Sunday 2 June 2019

The Close Season Zander Quest Pt.136 – Black Spy’s and Billy Goats

Once upon a time there were a Zed Head in need of a double and a friend joining him for his quest, and the name of the Zed Head was Mick, his mate was Martin.

Now one day Mick and Martin set off to the hills where the sweet grass grew. Where the Zander could eat and eat until they were fat. However on the way was a bridge over a canal, and under this bridge there lived a troll. Her eyes were round as saucers, and her nose was long as a poker.


First of all came Mick with rods in hand to cross the bridge.

"Trip trap! Trip trap. Trip trap! Trip trap!" went the bridge.

"Who’s that tripping over my bridge?" roared the Troll.

"Oh, it’s only me, Mick, I’m an angler can’t you see, and I’m going off to the hills to catch a big Zander," said he

"now I’m coming to gobble you up!" said the Troll.

"Oh no, please don’t take me. I’m far too old," said Mick. "Wait until the angler comes along – he’s got more to offer."

"Very well – be off with you," said the Troll.


Just then, along came Martin.
"TRIP TRAP! TRIP TRAP! TRIP TRAP! TRIP TRAP!" went the bridge, for Martin was heavier than Mick so much so the bridge groaned and creaked beneath him.

"Who’s that trapping over my bridge?"roared the Troll.
"IT’S ME! Martin!!!" said the angler, who had a great hoarse voice of his own.

"Now I’m coming to gobble you up!" roared the Troll 
“Oye Nora, I had intended to buy a couple of pints before I could get a word in edgeways, Happy Now ?” Said Mick as he just finishing closing his boot

"Snip, snap, snout.
This tale’s told out."


Luckily the unapproachable landlady with a car park always empty could be bypassed via a backdoor. Not a bad thing as someone who eats out a lot in this area and frequents many of the public houses, how this place still trades is beyond me. To be fair I should have known better as this place has past form and I vowed never to give them anymore of my hard earned money.

A few months before when trying to get a quick bite to eat for the kids, we couldn’t just order two kids meals and the Wife and I, just drinks. We HAD to order at least one adult meal with one of the kids meal or they wouldn’t serve us, yes you couldn’t make it up.


As the kids were hungry, and Ben in his routine we reluctantly coughed up, the food as expected mediocre, pub food from the 70’s with sticky floors and decor to match, it’s only because its canal side and it gets passing trade it’s probably still going. It needs someone worthy of customer facing ability to take it over, gut it and start again.

Fingers and toes crossed !!!

Heck if I ran this place I’d want to attract custom, I’d offer to bring food and refreshments bankside if there was an angler present so he or she wouldn’t have to leave their rods. Now the problem with this venue is not only that anglers are unwelcome but that it’s quite identifiable which is its downfall, you see quite a few YouTube videos had surfaced which obviously leads to a splurge of anglers fishing it, especially from those that want quick results without the pain that more dedicated canal anglers have gone through to find some nice fishing areas.


The problem is that those that filmed catching some Zander are here today gone tomorrow leaving the locals to pick up the pieces. It’s one of the reasons why I’ve not fished it for a while as I wanted to avoid the melee. I was back for the first of maybe a couple or three sessions to fish a couple of hours headed in to dusk to try and tempt something that could put a bend in one’s rod and put this quest to bed.

I wouldn’t say it getting tiresome, because I love catching canal Zander, but it would be nice to catch a double and move on to something else to target.


An early start this one, the water temperature over 18 degrees doesn't bode well for my task in hand ,however having moved from the area of containment without an indication whatsoever, to an area more my liking a bite came on the left hand rod very quick indeed.

Drop a dead on a fish laying up they generally don't mess around, they will have it. Sadly though that was as exciting as it got. Some roving around to try and drop on a fish never worked and despite fishing some tasty looking sections of cover I was finding it very tough indeed.


So for the last hour back to where I started to fish in and around the moored boats, again nothing doing. My suspicions are they might have moved on to an area that fisherman cannot frequent, fins up without hinderance, without a chance of getting hooked. A nice morning to be out though, if a little muggy wildlife in abundance and lots of steps covered.

Now evening and night fishing hasn't featured like I thought it should do to conclude this quest of mine, trying to fit around work and family life can be hard to be fair, but maybe a couple of sessions before the river season commences is worth doing to see if I'm missing anything.

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