Closed Season Zander Quest Pt.36 – The Sound of Silence, Interrupted

There is an eerie silence here, the odd tweet from a bird, a colonic calliope from a sheep, a squeaking cuniculus.

The stretch is nicely located well away from the hoi polloi, the tall bordering trees acting like an acoustic blanket.

It would be unsettling come dusk, luckily being a manky canal the Zander don’t worry too much, being coloured they feed at any time of the day. On the most part this short section sees little foot traffic, the boats more so, but it’s the relative sanctuary and the fact they are left relatively disturbed that I’m sure makes the larger Zander feel more secure. There is plenty of cover here you see so they can tuck themselves away, the carp too, seemingly enjoying the same safe house.

Other fisherman? I’ve not bumped in to one yet.

Why not I wonder, as I settle in to the rhythm of the first underarm cast, my body relaxes, my mind clears.

It is the medicine of the uncharted, the smell of wild flowers and blossom, the clean air, the sounds of the natural world that clears the mind of one’s worldly cares.

I anticipate the take, the float dips, I feel the tension in the line, sense the fish.

A meditative state comes quickly for me when I’m fishing, I need that clear state of mind before I start to catch fish. Every man with a harried life like mine needs regular interludes of quiet and rest.

Fishing keeps me sane, it really does…

Enough of the dribble I was back at the Tefal head, double dipping.

A rod out for carp, one for Zander. A couple of hours, no more, the last in the swim where I’d caught Zander but also seen and lost a Big Canal mud filterer.

The Zander came quick with a couple of schoolies banked within the first hour then up the stretch the trap was laid for the carp. It’s very elevated in this swim so I had to bring my large landing net handle that extends to 3 meters and also my large spoon net. 

A few floaters were left ignored and with ten minutes of the session left as the Wife had the dinner on I was getting ready to pack up….

Hang on a minute, a couple of liners, an active bobbin, sure enough a carp in the swim, it didn’t take long either, another few bleeps and all hell breaks loose.

A decent carp was on, plenty of side strain

I had to bully it as the cover was thick, I stepped backwards on the towpath with the rod bent double, it felt a really good fish.

I’d gained some line now and finally felt under control, time to get close to the water, get the landing net ready and see what I hooked.

A huge boil on the surface, it’s off on a run again, the tip bouncing back and forth as it’s trying to lose the hook and get back to the thick cover.

Some two handed side strain it’s now tiring. The nets now in the water, the fish surfacing with the boilie clearly visible in its mouth. It’s a good fish too but not the one I’ve spotted here before which was a golden common. This was a mirror, well over double figures.

Landing net extended, the fish sees the net and tries a last gasp lunge, I reach out further to scoop the fish, it’s now laying on the rim.

Then, SNAP, the bleeding spreader bar breaks, the landing net now attached to the handle

The silence interrupted as I shout out ARrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhh FOR F**KS SAKE

In the ensuing calamity the lines gone slack, the carp sees its opportunity, makes a last gasp powerful run and manages to break free from its tether.

The landing net is now floating on the surface, I’ve rod in hand, did that really just happen.

Yeap, another one of my angling disasters.

Why did the spreader block fail like that ? as the frame or arms, yes but that was the thread that sheared far too easily in my opinion.

Luckily for me it wasn’t the big common, now that would have really taken the biscuit.

So as this canal carp lark isn’t going too well maybe the Angling Gods are trying to tell me something, I’m being sidetracked on my Quest, which is obviously not a good thing.

So an extended session planned for Saturday morning, and I’m going back to the Laryngeal prominence , I’ve some new swims to try.