Transient Towpath Trudging - Pt.40

I really didn't have a clue where to go fishing for this short morning session, the rivers are not being too kind to me at the minute, so, I know what, to the canal forthwith !!!

I'm slap bang in the middle of Zander territory luckily so a double dipping session this, a deadbait out on the overdepth float set-up and then a lift float set-up for anything that fancied the bread. 

This stretch 10 minutes down the road has been good to me in the past but this time of year it can be very tricky for the Zander.

When the boat traffic dies off the water goes clear and the predators especially are harder to track down. The key is to find some cover and any likely holding area such as locks and keep on the move basically till you find the fish. 

The first swim what I didn't expect was after half an hour without a bite on either rods out of the blue the float shot up a few inches and I struck in to something solid.

Not one of the hybrids or bream though, this was a bleeding carp where it shot off like a rocket down the canal to my left at a rate of knots with me following it. 

Sadly the inevitable happen and after a 40 yard dash with the centrepin screaming it did me over good and proper, Damn !!!

Another lost fish FFS not going well at the minute is it. Anyway I had to abandon that swim in the end because the leaves were wiping the float rods out every couple of minutes and was only adding to the frustration. Still plenty to go at here so I went on the rove. 

Edible ? Yes or No ? 

Nothing in the next two swims but then with the deadbait tight to an overhanging tree the first nudge of the deadbait after nothing for 15 minutes something has grabbed it and the float is off. 

I tightened up to the circle hook and the hook hold felt good. Yes a Zander, I've missed these stunning fish that are persecuted for no fault of their own. 

3 further Zander and a jack pike all from the same swim, at least things going to plan for once. Ok nothing big but still I'm very lucky to have the option locally. 

A couple of lure guys I got speaking to were struggling but managed perch before I left them to it. I put them on to the swim (gone dead at this point ) so hopefully they got something to at least put a decent bend in the rod. 

After a boat when through which was the only one in the 4 and a bit hours I was there I returned to the first swim to try and get something other than a Zander.

A feeding some more mash a bite came within 10 minutes where the float shot up with some vigour and stayed there. It turned out to be a nice roach, and oddly apart from the carp that was the only action I managed to get. Still an enjoyable session, the water actually felt cold to the touch, so despite the mild days the water is still pretty chilly.