R"eel"y Good Start.

 

 I can't remember the last time I caught an Eel by design, let's just say I have forgotten a lot and needed to brush up. That said on various platforms there is a wealth of knowledge and tutorials etc to help blow the cobwebs out of ones mind to remind you of past experiences and teach you new things and how to implement that into your angling. 

 I spent a few hours setting up my gear and watching said videos so that by Wednesday evening ( a few weeks back ) I would be primed and ready to tackle the seemingly baron canals on East London. Given the fact Eels aren't liked by many means they are largely an unknown and having only seen a couple of dead ones floating against lock gates or in rafts held up by canal boats at mooring it intrigued me. Also given the fact the specimens I had found dead were very big, one I estimated to be between five and six pounders when alive, it looked bigger still, but with bloating and decomposition beginning some of the size had to be taken into account.

 Coupled with the cormorant predation on the canals I can't imagine there are many bootlaces around so that would potentially mean if I were to get a run it would be a good fish, a 2lb specimen to begin with was my target and once I've achieved that weight bracket then I'd move on to the next with a 4lb fish an ideal fish to really get my campaign going and a six pound specimen my ultimate canal goal.

 I arrived at the canal and headed straight to one of the lock basins as I would have thought these areas would be a natural place for food stuffs to settle thus a good place to start, only concern was that the sun was still bright and thought I may have to wait for dusk. 3 hours later and still bite-less ( as I thoroughly expected ) the sun had dropped beyond the built up horizon of the London skyline.

 Using the "Twig Rig" which I will go into more detail on another post was deployed, one baited with a small cube of meat, the other a fresh Roach head. The reason for using the head first is the head contains quite a lot of blood and juices, this being the attractive part of the fish and hoped to speed up the process of catching an Eel.

Bingo!

 Just twenty minutes into night and the meat rod bleeped a couple of times and then the line started to peel off the spool where I then picked up the rod and struck, but oddly, nothing. It was clear upon retrieval of the meat that it was indeed an Eel that had been eating the bait with the tell tale triangular nips out the sides. I quickly got the bait back out and within 5 mins the rod was away again and this time I made no mistake with the setting of the hook. 

 And as much as the Eel tried to evade the net it was ultimately in vein. I had got my first Eel of the campaign on the bank and it wasn't a bad one either. This fish was swiftly followed up by another around 1lb 8oz and was good to know I was in the mix. 

 I stayed until around 10pm when I decided to call time on the session but was a very good start and truly believe that there are bigger fish there, just need to get the time to target them and do the deed!

 The photo of the biggest one below at 2lb 5ozs. 

Tricky to hold....

29.5 inch length, 5.5 inch girth.

Countryside Slabs Part Two.

 This specimen Bream lark is starting to get fairly addictive, the real possibility of another personal best fish is there for the taking if I can learn the fishery, I must admit that the previous two visits have provided me with some fantastic fish, fish that 2 weeks ago never thought I would locate let or lone catch.

 But before I get on to today's session I'll do the catch up from yesterday evening when I embarked on a brief wander after work rolling meat and it was a success as I fished a couple of spots where I know Barbel frequent this time of the season, after probably 15mins I had a typical wrench on the rod as my luncheon meat was taken for a swim, it's been a long time since I felt that power and it felt good.

 Second fling for a Barbel and this 8lb 14oz specimen was the result of that great 5 minute scrap, happy days, good to have caught a decent Barbel after god knows how many months, well......back to today I suppose, this being my third session here after big Bream I was almost expecting to not catch a fish and after 9 hours of fishing through the roasting hot weather I ended up with the blank that I knew would come, I would be most naive if I thought I would come here every time and catch but for my brother Richard who accompanied me in search of Bream too ended the day with a new personal best fish of 9lb 1oz which is still a very good fish and he was understandably happy and backed that snotty up with a good Eel of 2.8 to 3.0lb, so at least one person left with a new pb but my time will come or maybe I've already had it.......

Bream of 9.1, well done Richy.

That's not too bad either.

Chalk Stream PB Chub.

 A few hours spare, I decided to grab a trotting rod and headed down to one of my local rivers, the aim was simply to catch whatever I could find, I fished a few good swims and with in the first hour or so I caught a cracking Chub of 5lb 11oz, a new PB for this river and my third biggest ever Chub, also in the same swim I hooked and landed a crazy Barbel that gave a good go at showing me why even small specimen's are worth catching.

 

 

Only a little guy, say 4lb or so, but great fun.

 

 During the winter this fish could easily go 6lb and it's the second 5lb + Chub from the same swim in two weeks, it certainly showing some pedigree, is any larger ones lurking there? only time will tell, later on in the session I caught a few small Chub, an Eel around 2lbs and a couple of pristine Roach.

 

 

Both 5ozs or so, from the same batch and absolutely pristine, scale and fin perfect.



Time to play catch up.

 The last two weeks have been pretty busy at work but I had managed to squeeze out a few hours on the bank in search of Carp and Crucian Carp during the day and Eels during the night, with the Carp and Crucians I tried a couple of different fisheries, one of which was new to me and it didn't disappoint with a couple of Common Carp caught but nothing large but no Crucians unfortunately, with the biggest between 7-8lbs and a small solitary Perch, closer to home I had two trips out early in the mornings with one being a total blank with not even a touch and the other trip producing just the one Carp around the 10lb mark again nothing substantial but it gave a good account of itself which is always welcome even if it was the smallest in the shoal that decides to push two 20lb + Carp out of the way to snaffle my bait, sods law that is.

 The Eel fishing has been fairly dead so far with two trips out so far in search of the much maligned species, although I haven't put a lot of time into it, with the time put in I know the rewards will be reaped, an angling pal of mine had a 5lb15oz Eel on Tuesday night whilst fishing for Carp that took a mainline Sel boilie on a Zig Rig, so I know they are there to be had, I hope my lucks in.

 

The Eel dinner bell had rung with no takers.

 

 

Great fun on the Centre pin.

 

 

Nearly a double and a lovely golden colour.

 

 

Where are the Crucians??. "Show me where", please.

 







 Now for the instalment of the Jungle warfare take on wild Brow Trout fly fishing.

Jungle Warfare Part Three

 After a long week at work, I've been looking to do some fishing so whilst on the train home from Bromley I had decided I was going to have a couple of hours out on the bank, with the weather nice and warm and plenty of sunshine it was perfect fishing conditions so I had to take advantage.

 Bearing in mind it was only a short session I did end up with two Chub to 4lb 2oz, one Eel at about 10oz and another pristine Barbel of 7lb 13oz and what a scrap it was aswell, putting up the usual standard of fight that keeps me coming back for more!

Another spawned out fish

Back out in the morning in search of some quality Roach and Rudd if I can find them.