Closed Season Canal Zander Quest PT98 – Cockalorums and Coversluts

A windlass in hand, and a walk of conviction despite his diminutive statue. With an oversize and Daz white apron with fresh red accents to try and cover what looked like a sacrificial ritual gone tits up, I was ready to call the scuffers to report a murder but then upon further inspection, it was a red tie-dye t-shirt FFS and this guy was a pastel painter, a colour mixing meddler.

You see out the corner of my eye I noticed that there was an overly large easel on the rude end, a finished scene of bridge and towpath with a blood red backdrop, stupid me.

To be honest it’s always a surprise what you see on the cut, you’re mixing with the great unwashed after all where you must expect the unexpected. As someone who is watching a supernatural western series Preacher at the minute which features vampires, angels, agents sent from Hell, Saints of Killers and flying pigs on the journey to search for God. The similarities are for all to see, you never know what the hell is going to happen, well apart from the bloodshed and gore, that’s not quite up there thankfully.

What was he doing out this time of the morning I wonder, oh yeah, fisherman to alienate stupid, I’m in his poo riddled domain after all. But then as about the only one that seemingly fishes canals these days he’d have better off getting a little more shut eye, because barges and boats don’t bother me that much to be honest.

Reduced oxygen levels because of the warm water, who knows but the Zeds have been properly off it, maybe they’ve switched to a short feeding spell, maybe they’ve been driven off elsewhere by an otter impersonating bad badgering badger. A change of scenery was therefore in order to at least find a Zander or two that might well be up for feeding on the smelt offerings that would be dropped in front of their noggins.

Overflows raise oxygen levels, so a lock mouth was the first port of call, but above the Tefal head is an area I’d not properly given a good go to be honest. If it wasn’t for the fact that a 2 mile stretch is usually very productive then I’m sure it would have received more of my attention. I had some bread with me so if I’d spotted some carp under ones Cocoons I might have a try for one merely by swopping to a readymade hooklink , I’m sure at least one or two of those should be milling around.

This challenge is getting harder and harder, and the quest for a cut double is enough to break even the toughest of men. A 9lb fish the biggest I’ve managed in well over 100 trips but that was caught some time ago now and I’ve had neither hide nor hair from a fish that statue since. The schoolie numbers are definitely down, that’s I’ve no doubt. Maybe the apex predator had handed over his batton and is now mulling around in the side-lines.

If that is the case I’m sure there are some big lurkers still here like they once were. They were transitional then because swims where I’d caught both the 9lb fish and a fish of 8lb 10oz which is in my title banner have been fished many times since without a sniff of the same fish again. So once in a while fishing away from the usual stomping ground may well be advantageous. Hence why the change for this short morning session.

The oxygentated swim didn't produce a bit after half an hour to it was just a matter of exploring the sections of cover before a bite was forthcoming. It took a while to, with only 15 minutes or so of the sessions left eventually I had a bite, now the fish grabbed the smelt on the retrieve so I assume it had been sat starring at it for a good 15/20 minutes or so. Not the size I was after but at least not a blank.

So the last section of cover before heading back as the boats were getting a pin, out went a whole roach next to some thicket. It didn't take long for a bite either. The fish was messing around with it for a while before it was taken confidently right under the cover. Now unbeknown to me whilst the bail arm was off, the line had got tangled behind the body of the reel, so upon tightening up I accidentally cut through the line, that was after I felt that it was a reasonable fish.

Bugger !!! not having a good time of it of late....