Saturday 14 November 2015

An Autumn Gem.


 It's clear by now that I have taken to this canal fishing and it has certainly enchanted me, it's definitely not the scenery either but the fish that do call it home, as I have said in previous posts there are very little stocks and catching them isn't easy as there is plenty of water to hide, so this morning I set off for a short trip as the BBC weather app showed that a day of poor weather was on it's way, so I arrived at around 8am and set about searching the water with the polaroid's at a quicker than usual pace, I knew I had roughly an hour available before the rain was to arrive and break up the water hence making stalking almost impossible, so I set up before starting instead of setting up when I've spotted fish as I have missed a couple of opportunities because of this.

 The tactic I use now is simply a size 8 barbless hook and a no1 shot an inch from the hook baited with a piece of flake, no freebees, no nothing. I found that using a float put the Bream and Carp on edge as it represented something "alien" which I'm certain put the fish off from feeding on my would be tasty offering, it took around 45 minutes to locate fish and when I did a shoal of lovely Bream where hovering over a gravel patch in roughly 6ft of water, I squeezed out the excess water from the bread flake and sent it on it's way down, it didn't even touch the bottom when one Bream around 7-8lb sucked in the bait and I missed it, totally amazed at how I never connected but it happens.

 But it's not the first time I've cocked up on a guilt-edged chance so I continued as planned and as I had found fish I continued to hang around the shoal of Bream, after 5-10 fruitless minutes of angling the bread in the paths of awaiting mouths I didn't manage to get another fish to commit then I spotted a large frame on the bottom move, all the time I was in that patch I never thought it was a fish but the large shape turned out to be a really lovely Carp, oh it was just what I wanted to find, so now the heart rate was cranked up a few notches I had to keep my cool, I flicked the bread about ten-foot past the Carp into the main track and slowly drew it back as it sank towards the bottom, as it got around a foot from the bottom the Carp turned straight for it and as that happened an even larger Carp came out of know where and sucked in the bait, being able to see the bread disappear was brilliant and my heart rate really went through the roof, exhilarating stuff I can tell you, the fight was rip-roaring, lunge after lunge and the runs were so bloody powerful I feared my 8lb line wouldn't stand up to the task.

 Nearly 10 minutes had passed before I got a netting opportunity and when I did she still didn't want to know and charged straight back out before I could scoop her in, it was not in a forgiving mood, but to that point nor was I, I wanted her more than she wanted to escape and after playing her with a degree of caution towards the end I bagged myself an extremely stunning Autumn Common Carp which spun the dial comfortably past 20lb and settled on 23lb 9oz, get in there my son!!!!.

After quite a few blanks it was most certainly worth it!, what do you think?.

The heart rate took a little while to drop but I finally got there just as the heavens opened and I watched my catch swim strongly out of the net back into anonymity, what a fish from a canal.

16 comments:

  1. That canal suits you, James. Ever the stalker. Only you have ever caught this fish. It is truly magnificent! How often can that be said of modern Carp? Up here they are just pellet fodder...

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    1. Who knows Jeff, I wouldn't like to speculate but if I were for argument sake I'd say not many!. A stunner and I want a date with it's mother but in due time, I've seen her but that's the issue with these fish it's all so fleeting. On another trip I bump into them 2-3 locks up and 2 mile of water.....mind blowing amount of movement.

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  2. Oh, and I think I recognise that backdrop!

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    1. You just might, but tomorrow they will be gone. All so exciting isn't it, I locate them one day and the next got to do it all over again, keeps you fit I suppose. You either travel light and rove or face the likely result of a blank, at least the way I attack it I stand a half-chance, like today for example but it's the blank session's sandwiched in between those successful ones that are the most important, because they are the ones I ultimately learn from.

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  3. Proper wild carp there James. A truly beautiful fish, perfect in every way.

    Well done indeed!

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    1. Cheers George, she was perfect, what a fight too, proper give it some stick and it never held back. As you say, awesome in every way.

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  5. So good, GB said it twice! Awesome looking carp mate, size aside. Must be incredibly exciting spotting those fish. Not surprised you're getting the carp once you find them but it's eye-opening the interest you've had from the bream on your tactics, canal bream are notoriously difficult to sight-fish for. Great work.

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    1. Location is part of the mechanics of each session, there are various little things that need to happen in order for it to work out, the fish need to be feeding, conditions. But stalking these fish is enormously enjoyable, even in the crud conditions this morning didn't prevent it from happening, back out in the morning.

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    2. Good luck mate. Weather shocking here at present, but hoping to get out and do some stick float fishing.

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    3. Weather was terrible here too, drew a blank but I'll catch again.

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  6. Wow, that really is a very special fish, James. A cracking capital canal common. Well done!

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    1. How weird is that mate, I was just replying to your comment on your cnanal post lol. It was a stunner and I am certain I'll catch larger too. Going to stick to these seemingly empty waterways and extract what I can!

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    2. PS, I love the alliteration there, even if it weren't intended.

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    3. Haha, that was odd! I saw your comment on my blog after I'd typed here... I agree on the canal thing, James, they're fascinating venues. My thinking is/was clouded by early 90's images of freezing match anglers hunched over 14 metre poles using size 26 hooks baited with bloodworms - all in an effort to catch seven micro roach. The reality today is very different!

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    4. I know, it's a shame the silver stocks are as abysmal as they are but the government need to do something NOW about the issue that is tearing the country apart. But with every cloud is a silver lining, less competition for food is allowing the remaining fish to grow to great sizes.

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