02/10/2013 - Trent and Mersey Canal

Mild nights had been forecast this week, so arranged to meet Tim for another crack at the zander on the canal. Got home from work early, did a few chores, then headed down the A38 and was in the swim fishing by 6 pm. The Canal and Rivers Trust had been along and kindly cut the grass on the towpath again. However, most of it had ended up in the water, so sunken rod tips were the order of the day!

 

Grass soup!

 

Tim turned up as the light was going. The bobbin on my right hand rod had been doing a Michael Flatley and jigging around all over the place just prior to his arrival, but I had failed to connect with anything. Sod's Law then that Tim should cast in and soon after land the first zander of the night!

Zed!

Almost immediately after his zander I landed a pike of about 6lb and then a perch of 1lb 10oz, so we at least had the "treble" in the bag  between us. However, whilst Tim went on the catch another three zander from the right hand side of the swim, I couldn't seem to connect with any of the crafty beggars. Both of us experienced full blooded runs with line disappearing off the reel, only to strike into thin air or, as happened to me, find yourself connected to a) an old shoe or b) a sunken branch! My highlight of the night came when I struck into a heavy fish that took a bait positioned tightly (more by luck than judgment!) against the pilings on the far bank. Not a zed, but a nicely conditioned pike of 15lb that had obviously fancied a quick snack on a roach head.

Pike!

 

Once we were in full darkness the action dried up, which seems to be the pattern here. Gave it another hour anyway, but were packed up and away by 9.30 pm.

 

Postscript - I checked my photos from last season and found that I'd had the 15lber on 14/10/12 at 13lb 12oz. Pattern on the anal fin was a giveaway. Shows they don't move far. Wonder if that 18lb 12oz that Tim had last year has got any bigger?!