Closed Season Canal Zander Quest PT69 – Nimby’s and Ninnycocks

I felt like having a pothole protest all of my own, a big almighty crash where the suspension must have bottomed out on the bump-stops and there wasn’t anything I could do about it either. The road was narrow, just enough for two cars, a school mum up my backside I had to enter the unknown.

It was waterlogged you see, so I couldn’t gauge the depth. The bang was that loud I got out my car soon after to check out the condition of the wheels and tyres that I’ve sort of regretted adding as an option now. 

The tyres profile way too small, the alloy wheel too big, they look good though, design over function and all that, roads as flat as a witches ****, fine, the best Warwickshire can muster Nah !!.

Luckily all seemed to be in order, I need a rethink….

In contrast the other day I took the Wife’s Tiguan down the track to the deep bit of the Avon through huge potholes and undulations and the large side walled squidgy tyres soaked up the rough terrain without an issue.

I think I need a new car, well something more suited to our rubbish roads and for what I use it for….

Answers on a postcard….

For this session I was back at a handy area that has showed promise in the past, the loss of a big fish here got me coming back as usually the schoolies caught here were among the smallest I’d caught, the reception class so to speak.

Another plus point of this area was with a high bank front and rear I could shelter from the wind and drifting snow that was forecast for this morning session. Mad ? what a stupid question.

At 7.00am all the roads leading up to the destination was snow covered, grit, what grit, but nice to be out though, despite the bite of the wind.

An area of leapfroggable cover, with plenty of kids mucking about, the occasional teacher. 

The thing is with canals and Zander, if one area isn’t producing the bites, then you need to get moving. Otherwise you’d be left thinking, is there really Zed’s in this canal. Luckily here, a 10 or 15 minute walk there is another area that usually has fish laying up, ready for the bell to be rung. They really do control the territory too and don’t like anyone stomping on their patch, so bites can come quick, the little bullies.

They can be absent in lots of areas and that’s why I like the challenge, not only does it help with the fitness but many are put off with the lack of results they are getting. Stick with it, yes there will be blanks but that’s part of the appeal for me anyway. Don’t want it that easy, the banks are quiet and I like that.

So to no surprise there were no boats moving during this session, the foot traffic, well one dog walker and an elderly fella with oversized boots that looked like he was about to have a heart attack. The leapfrogging in progress, 10-15 minutes, move one rod, 10-15 minutes the other, eventually I managed a bite, the water temperature 5 degrees so the fish wouldn't be moving much so I must have dropped the bait on it's head. The fight was quite a surprise for a small fish, especially as it a scrawny little thing that I didn't bother weighing.

The last swim it was out with the big guns, a 4" section of lamprey which has been a productive bait for me in the past. It still amazes me how something so small contains so much blood. I'm not sure if Zander sense blood like Pike seem to, but they happily feed on it no problem even though it looks nothing like what they feed on.

The smelt did the trick earlier and that was on the other rod.

The wind was picking up and the cold starting to get to ones neck, despite the winter gear I was wearing. This winter is one of the longest I can remember, hopefully the milder weather will get the fish moving because the fish seem few and far between at the moment.

Sadly 25 minutes, motionless floats, so 4 hours, 6 or 7 swims, one bite one fish.

Blank avoided....