21/09/2014 - Zander time

Fancied a go for the Zeds this weekend, so headed off for a favoured, reliable spot on the canal. Thought there was a bivvy in "the spot" when I arrived, but it turned out to be a cheap tent surrounded by empty cans and bottles. Set up a short distance away so as not to disturb any potentially inebriated inhabitants. However, was collared a short while later by a woman who came marching up the towpath and accused me of "causing a right stink in the village on Facebook". I hadn't got a clue what she was on about until she showed me a post on her iphone ranting about the "tramp's camp". I know my fishing clothes obviously aren't my best, but come on! After I put her straight she went off to confront the true occupants of the tent, only to find it empty. This at least put me more at ease knowing I wouldn't be subject to some drunkard's attentions later in the evening.

Anybody home?

Soon had two baits out and settled down with the smell of stale beer wafting down the towpath. Had to do the hokey cokey with a couple of boats but, as expected, it wasn't until the sun started to drop behind the trees on the far bank that I had any interest from the fish. As the light began to fade a run on the far rod resulted in the first Zed of the autumn on a hair-rigged roach head.

Spikey

The wind had dropped to nothing by now, turning the surface of the canal into a mirror. 

Glassy

As the sun disappeared below the horizon the bobbin on the right hand rod starting doing a Michael Flatley, finally resulting in a smaller Zed, again hooked neatly in the scissors by the hair rig.

Had three more runs in the next 15 minutes, but unfortunately managed to miss all of them! I knew from experience that these were likely to be micro-zander and had visions of a pack of them rushing out of the marina opposite me like a bunch of kids leaving school - as quickly as they were there, they were gone. Had to wait until it was fully dark before I had the best of the evening.

Nocturnal

By 9 o'clock the sky had completely cleared and it had become distinctly damp and chilly. Had just packed up one rod when the other one stuttered into life adding one final Zed to the tally. Hopefully I'll be on the river next time. With reports of more and more zander coming out of the Soar, it's time to go pioneering.