Transient Towpath Trudging - Pt.74

Some human beings like to live in a town, some in the country, some on high ground, some in the valleys. So do fish. Some fish like to live in shoals, or schools a sort of town life. Others live a quiet or 'country' life which is rather lonely. Then there are fish which prefer to live and feed near, or on, the surface of the water, which is much the same as people living on high ground. Fish which live on the bottom of the river are as the humans who like living in valleys.

Now fish are one of life's loafers, and in the human world there seems to be an ever increasing work shy layabouts and those happy to live of me and thee's handouts, maybe if I'm reincarnated I'd like to come back as a fish, not a stupid gluttonous carp mind you, maybe an eel, or a chub maybe, just to see what it is like. 

Suppose I asked you if you would like a nice plate of curry for breakfast on a boiling summer day? You would say, 'Not likely, thank you.' I should be offering you the wrong 'bait'. On the other hand, if I suggested some cold chicken and salad for lunch on the same day, or a dish of Irish Stew on a cold winter day, you would say, 'Yes, please.' I should be offering you the right 'bait'. So when you go fishing you must put the right 'meal' on the hook and that is often governed by the weather.

Then again people have ideas about food. Some folk are vegetarians, others much prefer plenty of meat. Fish are the same. Roach, for instance, aren't all that keen on meat. They have a fancy for bread paste. But it wouldn't be much use offering a perch a bread paste bait. The perch is the boy for meat, especially a nice red wriggling worm.

I am sure that among the people you know, some are strong, some are bold and rather reckless, some careful, clever, even a little bit artful, and others shy. And fish are just the same. Some have all these characteristics. Just you wait until you are playing a big carp, then you will know what I mean. Not until your carp actually lying in the landing net and a good way from the waterside will you be able to say truthfully, 'Got him!'

The recent canal carp capture almost played out in slow motion, very surreal because usually my calamity traits often get in the way. Sam fancied in on this after seeing the carp and with the gear still out from the 'recent hallowed' sortie it was to the local canal forthwith.

The surface was littered with crud from the boarding trees so for something different and the fact it worked well on the last session, so a scaled down helicopter rig with a groundbait feeder with worm / maggot as bait. The bread bomb rod if we spotted any carp and a float out for any Zander in the area. 

Sam always says he brings bad luck when we fish the canal and 2 hours in to the session without a bite he repeated the sentence. "Daddy, you know what I say when we fish the canals, well...." 

....plenty of things to keep Sam occupied though within the tackle bag.

A slingshot to practice his aiming, a pair of scissors to dig out a big stone out of the ground and some bread to feed the ducklings. Wild garlic to pick and dock leaves to float down the canal. 

3 swims fished and not even a nibble on maggots or worms and the deadbait rod was untouched. No sign of the carp either in these overcast conditions. !!

Still plenty of father and son time away from the house and that's why I like these sessions !!!

Verbal diarrhoea it may be, however....

"can we nuke China because they eat dogs, we need to save all the dogs"

"A gun magazine in America takes 30 bullets because that's the average school class size" "apparently you can own a gun as long as you can walk, 2 or something"

"Tell me about slavery, we are learning about it in school"