River safety
Flooded rivers: make the no-fishing decision early
High water changes the bank as well as the current. A session is optional; a safe return route is not.
Check before travelling
Read official flood information, weather warnings, road conditions and fishery or club notices for the exact area. Rain may have fallen upstream even when the local sky is clear. A water level that was manageable yesterday says little about today's access.
Postpone when warnings, closures, rapidly changing levels or uncertain access make the plan doubtful. Do not travel around barriers or through floodwater to reach a peg.
Read the whole route
Rising water can cut off paths behind the angler, undermine banks, cover holes and move trees or debris. Coloured water hides edge depth. Bridges, weirs, sluices and culverts create powerful local currents and are not viewing or fishing platforms.
Never wade, enter floodwater or use improvised crossings to fish or recover tackle. Keep well back from eroding edges and move away from trees or structures under pressure.
Do not let a promising swim overrule the signs
Fish may feed in slower margins during high water, but that does not make a margin safe to approach. If landing would require stepping onto soft ground, reaching below an edge or following a fish downstream over unknown banks, the swim is unsuitable.
Extra weight on a feeder or stronger tackle cannot solve unsafe footing, floating debris or loss of line control.
Leave at the first deterioration
Mark a fixed reference away from the water and recheck it. Increasing colour, speed, debris, bank seepage or water behind the peg are reasons to pack immediately. Do not wait for darkness or an alarm to confirm the change.
Call 999 when there is an immediate threat to life. Use the appropriate environmental or flood-reporting route for pollution, blocked watercourses or damaged banks without entering danger yourself.
For ordinary moving-water planning, start with the river guide.