04/10/2012 - Trent and Mersey Canal

The specimen hunter's lament probably goes along the lines of "so much to fish for, so little time" (thanks for that, Rob!). My own fishing time is certainly at a premium, so I try and plan with military precision where, when and what I'm doing next. The fact that the Trent was still too high for a return to Swarkestone therefore put me in a real quandry. Go back to the Soar at Kegworth and have another bash there, follow up a lead into some big perch from a different section of the river or have the first session of the year after some canal zander? In the end I opted for the latter so, after a pleasant pub lunch with the wife, I set off to the Trent and Mersey Canal near Burton.

Was nobody else on the section when I arrived, so soon had two hair-rigged deadbait "chunks" out in the prime spot. Some kind person had even cut the grass, which meant I didn't have to do any gardening around the rods. The downside to this was that you could smell the dog mines but you couldn't see them! Had to play hokey cokey with a few boats to start with (including an idiot in a hire boat that did a 10 point turn in the swim, making full use of the piling on each bank!), but the traffic soon fizzled out. First run came while it was still full daylight. By the feel of it I was expecting a zed to pop up. However, it turned out to be an absolute mint perch of 2lb 10oz (look at the fins and the hump on it!).

 

Predator No.1

 

As the light began to fade the action began in earnest as the bobbins started twitching and jumping. However, turned out to be most frustrating. Lost count of the number of times I watched the line peeling off the spool, picked up the rod then either struck into nothing or bumped off a fish. Didn't think it was going to be my night. Eventually had two almost simultaneous runs and somehow managed to hook and land both fish, one a pike of about 7lb and the other a zed of less than a pound. Suspect it was these little pests that were giving me all the grief. However, with full darkness a shoal of better fish must have moved into the area as I then had three over 3lb in quick succession, best going 4lb 8oz.

 

 

Predator No.2

 

Was back to being frustrated by the little zeds after this, although last fish turned out to be a nocturnal, tail-walking pike (had missed the bite alarm with the line in the dark on the previous cast, so only noticed I'd got a run when the baitrunner went into meltdown!). Not quite a canal double, but at 9lb 13oz it was a good way to finish the session.







 

Predator No.3

 

Think I might treat myself to a haircut now looking at these photos.......