifetime to perfect but just by knowing a bit of watercraft and using it when you set out for the day will see your catch rate improve.
In these days of commercial fisheries it is becoming less important to practice watercraft. Why worry about it when you can sit in any peg and catch 100 lbs of carp? Many young anglers who come into our sport now start on these fisheries where the fish almost hang themselves on the line. Then later when they progress and decide to fish other waters where the fish pose a real challenge they find themselves blanking time and time again and for many that is enough to deter them.
It is a shame because for many of us the joy of fishing is that we can pursue our sport in a variety of settings. Fishing a new venue can be daunting for many anglers but using watercraft will allow you to fish Rivers, Canals and stillwaters with confidence and aid you greatly in your catch rate.
A good example of how we use Watercraft is to look at a stretch of river a mile long. That stretch will hold a wide variety of species and many fish of varying size. Where then do you fish?
It is true that you may catch fish from any swim but what if you want to catch a Perch? It is very likely that only a few swims in that mile actually hold Perch so by fishing the others you would be wasting your time. This is where you use Watercraft. First you need to know a little about the Perch. It is a predator who feeds on fish and insects and it uses stealth to hunt them by hiding in dark or weedy areas where its camouflaged body will keep it hidden. Therefore we look for swims that have overhanging trees and weedrafts or banks of weeds and Lilly's that would be an ideal ambush point for the Perch to wait for their prey. You could try all of these likely haunts or keep using watercraft to reduce the number further.
- Perch feed best in low light levels so you can discount any swims in the bright sunshine.
- Perch like to hunt fry in the shallows.
- Perch like to ambush prey from behind islands and reed banks.
These are just a few more considerations that may point you to a likely swim and a brief explanation of how we use watercraft. Obviously your considerations would vary for each species but it gives you an idea.
Watercraft is also the knowledge of when to fish for each species. For example there is little point in fishing for Eels during the daytime or Tench in the heart of winter. Take a winters day on the same stretch of river. It has been raining for weeks and the river is flooded, brown and dirty. There would be little point in fishing for Perch, Chub or Dace as they are unlikely to feed in such conditions, but Roach and Barbel would feed well and you could have a bumper day if you target them. This is simple watercraft but it would make all the difference to your day.
As I have said Watercraft is a huge subject and can take a lifetime to perfect. Many anglers have already been using watercraft before they have even heard of the term. It is not something that is easy to teach but as your knowledge of the sport grows so will your watercraft skills. You can certainly add to your skills by understanding the fish that you hope to catch and looking at more experienced anglers will also help. The best specimen hunters are all experts at watercraft and it is a good idea to learn all you can from them.
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