The Close Season Zander Quest Pt.165 - Cherubims and Chaetopods

I'm retreating as fast as the Metropolitan Police on this Zander quest of mine. Unfortunately after the late start despite fishing quite a few times now since the drawbridge was lifted, I've not managed anything worthy of note. The river season is nearly upon us too and that;s where ones allegiances lie.

Even long term blog sufferer John Werrett was surprised at the last post, even with a blank I always fine something to write, the last biteless session however, I lost the urge and decided not to put fingers to the keyboard. Something to do with the moon phase, that's my guess why they are off feeding, the spoil sports.

Still, on a positive note though John the wormery I started in lockdown, is starting to establish itself quite well now and the first load of food scraps and trimmings has turned in to compost and I've  added some more fresh Sunday roast binables.

Kale, carrots and potato peelings all added to the bin as shown below to boost the worm fodder. It's kept in the garage tucked away from sight as it's cool in there and no subject to the rapid rise and fall of temperatures.

They certainly seem happy enough in there when I've looked and the odd bit of water added to keep them moist they seem to be thriving. I don't know why it's taken me so long get one sorted either, it makes sense especially as it's so easy to set-up initially. Some choir matting, some topsoil, some worms, that's it.

To be fair there are probably quite a few different ways to start one, but that's how I started mine. At the start of the season when the rivers are tough because of the clear water, a natural bait such as a worm can often mean blank avoidance whatever the size of the fish caught. There is no denying a wriggly worm is enticing to fish.

Now talking about enticing, there is no denying tits mean hits, be it, female or feathered, you see the other day I stumbled upon a self-confessed influencers (whatever that encompasses and entails in social media circles these days) YouTube channel the other day and yeap, forgettable content apart from the very visual aforementioned, then to be fair I don't think I had the volume up.

Clearly the clickbait thumbnail was there to entice a certain audience to boost the amount of subscribers in the easiest way possible. To be fair it's been going on for years, these days though, YouTube can offer a revenue stream even a career if you get it right, give the audience what they want.

Now what the audience want with my blog is probably holding up a 10lb canal Zander to put the end to the suffering, but to be honest, even I am beginning to realise this quest may never be concluded.

Oddly I quite enjoy walking the towpath in the chase of big Zeds despite the needle in haystack challenge is clearly is. It's still enjoyable in the main and a nice diversion from not been able to fish the rivers.Long may it continue, well ok, you know how much it would mean to me if I eventually see one in the bottom of the landing net.

Anyway back to the task in hand, a short evening session in to dusk at an area that offers sanctuary in abundance to Zeds that could well be holding up at the minute. A row of moored boats on the opposite bank is ideal for social distancing and above the boats was a nice small section of cover where I'd caught 12 Zander in one eventful hour and a bit session.

There are certain Zander here in numbers and the odd lunker too with the ears on the ground I've got working for me, certainly the odd fish roaming here worth fishing for. Anyway the 'deep bit' is not far from here either, and that has form that's for sure, well it did have till the swim was butchered.

So 3 hours, two rods, both with smelt, enough of the ramblings how did I get on ?

Well a very mild evening indeed, humid and felt close but I'm sure there was a bite to be had. After a good 2 hours moving up a section of moored boats nothing doing apart from bream rolling and a tiny Zander grabbing the bait when I was just about to lift it out the water. Hmmm, not good, I decided to then walk up to some thick cover where they could be holding up and on route spotted a crystal waggler being dragged all round the canal.

I narrowboat owner in his wisdom had decided to leave his rod on the deck whilst he made a pot noddle or something. I gave him a shout and eventually a old chap and his missus appeared and hauled the bream in, they didn't have a landing net either so she had to do the honours on all fours, you couldn't make it up. Luckily after a failed lift out the water the fish flipped and it lost the hook and went back where it belonged. 

So the last hour and a bit was as uneventful as the first, some cover leapfrogged and then I settled in one swim for one last gasp effort. The towpath was relatively quiet despite the pleasant evening and as the light was fading a bite out of nowhere. The right hand float starts to get dragged out of position and then goes hell for leather.

I knew what it was before I struck in to it, yeap a tiny schoolie, still at least it wasn't another blank for the effort I've put in recently. I stayed another half an hour to see if there was a shoal in the area, but no, nothing.