Canal Bream: The Unimaginable Achieved.

 Canal Bream....last season I spent a fair amount of time searching a few sections with Bream in mind, Carp were also on the agenda and I felt that with plenty of time invested I would get to see and unlock some of it's potential, by the time the season ended I had managed Carp to 25.03 and Bream to 7.11, even a large hybrid of 5.01 was landed later on in the season, these specimen sized fish were not what I thought I'd catch, targets were surpassed and expectations surpassed by a country mile.

 Probably the best time to fish the canal is around May, I would say unfortunately I wasn't in England but that would be a lie, seeing as I missed the best time to stalk Bream and Carp I chose to seek them by visiting the canal after work and whilst off of work I will also visit for short sessions in search of something very special, today was that day.

 I hadn't intended to be on the canal long as this visit was on the back of that 36 hour trip at Walthamstow, Brian decided to come with me for a wander and it didn't take long to spot some fish, initially we only saw a couple of Bream but as the chop on the surface abated more dark shapes became visible and some were very big by canal standards, in fact, any standards. For over a year now I have wondered whether the canal systems in London can produce such a fish, I found out soon enough, I lined up a big fish and using free-lined bread I flicked it roughly 6ft in front of it and within seconds it charged straight at it and nailed it, the bread disappeared and the mouth closed, job done! a short fight, typical of Bream unfortunately but it didn't matter much, getting them to feed and location is the two hardest aspects of it, the fight isn't the reason for targeting them.

8.04 of pure canal gold.

 The willing slab was in fairly good condition barring a bit of spawn damage on the other but what had me really excited was the weight, the scales registered 8lb 4oz, a new canal PB. But that wasn't the end of it, the fish were clearly feeding quite well or simply hadn't realised they were being targeted, even on a canal I can be stealthy, no cover but it's just a case of keeping movement to a minimum and conduct the fishing with minimum of fuss and tackle as light and unobtrusive as possible, this enabled me to target and catch the largest canal Bream I've ever seen and over the years you seldom here of Bream of these sizes. The cast, presentation and take were all a carbon copy of the first fish, only difference was the size - it was clearly larger but didn't know just how big, within 30 seconds it lay in the bottom of my net. I had to get it straight on the scales and got a shock that I actually expected ( If that makes sense ), the digital's held on 10lb 1oz. A canal double, something I never thought I'd ever catch but I had achieved it, one of my all-time captures and it certainly ranks high, the rest of the short session myself and Brian continued trying to catch but they had wised up fast, but did I care?

A canal double, speechless and the grin said it all!