Closed Season Zander Quest Pt.15 – Dirty Bottom Scoundrels

For this short evening session I decided to fish a rather picturesque stretch of the Stratford-Upon-Avon canal. Such a pleasant setting however was rudely interrupted; a curry induced crowd splitter meant any movement however small was followed with the surrounding air filled with a rotten stench. An apple laced pork pie with black pudding and a couple of bottles of bishops fingers earlier in the day probably didn’t help, maybe it reacted with the scotch bonnet chillies and the iron rich spinach within the home made curry. As a combination sat in the depths of my stomach, it’s not something I’m planning to repeat (excuse the pun). It was like being downwind of a cesspit on a warm day.

I was glad I was outdoors…so was the Wife.

The self-induced predicament I was in meant static fishing was a no go, being on the move was the order of the day as any length of time without movement meant the deeply unpleasant cramps returned. This wasn’t a bad thing as I’d only fished this canal a handful of times with the majority of it largely unexplored. Apparently there are Zander here even though I’ve never caught one; I was hoping this lure roving session would throw up a fish or two and give me a good chance to look at possible fish holding areas for a future session on the deadbait.

The aggressive cut scoundrel really does respond to a lure and I’ve caught plenty on the method using either a 3” or 4” firetiger shad which works really well in the cuts dirty coloured water. I use a light wire leader with some success however I bumped in to a fellow angler a few weeks ago and he was using a fluorocarbon leader, now I’ve never caught a Pike during my Zander canal fishing exploits but he reckoned it made a big difference, allowing the lure to look more natural and perform better, and ultimately putting more fish on the bank. Would it really make a difference especially when most of the stretches I fish are coloured? All my lure caught Zander have been when using wire and I’m not planning to change just yet, it’s not as if I’m not catching them however would it potentially up may catch rate ? the concern for me would be, ok a schoolie it probably wouldn’t be an issue but I’d have thought the powerful jaws of something big, fluro would it be more of a hindrance than a help.

All views welcome as after the session I think I’ve answered my own question, now back to the fishing….

After roving and casting the lure for what seemed like an eternity it took approximately 3 hours to catch the first fish, a Pike, yes you heard it a Pike. Now considering the amount of Zander I’ve caught this was a welcome change. It was from turbulent water around a lock gate. It gave a good scrap on light tackle too, a very pleasing 5lb 8oz and considering it’s the first Pike I’ve had from the canal it was a PB. The next lock down also produced a fish, the locks on the Stratford-Upon-Avon canal are a barge width in most places and this Zander came from a swim no wider than that. Again gave a good scrap and weighed 3lb 12oz. With nearly 5 miles walked it’s certainly not an easy task finding fish but an enjoyable session all the same especially with the sun on my back.

I’ll be back….

Closed Season Zander Quest Pt.14 – Commander-in-Teeth

A change of plan for this session, I had planned to fish the Stratford canal but a mate Simon decided to join me last minute with some left over maggots he had from a mid-week session in overstocked Shrewley Pools. So this particular area of the Grand Union I’ve lost a couple of decent Zander at the net, potential PB beaters too, so all very frustrating. What is weird though is that these bigger fish are amongst the schoolies and the pattern has always been the same, catch a few smaller fish from the same swim and then, wham a much bigger fish turns up. It’s like the Commander sends in his troops for a reccy and then he joins them at the battlefield. I’ve found the morning for some reason far better than an evening session, not sure why but it just is.

The problem I’ve had here is one of the swims is quite elevated so the angle of rod to line is very acute and for some reason the bigger fish have managed to lose the hook once they shook their heads in anger. The acuteness is emphasised by the short 6ft rod, maybe that doesn’t help, it’s certainly having an effect that’s for sure, even when the tried and trusted mustad ultimate bass hook is used. (with barb crushed)

The water is properly thick and coloured so the fish respond best to deadbait than lures so for this short session I dumped the lure rod and rigged up another running rig for an all out headless roach sortie. The smaller rod was positioned within the deeper boat channel at the entrance to some gates and the larger rod in the hotspot near some reeds.

Within ten minutes I had a little scrapper on the bank, and more or less every fifteen minutes I had another 6 further schoolies. A proper savage bite with an hour to go the bobbin hit the butt ring but sadly didn’t connect to a fish. I’ve found the more aggressive the bobbin movement it’s usually a smaller fish, the larger fish are nice and steady. The last fish was a better fat near 3lber but the lure of a pint of ale sadly was too much so with the new river season not far away I will return here again for a last gasp morning session.

Oh and Simon caught naff all.......

Closed Season Zander Quest Pt.13 – Grime Suspect

I still wanted to know what caused the huge surface disturbance from one of my previous sessions down the cut. I’d fished this 2 mile stretch a few times previously and up until the last session here I blanked every time. I did eventually stumble upon some fish though but again despite catching plenty of Zander and even a Perch they were well short of a double. The scene of the crime despite being the opposite end to where I caught the fish just looked like it would be home to decent Zander. The four visits proved just that as a decent fish went for the lure and inadvertently revealed itself.

The area is a trek, that’s the issue and it’s by far the furthest stretch of the Grand Union I fish. Another problem is when the boats start moving the otherwise static water turns in to a flowing river, I’d not seen anything like it. You’d need a lead weight the size of an apple to hold your keepnet from washing away.

I intend to come back here in the summer months and fish a couple of times in to dusk but for this session I decided to rock up early fish for a couple of hours in the potential quest achiever swim and then fish a stretch a bit further down from where I’d caught before. The water is some of the murkiest and gloomiest I frequent however it’s also has the largest expanse of water, a bit like looking for a black cat in a coal cellar.

But as I've said on many occasions I didn't expect this Zander Quest to be easy...

Nearly 2.5 hours and 4 different swims not a sign from the Zander, I did manage a small Perch on the lure but as soon as the first boater came past I got back in the car and went to the other end of the stretch. I eventually managed a few fish on the deadbait, again, nothing to write home about with the biggest not quite 2 lb.