The Close Season Zander Quest Pt.180 - Cave Dwellers and Cathisophobia

I was one years old when the first dart player threw a 180 in a televised darts match. That was back many moons ago in 1973 when life as a nipper growing up was to be honest a rather large piece of artic roll or an extra large helping of jam roly-poly with extra custard. 

Kids were KIDS back then, how times have changed.... 

In more recent times 40 odd 180's in a single darts match is not uncommon in professional darts now such the talent in the PDC which seems to be getting better year on year. 

I'm 180 sessions in to this Zander quest of mine and I'm getting no easier to track down that elusive double despite ticking off the sessions very regularly indeed. 

However its those little glimmers of hope like this 5lber caught recently that has kept me in the game and I'll keep plugging away till I'm in the right time and the right place. 

I'm sure with all the effort I've been putting in over the years eventually I will be rewarded with planetary alignment and a bullseye and a 10lb Zander will be in the bottom of my landing net.

Up until now that hasn't happened but then trudging towpaths hasn't just been about the fishing, it never has been. 

Its a means to an end I suppose because I'm a river angler, I always have been. Ones troglodytic tendencies means that rivers and the need to seek solitude suit me far better than having to share public spaces. Odd for someone who has enjoyed (and still enjoys when he can )packed nightclubs and illegal raves over the years but there you are. 

It is a hurdle to get over before the drawbridge is lifted the middle of June, those 5 mile walks are regular even for short sessions just to find that needle in the haystack, so as an old git in the next group to get a vaccine it is beneficial to ones health.

Talking about health the Wife and I watched 'The Father' the evening before this session and it tackles dementia very well indeed. 

My old man is a dementia sufferer and Anthony Hopkins brilliantly plays a man who refuses all assistance from his daughter as he ages. As he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and even the fabric of his reality.

Give it a watch if you can, especially as it's a subject matter that effects portrayed so well....

In a loose link I know but it's those changing circumstances I'm looking forward to, you see I'd sort of exhausted the local canals of late however from next week some of the travel restrictions will be lifted as will the request to stay at home ends and I'm looking forward to travelling further afield. 

The Father-In-Law looking forward to swinging his overly polished clubs in angler, go for it Sid, fill your boots I say, I certainly have on the angling front. We've been lucky, we really have.

One venue in particular will get some initial attention before casting my next wider and fishing stretches I know double of shown themselves from time to time. 

Anyway back to the fishing for this clock changing session I just wanted a bite or two so luckily this location is 5 mins away so the loss of an hours kip didn't matter too much. I was bankside at 06.45ish to find another two anglers (lure chuckers) and myself almost converging at the same stretch of canal at almost the same time.

There is a reason though as there are always fish here and if a bite is required this is one of those areas that always holds fish.  There is a reason for that a very good reason, and let's be honest not that hard to guess. They are established here and despite seeing more pressure from anglers than other quieter stretches if you want to catch your first Zed, this is the place to come. 

Now the wind was particularly strong so I was glad I was using deadbaits as I could see some birds nests happening with a braided line the gusts probably getting on for 20 mph or maybe more. 

The first bite came quick and a small swingable Zed landed within ten minutes of being there.

A Warwickshire Zedlet or a 'lure anglers delight'

Three more zedlets were caught before I up-sticks and went for a rove. Despite an Otter that patrols this stretch there are still fish to be caught though and there are some areas of cover where I've caught fish from before.

I was more sheltered from the wind which helped as it wasn't exactly enjoyable. Things didn't go to plan though as 3 areas of cover fished without a bite, the clear water again putting a kibosh on the session which I again finished early this time actually going back to bed much to the Wife's annoyance.