If I look back at my blog around this time of year exactly a year ago and also from the previous years often the local rivers are in the state they are now. The relentless rain over weeks and months the river and the water table for that matter full to the brim, and just when you think things are looking good again, then comes the rain scuppering the piscatorial pursuits on flowing water.
It's getting me down it really is 😞
Now I'm quite lucky where I live because I can be beside the canal in a few minutes by car, and canals that have been good to me over the years where Zander and other fish are concerned, so at least I can get that fishing fix.
Now I knew I had to take the long way around to get to where I wanted to fish because there is a bridge that always floods when the adjacent brook gets to a certain level, where basically the overflow dumps it right under the bridge.
The biggest problem is the height gauge at the entrance to the bridge is nothing like what the depth will be in the middle. A foot is just about dooable in my Jimny and I wouldn't want to do much more that that because I'd be having to change the oil in the diffs and transfer case most likely.
So when the gauge says a foot deep at this bridge I know forwell it's much deeper than that, where in the middle it's probably another half a foot or more deeper as the road dips. To be honest the detour only takes <10 minutes or so anyway so not an issue for me, so I arrived at the spot without issue which couldn't be said about the car that attempted it.
He'd been dragged out by a mate in a 4X4 by the looks of it. Now when we have more settled conditions I'm tempted to mark on a foot deep at the deepest bit of the bridge to give me an idea what exactly that the depth is actually like, rather that rely on the gauge that is fitted now, which is basically lying to you 🤣
Anyway I did wonder what the heck I was doing when I negotiated the aqueduct with rain almost horizontal and the rain battering me from all angles. There is a reason why I have invested in some decent gear though because it wasn't an issue at all really. The EVA bag I have as well perfect for these conditions where I'd be leapfrogging sections of cover to try and find a zander.
A good couple of hours passed though and probably 5 or 6 areas including a lock mouth was fished with two deadbait rods without even a dropped run.
The key to a bite was to retrace my steps to the other side of the aqueduct where eventually the right float jumped in to life and was motoring down the canal. I tightened up to the circle hook where I was fully expecting a schoolie Zander judging by the run.
I was wrong in my assumption though as it was a small jack pike that didn't fight much at all bless him. The circle hook right in its scissors so it wasn't coming out that's for sure.
Considering the water is strong tea coloured I really was quite surprised that it was a pike but I'm sure I must have dropped it where it was laying up. And that was my lot, to be honest with the wind still pretty bad, the towpaths hard to walk on because they are so muddy I gave it another twenty minutes before heading off before the rain started in anger again.
The countdown to work on the 2nd of January is in full swing now, what a disappointing end to 2023. I'm hoping for a few more sessions but with the rivers the way they are my options will be limited I'm sure.
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