Transient Towpath Trudging - Pt.105 (Maggots)

With such a disappointing session yesterday I was back for some more of the same !! this time however I was back to an area of canal that did plenty of bites recently on maggots over groundbait.

A lovely morning it was too, albeit a little chilly when I got bankside for 6.00am. I don't tend to set an alarm because I naturally wake around that time anyway. The day only got better and better and actually led to the first BBQ of the year. 

Let's hope things improve because the weather has been pretty terrible hasn't it. Anyway it took a while to get the first bite but then after that the sport was steady but not exactly as good as it was last time here.

The insert waggler float I was using wasn't really registering the bites as well as I hoped so much so for the next session back after the roach again, I'd switch back to the drennan antenna float that has served me so well. 

During this session I actually lost two of the biggest fish where the first one felt really heavy and I didn't get to see it.

It was hugging bottom in the fight and after a 10 seconds or so the hook pulled and the float nearly wacked me in the face as it catapulted towards me.

Shame really as it felt a decent fish I must admit. It could well have been a roach bream hybrid because the next fish I lost I knew was a decent slab.

I rarely lose fish in this manner but maybe the tentative bites I mentioned before could well have been an influencing factor.

I don't mind catching bream to be honest despite their slime and I had a fair few in this short session.

I'm still let to see another angler on this stretch and that didn't change today, where the heck is everybody ?

I know the closed season it not everyones cup of tea, but to get that fishing fix there are plenty of fish to catch in canals like this.

Zander obviously get finger of blame as one of the reasons why the canals are not fished much in these quarters but I'm sure it is the commercial fishery that have had the biggest influence. 

 Now the Zander rod has been out for a good hour before I had the first bite which I missed and also the bite afterwards where I pulled the bait out of the fishes mouth. 

If there are Zander in the swim though often you will get another chance and sure enough after a couple of bobs of the float, it confidently heads towards some thick cover.

I knew it wasn't a big fish from the first bend of the rod but it gave a spirited fight and was safely in the landing, where the circle hooks was proudly displayed in the scissors.

That was the only Zander I had and after a few boats went thought scuppering anymore maggot fishing I decided to go back the canal, dump some gear and fish an area I'd been doing ok recently for them. After one missed bite after 5 minutes another hour or so was fruitless. Still a fine morning and a few bites I wasn't complaining.