So the Bloggers Challenge has kicked-in and points are being registered on the score board but for me, my mind is elsewhere, the river is my thing you see and that’s where my allegiances will lie when the 15th of June comes around, so I’ve only got the option of continuing on with my cut double.
I might have a dabble for a Chub in the cut mind you after a chin wag in the local tackle shop but this is another full on Zander session. For this one I was positioned slap bang in the middle of the 2 mile stretch between the Tefal head and the Laryngeal prominence adjacent to the Jörmungandr.
My usual haunts seem to have far less Zander than last closed season that’s for sure , it’s very noticeable looking at my blog posts this time last year.
Sessions are much tougher, far less Zander being caught and plenty of banks. A few theories’ I have within one’s mind got me thinking about maybe trying somewhere where I’ve previously overlooked.
I’d not fished her in anger before, just maybe a lure here or there but not sure why really as, ok, the far bank cover is less consistent but there is still feature in abundance that I’m sure will be home to some Zander, hopefully the odd larger ones at that.
The stretch is eerily quiet, sees little foot traffic, barges occasionally yes, but not as prevalent as some stretches I fish.
What I like though, it probably hasn’t seen many or even any anglers apart from oneself recently which I’m sure is a plus point when targeting these transient fish.
Another change apart from the usual deadbait set-up was that the lure rod would be donned with a crayfish replicant. I’d had a dabble with these before with the odd nibble to show for it but not tried them for Zander.
It was nice and quiet on the canal for this session and deadbaits were left a little longer than I usually do. An inquiry quite early on a fish was on but like a lot of Zander bites, it was a schoolie nibbling at the bait and probably let go when it felt some resistance.
The 2nd swim produced the first fish on deadbait 1lb 13oz's,
A <2lb fish seems to be the stamp of these canal Zander and like me other find much larger fish to come by. The next fish was exactly that 2oz's bigger and caught on the crayfish lure.
I'd considered swapping lure because it was getting snagged quite a bit and bringing up dead leaves and sticks but I persevered with it and a fish was caught.
I might give it a go on a clear river for something different too.
2 more schoolies it was time to venture back, these canal Zander are everywhere it seems.
Large one elusive as ever.
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