Transient Towpath Trudging - Pt.18

There is a reason I go fishing, the reason I seek the much needed solitude away from the diary makers so  this stretch has been largely off my radar. You see its close to town and close to all manner of new builds that have sprung over of the last few years and that means the footfall is more than I'd like even for my short sessions. 

Dogs for some reason can often react to anglers with rods in hand and within 20 minutes of being there a dog is barking at me from the other side of the cut. Morning to you too !!!

Now after the capture of the chub I thought I'd come and see if any Zander would be up for a feed so the float rod was swapped for two deadbait rods and 6.30 am I was roving a series of locks to see if I could stumble upon any fish. 

This used to be quite a picturesque stretch full of reeds and cover and yet lock after lock the removal of huge areas of it was plain to see. Any interest couple of dog walkers were amazed that any fish would actually live in this canal but thanked me for enlightening them. Of late the CRT certainly have taken to their power tools in great vigour, not sure what the heck is going on but the butchering year on year seems to be getting worse. 

The fish on the other hand remained very elusive indeed and swim after swim I couldn't find any Zander whatsoever. I've spotted carp here in the past but those didn't show either, but the marginal reeds that they used to tuck themselves in to had also been removed in a few swims they used to call home.

Usually on this canal you rarely blank, or at least get a run or two, but not this session it was very tough indeed, so much so I decided to up-sticks and venture to a stretch where I caught a few recently. 

It didn't start well, a group of 22 walkers, yes really, decided they would like to walk this stretch too, so after multiple "morning(s) !!" I settled in to leapfrogging some cover and finishing up at a lock. Nothing whatsoever after 15 minutes in each swim and after another Zander angler came past to say that he was off to another stretch as he was blanking as was his mate who was 5 minutes away, the writing was on the wall right there. 

What I didn't realise was his mate was Buffalo Si from River Masters who seems to be on the same challenge I took up 6 years ago and I'm to blame for that. He has been doing better than me of late mind you, with a 7 and 8 lber to add to his recent tally. He is in the right trail that's for sure, as he had been fishing two areas where there has been doubles out over the years so it will be interesting to see if can pick one up fast than I could.

So a blank session, not good !!!