Monday 11 April 2016

Closed Season Zander Quest Pt.29 – The Bridge over Troubled Waters

For the final push of my 2016 closed season Zander quest, I’ll be concentrating on a short meandering stretch of the cut from the Laryngeal prominence to the upper reaches, above and beyond the Tefal head.

Feature, cover and character aplenty and judging by the 9lber I caught here, plenty of prey fish to dine on too.


Hopefully the recent capture wasn’t a freak as I’m sure large Zander come here to feast, veritable fish Kaiten-zushi.

The clarity is just right, anglers scarce.

Depending on the time of day narrowboats can be frequent but luckily pass largely inconspicuously as the affect of locks being opened and the repercussions are less of an issue here.


It’s a long stretch to cover though and these fugacious fish are difficult to locate, I’m sure I got lucky. It requires a doggedness and serious-mindedness that is difficult to maintain especially when using the leapfrogging two deadbait method I now use. The lure rod which at least gave some action time to time went back in the bag a few sessions a go.


Static floats and blank sessions are willpower breakers, but that’s been very much part and parcel of this and last year’s quest. It’s the nature of the challenge, and there is no choice but to look forward to the next session, the next stretch of canal, and the next dip of the float that could potentially be attached to a double figure fish.



Why am I bothered about the weight? Why does it have to be a double figure fish?

I like targets you see, I like a purpose to my fishing…

I’m sure this challenge would have ended long ago if I hadn’t

Anyway to the session,

After looking at the cars roof and the frozen rain I had thought about going back to bed but the sun was heading up and hopefully the temperature would rise quickly.



In the swim where I had the 9lber for half an hour the floats remained motionless so I decided to walk to new area I'd not fished before where there was some thick far bank cover where there was also some shady areas.

The first fish came very quick, a small schoolie of around 2lb and then the session took off from there, I've never had so many fish and over a mile or so, I must have had at least 10 fish, in one swim I even had 2 fish take the float under the same time so I had to land one, then the other in the same net.



I lost a bigger fish I think that took a roach head on the retrieve but the hook never got a hold so some quick resistance was met with a huge swirl on the surface and a lost fish.

Encouraging signs, considering its an area I'd neglected I've still lots to explore. Plenty of fish topping and all the fish where in great condition as most were nice and plump.

I still think the swims I'd fished when I fished this stretch first will hold fish so those won't go ignored either.


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