Closed Season Zander Quest Pt.11 – Cornfused

I fished this same small stretch of the a few days before and I could believe just how alive the surface became when the gnats came out and the light started to go. These were not small fish either; some half decent fish were making a considerable surface disturbance. I had a dilemma I had thought about fishing the reservoir for the crucians but with some deadbait turning up earlier than expected I decided to again take to the cut to not only try for a decent Zander which live here but also to see what else was residing amongst the gloom.

As a point accumulator I need more cut points before getting back to what I know and love best, the flowing water of the Warwickshire Avon and its tributaries …..God I’ve missed it and the new season cannot come soon enough. The cut has been enjoyable but it ain’t a substitute. 

A bit like an extra-marital affair with the fit buxom secretary, different and fun whilst it lasted but it’s good to get back to the familiar….

Before I started on the Zander challenge I knew it was needle in the haystack stuff but I’ve enjoyed it all the same. I’ve not finished yet as I want to take a trip one last time to the furthest stretch I fished. I know it a bit better now and hoping the knowledge gained over a few sessions will result in a better fish. I want to better 5lb 4oz.

Anyway back to the fishing, the deadbait rod was to be used as a sleeper and it was baited with a gobstopper of a headless Roach. Not cricket I know but as the swim was large, to reach where I wanted to fish the other set-up I decided on was a small flat method feeder, swim stim green with a few pellets and with corn on a 4” hair. The excellent little 8ft TFG rod was ideal for this job and it’s a set-up I also use on commercials from time to time. Corn should cover all bases as it’s loved by most fish. Bream, Tench and Carp especially. I did consider pre-baiting with some groundbait the evening before but as it’s an enclosed swim the fish shouldn’t venture too far and I know they are here anyway. If it was a baron 1 mile stretch I might have tackled it differently. 

Weirdly despite the odd tap and pull round on the quiver the only fish I caught were Zander, I ran out of deadbait too, so I managed 8 Zander, lost two (one looked a potential PB beater) with the biggest landed a tubby 4lb 9oz'er. The area I saw the fish was shallow so I’m wondering if they were Zander on the hunt, who knows but as a point accumulator it was an epic fail… Back to the drawing board.