Closed Season Zander Quest Pt.40 – For Crying Trout Loud

You do wonder about some anglers, fishing for me is about adventure, the uncharted, the new

For the lazy though, they want success, quick

Rewards come with hard work, with blanks, with bank time….

….not probing emails asking for swim specifics

I had a short afternoon session at the Tefal Head, I had my usual 2 float set-up but also came to do some double dipping. The larger Zander have been absent of late so I also rigged up a carp floater set-up using my one piece 6ft 2.5TC Wychwood Extricator.

It was fitted with a Fox Exocet controller float and the plan was to try and nab one of those carp that have frustrated me over the past few sessions leading to two lost fish. I like this set-up because you don’t really have to strike, the weighted float giving a bolt rig effect.

I’d bought some oily trout floaters to try instead of the chum, not only were they larger and more visible in the turgid water but a quick try in a glass of water, they give off a nice slick of oil and flavour too, they are definitely more pungent than the standard mixer.

If I think about the decent stamp of Zander I’ve been catching recently they all have been caught when it’s been relatively cold, maybe they are more active when it’s warm and therefore harder to pin down so a bait dropped on their head when it’s cold they’ve no choice but to take it.

One thing I do know is that it’s a law of averages, so

Cocoons donned, floats out

Weirdly the first fish caught was a Perch of around a 1lb, now considering the amount of time I've spent with dead baits on the canal this was the first one I'd caught, I've not caught a Pike either such is the clarity of water I fish.

The boat frequency was starting to pee me off but despite the swim carnage I was still getting runs, within a couple of hours I'd had around 7 or 8 Zander the biggest nudging 3.5lb I'd say.

For those initial hours I'd not spotted a carp but then with half hour gone without I boat passing through I walked upstream and spotted a few tucked away in the thick cover but they were gradually showing themselves and enjoying the sun. Not big fish but would give a decent bend in the rod.

I could see my floats no problem so I chucked the controller out and watched....and watched

The float drifted down and wedged itself against an overhanging branched and within no time the carp were taking interest, a few nudges on the float, one even seem to take it in whole and spit it out.

Weirdly the rod tip didn't even tremble, it was only when I adjusted its position that I realised as the mixers drifted down the line must have got caught and the bait was actually out of the water.

Upon trying to retrieve the float the hook got caught in the thicket and and rig is stuck fast, bugger, some hard pulls, it ain't budging.....

Now it's only when I look to my left I realise there is a boat coming and it's nearing my swim, I'd no option but to give it one last tug and break the line. It's a strong set-up so suprisingly took longer than expect.

In the mean time the skipper of the boat obviously hadn't seen my floats out and the rods backside so it's powering towards my swim. I've legged it back the short distance but by this time the first line has been picked up and the rods is receiving a workout like it's never had before.

A few exchanges of words and now the next line is being picked up, again the second rod is going canalward.

I lift both rods and the inevitable happens, an angling massacre

So with 3 rods needing to be re-rigged and the boat frequency off putting I called it a day.

Fourth time lucky maybe, but I've decided to concentrate my efforts before the new River season on the species I've grown to love.

It's now full on Zander.