A Rough Guide to Canal fishing.

[mithrandir]

I had planned on having a go at the Kennet and Avon Canal in search of the elusive ruffe, gudgeon, bream and tench I needed for the species hunt. Claudia had been pole fishing all Friday and was shattered when she got in, but hearing I was going she decided to join me, that girl is a soldier when it comes to fishing, always does her duty, out catching in all weathers and conditions, should make some of the armchair anglers ashamed!

We headed over to Devizes to pick up the day tickets, £3-50 each, some maggots and as ever Claudia found some vital pieces of kit in the tackle shop she desperately needed. So a few pounds lighter we headed off to All Cannings to my favourite tench spot for a gentle day of fishing.

The weather was kind to us, overcast and warm, and only a couple of 5 minute light showers would trouble us during the day.

Here are some views of the canal, and if you look really hard you may be able to see the float in the water.





We set up about 20 yards apart and got the float rods out and started feeding maggots. It did not take long before Claudia was into her first fish, a rudd.



She continued to collect a few of these whilst I had a couple of missed bites ( I am still not very good at this float fishing!). I decided to move 30 yards further down the canal as I seemed to have a lot of dead tree branches in my swim. I was set up here with a small float and a size 18 hook on 2 lb line, quite quickly I had my first very delicate bite and caught the blank buster roach.



If you look closely the difference between the two fish is that the rudd noticeable in the position of the top fin and the mouth shape, I find it strange that we were so close together but were hitting different species.

Claudia continued to catch, but it all slowed down, I was struggling, the bites were so, so, delicate and I must of missed more than I caught!

We both managed to catch some of the Silver bream that inhabit this stretch of canal

Claudia's



Mine



As the afternoon drew on the tench bubbles were visible in my swim, so I gently let the small flow in the water and the breeze pull my float right on top of them and I soon had this fish take the bait, they go really well on light gear.



It weighed in at 3lb 15oz, but when I got home I thought it strange that the tench had a small black mark, my memory was ticking away so looking back over my reports from last year I found that when I fished that stretch in Feb 2007 I had caught a tench at 3lb 4oz with a strange black mark



Maybe it was the same fish, I have never seen the mark on any other fish so I guess it was, nice to meet up with old friends!!

It was not long after that that Claudia hit into the tench and landed this one at 2lb 4 oz



As the day drew to a close Claudia had picked up a few Perch



But our main target of the Ruffe had failed to show yet again, so I will have a few more trips chasing that little devil to come.

We got back in the dark, we had had a full 12 hours fishing, so after a curry we were soon crawling off to bed for some much earned sleep.

[Catfish Virgin (Still!)]

Great report and catch (didn't realise the K&A was one of the canals still open!).

Extra well done for Claudia's silver bream....more points for the hunt.

And, Claudia, who's the tramp you picked up on the tow path?

Originally Posted by mithrandir

[Fishing Forum Admin]

Great read sounds like a lovely day

[Banana Steve]

Nice one Guys, sorry I didn't come along with you, I was absolute Knackerd, and realy fancied a lie in. Well done on the Tench, The spotted Tench is nice to see that it has put weight on.
Did Claudia catch on the pole or did she fish the feeder?
Once again well done

[Greenheart]

Great read Mike & well done to you both on those Tench. Glad i'm not the only one struggleing to catch a Ruffe though.... (Oop's, just said the "R" word...)

[pingu]

nice one guys
must get out into the dark side sometime this year


dave

[Twiddler]

Originally Posted by Banana Steve

Nice one Guys, sorry I didn't come along with you, I was absolute Knackerd, and realy fancied a lie in. Well done on the Tench, The spotted Tench is nice to see that it has put weight on.
Did Claudia catch on the pole or did she fish the feeder?
Once again well done

I was fishing the Waggler, was thinking of fishing the pole but as it was Bank holiday weekend I knew the would be too many barges about and I was still hurting from Friday and couldn't face all the shipping in and out lol

[Norfolkboy]

Well done guys

[BaggieRich]

Nice one guys... Another good session..

Think you may have spent too long with Ian though.. Looks like the curse is spreading...

[jhock]

How do you get to that stretch of canal? I have fished on the stair case in Devizes and had some great Tench but it's very busy and I want use the pole with out getting in the way. I live in Trowbridge but as they say 'I am nots from round here' so would need good directions!