Transient Towpath Trudging - Pt.66 (Bream)

Now swans are another of nature's little jokes. Apart from sploshing around and scaring every fish for miles, they assume that the tins of bait and packets of butties have been brought specially for them by the RSPCA Meals on Wheels service.

If normal methods of persuasion (a clout with the landing net, a gentle pat with a brick) fail to dissuade them, try imitating the hunting call of the Upper Mersey Swan-Eating Seal (recordings available from Piscatorial Quagswagging Enterprises price £14.95 each, plus postage).

A last resort is the Bolton Swan Upping. This differs in many respects from the Thames Swan Upping, but is nonetheless hallowed by tradition. A trail of chopped black pudding is laid from the water's edge to a convenient spot in front of a bush. Behind the bush, dressed in ratting cap and pit clogs, the Upper lies in wait.

The swan follows the trail, gobbling up the black pudding, and finishes, all unsuspecting and head down, in front of the bush. Out leaps the Upper and, with the traditional cry of 'Gerroopyabooger!' lifts the swan smartly in the air with the toe of his clog.

It was said of Elkanah Broadbottom, champion Upper of pre-war years, that he could shift a swan from Bolton to Bradford in his bare feet. 

Given good clogs and a ten-yard run up, he could have Orson put Welles on top of Manchester town hall with nothing but a bent toecap to show for it.

Anyway enough of that back to the fishing. The bronze bream (Abramis brama) is bronze and the silver bream (Blicca bjoernka) is silver remember that. 

Both look like an ironed-out roach , very impressive from the side, but from the front they might as well not be there.

Oh and both fight like a wet lettuce !!!

Something did me over in the area last time though and I'm sure it was a roach bream hybrid.

The hook pulled sadly after quite a spirited fight, but the fish came to the surface at one point and it defiantly was silver. 

So I was back for another go !!!

A slight change though for this session as I'd have a sleeper rod out towards the far reeds. A method feeder with sweetcorn on the hair to try and snare a passing fish, and I'd fish my usual float set-up just off the rod tip.

There was definitely a sign of a carp here last time as well so if the bream / hybrids were not showing a carp would be nice now wouldn't it !!!

A moored boat was in the swim I usually fish but within half an hour they left their moorings. An early start for them too but the weather was pants later on so maybe they decided to leave before the rain came to spoil their tiller tickling. Anyway some Sonubaits Super Crush green and some micro pellets went in to the float swim and a little amount of mashed bread and it didn't take long to see signs of fish. 

The first bite came on the method feeder which ripped off after only being out for 10 minutes or so. Only a smallish bream but a good sign. 

And a good sign it was, because wow, what a session. In a few hours I caught on the float and also another 2 on the method feeder, the fish were certainly up for a feed. I missed bites on the float and bumped a couple off. The biggest fish I lost which I think was foul hooked, it came to the top with a huge boil on the surface but the first bolt off the hook pulled.

Not the biggest of fish admittedly because I've caught them twice as big here, the best around 3lb or so. I caught 9 though, and if I was a better angler with the concentration of Jon Arthur I've have caught way more than that.

I fish crudely too, but this is the canal after all, it sees little angling pressure. What I was surprised at though was that no hybrids or roach showed at all, it was a bream morning. The bites dried up eventually and the rain started in anger. It was worthwhile getting out though I've never had a session like it.