Monday 13 April 2020

The Close Season Zander Quest Pt.*** - Pre-baiting and Prittle-Prattle

A lovely day again, very humid though and rather sticky, still out in the garden was quite nice especially as the kid had a job to do. A rainbow painting to show our appreciation.

We've various friends who work for the NHS one in-particular Kate is a critical care staff nurse for one of the Coventry hospitals and she has been in the thick of it.


Now back on the bike again for some me time, this trip down to a stretch of canal I've not fished before despite being just down the road. I've fished above and below it but this section is leased by a club.

In-fact tell a lie, I did poach it once many moons ago and caught some zedlets from a turning bay but it was when I stumbled upon a sign half way down the stretch after a Google, I realised I was fishing where I shouldn't.

It's an expensive club too, because they have some nice stretches of river but the joining fee (payable once) is £75 and its water command annual subs of £106.


The river stretches to be fair look very good indeed, but for someone that has to grab a couple of hours here and there, the local waters to me are more suitable.

A taster meal for two with pairing wines down at the local fine dining establishment (when it opens again) or to fish a small'ish section of canal for a chance of a big Zander, sadly I know where my money would go.


It's a lovely stretch mind you, in-fact the first overhang I came to a small carp was holding up. You might just about make it out in the picture above this one, sadly it didn't have a taste for marmite rice cakes, in-fact it didn't seem interested in moving from its spot, it was just enjoying the sun.

Because there are restrictions on boat movement too, the canals are much clearer than I'm used to. It really did show how shallow it is here, which when you're a big Zander, there are probably only a few areas where you would likely hold up.


The water was alive with fry and a few strikes by Perch this stretch seems more alive than I've seen the canal in a long time. Safety in numbers I suppose because in areas they congregated in very big numbers indeed.

It's picturesque and quiet too which is another large tick in the box, but....


....to be fair it didn't shout big Zander, there were a couple of areas I'm sure they could be hiding up, one a marginal reed bed that went on for a couple twenty metres or so. It looked much deeper close in there and also a large bay where over at the far bank there was a nice cluster of trees.

I've not doubt there are some Zander here, but unless I'm banned from driving, which in the Jimny it wouldn't be for speeding but another misdemeanour a cycle or a walk is all I'd do here, fishing just won't happen.


Anyway a nice trip out, soon back home, the deck seemingly a meeting point for all these hover bees / flies, the kids thinking they were wasps. Citronella masking the smell of a rather large gin and tonic, but doing nothing to deter these insects in numbers.

Still the painting was finished, nice and vibrant too, it certainly stood out.


Now talking of standing out, an area I can bike to had a new feature reveal itself, to be fair it was hardly hidden, a fallen tree had made a nice canopy of the river, holding spot for Zed's I'm sure. So I think a little pre-baiting is in order, I'm not talking every day, just those days we all don't go out.

I've never pre-baited for Zeds before, but if we cannot fish, as soon as the drawbridge goes up, a primed swim for a quick bite might well be worth a go.

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