Canal Roach - The Sisyphean Task ? Pt.5

Canal angling (was) synonymous with fine-line fishing. The average angler would shudder at any suggestion that he could use a line of greater breaking-strain than two pounds. For many, a one-pound to one-and-a-half-pound breaking-strain line is regarded as a necessity. My own experience has taught me otherwise. 

Fine lines may be essential for certain styles of fishing, but they are not always indispensable. In fact, in some cases the use of a fine line could be disastrous. Nevertheless, strongly held opinions about the necessity for fine lines cannot be dismissed lightly.

I think there are several reasons for this belief in them. One of these must be the influence of habit and tradition. Canal fishing has always been associated with angling for small fish with fine tackle, and once an idea has become universally accepted its veracity is seldom challenged. 

Another reason is that fine lines usually result in more bites when the slow-sinking style of fishing is used. Objections to stronger lines are usually based mainly upon the fear that the fish will see the line and will be put off from taking the bait. 

But I doubt very much whether fish are capable of such fine discrimination. If they can see one line, they can see another. I doubt if there is any line they cannot see, in normal conditions.The true reason why less fish are caught with a slow-sinking bait fished on a strong line might rather be that it is not as pliable as a line of lower breaking strain. 

Consequently, the bait does not fall through the water as naturally as one fished on a fine line. Since the majority of canal anglers use a slow- sinking style, an undeserved prejudice has grown up against the strong line.

A hard fighting 4lb Roach Bream Hybrid

It would be true to say that even this legitimate objection to the strong line can be overcome to a great extent by using a larger hook and a bigger bait. 

This can be proved by experiment. If a small hook is tied to a strong line and baited with a maggot, its sinking action in a vessel of water will appear slow and unnatural, but tie on a large hook and bait it with a lobworm or a knob of cheese, and the bait will fall through the water in a much more natural manner. 

It increases the chance that the bait will be taken, and the supposed scaring effect that the line has on the fish will be largely negated. This I have proved to myself over and over again by catching numerous canal roach and other fish while using strong lines and large hooks. 

The strong line is really most suitable for bottom fishing, though. Since the bait and part of the line are lying along the bottom, the question of unnatural action of the bait does not arise. Fine lines are most suitable for catching small fish, stronger lines for catching the larger ones. I have a place for both in my tackle stash. 

The colour of the line is of some importance, too, I think. Transparent or pearl-coloured lines seem to reflect too much light, and when the sun is on the water they can often be seen quite clearly. Does this unnatural glint of reflected light have a scaring effect on the fish? I feel that it does on certain clear water venues , I tend to use green-coloured lines. 

The canal I'm fishing for this session, well it's coloured proper coloured, so to be honest you can get away with anything really, that ever takes your fancy. One thing for certain though if you hook a 4lb hybrid you don't want to be undergunned. 

Not all lines react the same in different breaking strains either the Korum Glide for example works really well for my relatively heavy trotting line for barbel but only a couple of pound less, for floating fish the canal it tends to get more curls in it than Screech from Saved by the Bell. 

A small point, perhaps, but if it leads to more fish in the net, then it is worth thinking about. The successful angler is often successful because he attends to small points that others neglect. 

Now my blog name is for good reason, because not only do I love to tinker, but I also love to do whatever takes my fancy. My rod collection is testament to that, a jack of all trades, master of none, that's me to a tee, I catch fish though, more luck than judgement mind you, works for me, but it's surprising what little tweaks here and there can do.  

For this session after roach I was scaling down the bits of bread I've been fishing, not hugely but I wanted to be a little more selective with the canal fish I've been catching. Maggots fished over groundbait seems to work rather quite well but those bigger roach I'm after just having been showing whatsoever.

That's one of the reason why I thought I'd try fishing in to dusk for this short trip out where I'd arrive at 6.30pm and be off when I couldn't see the float(s). Float(s) yes because I'd also have a sleeper rod out for Zander as well. 

There was a constant underlying tow on the canal which meant it was frustrating trying to fish in the track, the sensitive set-up just a pain as it was being dragged off line all the time. My insert waggler set-up is ideal for this with a couple of large shot anchoring it to the bottom. 

So in the end I decided to fish right by some reeds the towpath side. There was indications there was fish in the swim half an hour or so after adding the bread mash and then sure enough, the classic lift bite and a fish was on.

 I knew it was a roach from the fight but not exactly the size I was after. One twice the size would be nice. When they get to this size though their mouths are bigger than you think so they can easily suck in a decent piece of bread.

I thought I was in for a few more fish but oddly all went quiet but then I noticed the sleeper rod was off down the canal. I tightened up to a solid lump but after the first couple of pulls realised it wasn't a big fish at all. It was pulling back well mind you however it was soon in the net.

I missed another bite soon after where I pulled the bait out of the zanders mouth and then I managed a tiny waspers delight, so the zander were certainly on the move. During the splurge of activity I'd removed the float rod from the water and fed some more bread mash and it didn't take long to get another bite again.

I added another 4 roach to the tally but they ranged from 6 or 7 ounces to the biggest which was nudging a pound. Proper fat fish too which was nice to see. 

I thought heading up to dusk I'd be on for the better fish but sadly the swim went dead, even the zander rod remained oddly quiet so when I couldn't see either floats it was time to call it a day.

Some nice fish caught though, and the intended target so I wasn't complaining I just need some larger ones now to turn up that required some scales. I'm sure they are here though, I don't want it that easy now do I, I'm after a 2lb roach after all, they don't give up easily.