Evening back on the cut.

On monday evening after doing some housework, I decided to nip back to the cut and have another pop at trying to catch a larger perch. After having a few nice fish and a couple of Zander I called it a day. I had a net of perch which went to 8lb 6oz.

Few of the larger pose for a piccy. Though I have enjoyed fishing the canal for perch I have now made the decision to target some different species...what next?? I am also planning to visit some local fisheries that have perch but are not really targeted by many. Might also start thinking of tincas and bramas soon?? Tight Lines

Can not get out of the terrible twos!!!

Having missed my regular dose of canal I felt that I had to get my hit on Sunday. I have heard of very good silvers being taken from the area that myself and Danny have been targeting for predators. With this in mind I set up a light pole rig with bread punch being my approach fished over liquidised bread. It was my intention to fish for a few hours to see if any silvers came my way, then after I had bagged up on them focus on the preds that may have followed them in....all good plans and all!

Well after fishing hard for three hours my float had not even dipped through the interest of a fish! So I decided to introduce so pinkies and a little choppy to an area to my left. Hoping to get the perch feeding. Soon my chubber bobbed then dived under, a perch of 1lb 3oz was quickly netted, a fat little lady. I then had a surprise as a roach took my boat of about 8oz...all day on the bread with nothing then a silver on the pinkie! Soon after I lost a Zander on the worm, but it soon returned as they always seem to do, a fish of just over 2lb's, it always surprises me how large Zander can be but weigh very little. I forgot agian to take a photo!

Perch 1lb 3oz

Dan arrived soon after at this point I had very little news. Few small perch with the largest being 1lb 3oz, a Zander and a roach...not exactly bagging time. Ironically at this point the barge that was next to me moved and left the stretch free from my water going friends. This I feel had a big impact on the fishing, as immediately the fishing improved with a perch of just under 2lb's taking the worm very soon after. Then a few more of around a pound followed.

Another perch of just under 2!!!

As the evening grew closer we decided that we would split and fish different areas, using the walkers to send messages to each other of record breaking fish!

After an hour I had banked 5 perch over a pound but nothing of real size, the largest being agian just under 2lbs.

Another perch of just under 2!!!

This was until my chubber buried and i was into a much better fish. This was a bigger fish...but how big?

On the unhooking mat it looked very good..perhaps a pb? I could not believe what it weighed! When Dan came over I got him to check the fish..he was impressed by it size, as I knew he had bagged a fish of 2lb 6oz it was interesting to see his reaction. He as I thought it was a big un...and also could not believe it only weighed bag on 2lb!!!! Gutted!

This photo really does not do this fish justice..buit only 2lb!

Must have been a male fish as it was very thin and empty, if it was female I feel that it would have been considerably heavier....my quest goes on!!

Take two on the cut!

I had a couple of hours to spare on Saturday so I decided to take my left over bait to the canal with my focus being on predators. I set up two rigs, in being a dead bait with a Drennan Zepler and a light bullet sinker, with roach and a single circle hook pattern. The other being a weird one which involved pellet waggler, float stops, a bullet sinker, and a size 6 hook to a short trace...not the norm I know but when fishing for the perch I have been snapped up on lots of zander as they can easily cut the mono.

I put the deadbait on the far reed bank and the perch rig down the nearside under a boats hull, adding some choppy to get things started. The rig can only have been in the water for a matter of seconds when the float started to move and they slide away, I had my first perch on the bank after being at the swims for no more that 5 minutes in total, a very nice fish which weighed 2lb 1oz. Luckily the boat owner was talking to me at the time so took the picture for me....doing my bit for angler and boating relations!!!

Nice hat!!!!

Moments latter the deadbait rod started to to show signs of action..in fact the float raced down the far margin before sinking fast down into the water, a great bite. The culprit of this was a small Zander of 1lb 10oz. Though not a big fish it really wanted that bait.

I had now been there perhaps 10 minutes! Whilst talking to the barge owners the nearside worm rig was away again this time a smaller perch of about a 1lb. Then once again it slipped away to a Zander of just over 2lb....(later from the photos it may seem this was a fish I caught last week in the same area??)

With only around 20 minutes gone I had banked 2 Zander and 2 perch. This seemed like a red letter day.....but there was a sting! The boat started up and bloody well moved! Gutted just as things started off so well it was all over.

I moved down to the next boat which looked empty about 50 yards away, and set up in the same manner... to my surprise I had an immediate take, excellent another 2lb plus perch! I was a bit concerned at this point as something looked familiar about it..there was a damaged area between it dorsal fins, and on of its anal fins had a spotted pattern on it....It was the same fish that I had back only a matter of 30 minutes earlier!!!! Doh! I thought I had done the brace but I really can not count one fish twice.

This swim seemed die as quickly as it started, and this was the only fish that I had for the next 3 hours, though I was getting runs I did not bank anything. One of which pulled my rod round into the water and still managed to get away! I found myself back at the swim where I had started the day, as the rain came down and the light fell I started to think of dinner and a beer.

But, As with all fishing situation...just one more cast then I will be off.

The inside line had gone quiet but the far margin one had not, with my newly adapted Zepler now adorning a small nightlight, It bobbed and moved around constantly, with what I suspected were small Zander picking up my roach but not committing to taking it. When one did it unfortunately spat the hook when its head shook on the surface. Just on last cast... I watched more of the Zepler ballet for the next 10 minutes before it ripped up the canal, diving under the water..I wound down and struck into a much better sized fish...only to loose it after a short fight..bugger!

Though I did put the deadbait out again for a further 10 minutes my mind was now thinking Budweiser and my belly that of balti, so at around 6 I headed home. I will be back!

Worm beats the bread!

I arranged to meet Danny at a stretch of canal that I have recently walked, and spoken to a couple of anglers that regularly fish it in my club. They have had some good catches from there, so the focus being on the quality roach that it holds.
After about an hour of fishing the punch over liquidised breadon the pole, and only having one small roach to show it became evident that tactics might have to change....
This was assisted by the fact that whilst I was waiting for roach, Danny had landed a cracking perch (see Lure of angling).
With this decided to change to fish worm down the inside, whilst not necessarily in an orthodox method it produced four perch, the largest of which I have pictured below as it scaled 1lb 8oz. though I will hopefully improve on this it has at least given me some challenge points.

At the end of the session I helped Danny to picture some of his catch, which I have to say were belters, in fact I suggest you have a look at his blog.I will be returning soon to beat Dans weight set!!!!
Tight lines.

Lawford beach casting???

With a little bit of time on my hands I decided to take trip to my local stretch of the Avon which "locals" call the beach, due the amount of kids that paddle and play in the shallows and parents that sunbath....proper classy!

On arrival there were non of the above so I had my choice of where to fish. Tackle wise I had taken very little, my old trust Diawa Tommy Pickering Whisker Connoisseur 13ft float rod, centre pin, stick float, size 16 hook and a loaf of bread...oh and some shot!

I opted for wading down stream and long trotting the float straight down in front of me, whilst introducing some bread mash. It was my aim to connect with chub and hopefully roach.

I stuck this out for about and hour but though I could see fish topping down the run I failed to attach to any. Which to be honest was disappointing as the swim looked great and I felt like I was fish well, with nicely presented bread flake.

I moved around the corner to a high banked bend in the river in which I could see minnows and small dace darting around so thought there might be larger fish in the vicinity. Well first run through my float dipped and a small chub was landed...not bad but I hoped for more.

A chub of around 3 pounds swam bold as brass straight down the swim towards me but continued on up stream...never to be seen again!

Second run through dip and a dace was banked...perhaps in for a good ending to a poor morning?

I did though see some some perch chasing some minnows so decided to go on the hunt for some worms...mole hill bashing! I did find one so cut it into two pieces and flicked my rig into the water. Dip, dip, and away. It took about three seconds for the first perch to take the worm, but I drooped it after disgorging straight back into its home! Only half a worm left to see what else lived in the swim. Again dip, dip and away the second perch took the bait. A pristine little fella that looked great in the mid afternoon sun.

After the perch I did manage a few other small dace but nothing to bore you anymore with.

A very enjoyable afternoon spent sitting on the beach!