Canal Zander - The Hallowed II Chronicles Pt.5

I hadn't fished here for a while but this area was back on my radar again after some proper huge fish has been caught by a couple of anglers. To be fair I'd been concentrating on one particular area where eventually the quest concluder turned up but I wanted to have a nose at some of the other areas to try and catch an even bigger canal Zander. 12 and 13lbers, yeap, I want in !!!

It's a nice big open stretch this, the footfall isn't that bad, the boat traffic can be, however. Being in the middle of nowhere though the road noise is also at a minimal. 

It's not just all about the big fish, even though I've been daydreaming of a big'un whilst adding the much needed pennies to the ever diminishing pot, sometimes it's just nice to be out isn't it. 

I'd also fish a whip with maggots whilst the Zander rod was doing its thing, because, well, why not. 

With weekends always to look forward to randomly mostly working from home this week I've got up off my backside, turned up the bluetooth speaker up to the max, and danced around the makeshift home office in the kids playroom, with arms and legs like an octopus on acid.

I cannot do that in the proper office now can I !!!

But lets be honest here any break however small it may be from family, work and life's pressures must be taken whenever it can.No let up is there, where if I was young free and single I'd have contemplated selling up, downsizing, retiring and living the simple life in a tiny house somewhere.

I bet it would have been dooable too if it wasn't for the pocket pilferers that are here to stay.

One's elderly next door neighbour had the right idea, he married a lady quite a bit younger than him and whilst she and I are having to deal with the cost of living crisis, he's having a whale of a time, pottering in the garden sawing, banging and drilling EVERY SINGLE DAY !!!.

Luckily for him away from his self inflicting noise creation he has been enjoying acid house and the like emanating from his up to his neck in work neighbour. 

A musical era that in contrast to today, really couldn't be more different and thankfully I can look back at the good times and even better memories where, the tinnitus despite years of woofer abuse, is a distant memory unlike the repetitive beats which for me are still as mind altering as they ever were. 

But fishing is also one of those psychoactives for many, because as we know it is a pastime that isn't rivalled I don't think. 

In these times fishing can provide escapism in spades, especially when it offers so much variety and can be adapted to suit the time you have available, whether that is two hours, five hours, 24 or even a week or more.

 

Many anglers like me, do not think about anything whatsoever when fishing, Blank Mind Syndrome almost and it really is quite amazing how the wellbeing improves especially when most of my sessions are short. 

Now I think Buffalo Si (complete with 7 rods) is following me or something because as Sam and I was making are way down to the swim to fish, Si and his mate Neil from the garage had been there ALL DAY and were staring at a blank.

It turned out the swim he'd be fishing was home to his PB pike of 22lb and also a massive Zander of 12lb's and 8 ounces which are such impressive fish for the canal, and as I said, it must be one the best stretches in the country. There is a reason for that though and that is because the place is stuffed full of fish. The predators that swim here really have rich pickings. 

Now fishing groundbait and maggots sport can be quite ridiculous really but it can be patchy sometimes however persevere with the bait going in and bites are usually forthcoming.

Rudd and perch made up the bulk of the fish succumbing to the whip approach with the odd small silver bream in-between. That's the way it goes here, but fortunes can change the following day when bream, bigger rudd, roach, tench and hybrids can make an appearance. 

The biggest fish was a perch around a pound but certainly sport on the 3.5m whip after giving him the run around. The predator rod was out for a few hours and moved around the swim but nothing doing on that whatsoever.

Sam was entertained though especially when Buffalo Si gave us a sneak preview of the video that he will be posting on YouTube soon. Something a bit different to the humdrum fishing channels give them a watch even if it's just for a laugh, as he certainly does seem to enjoy himself. 

As dusk was approaching after a quiet period it was a bite a chuck in the end but after a busy day we both decided to call it a day. The boat traffic here is regular but even after a boat has gone be and stirred up the bottom the colour quickly returns back to normal.

My local canal is nothing like that, once a boat goes by it stays chocolate brown for a good hour or so. I'm sure that helps the fishing as the canal is a lovely green colour and always has some decent visibility. We will be back !!!