10th January 2013 Back to Canal

After searching google earth i decided on what looked like two good lengths to go at.I arrived early just as it became light.After a 15min walk i arrived and fished smelt on one rod ,herring on the other.I was in on the smelt rod after 10 mins,a small jack that decided to tail walk.Quick picture and put it back.I worked the length for 4 hours,no more fish.I headed back towards the bridge and dropped in next to a barge for 20 mins.I had nothing there so i walked 10 mins the other way to another area i had researched.A change of bait to mackeral on one rod and stayed with smelt on the other,i worked them till dark.Looking forward till my next session.

Canal Update 9-1-13

Ive been putting a lot of time and effort in,Lure,s.short sessions looking for my Canal 20.Ive now found 3 or 4 good areas and am looking forward to getting back on them.Im going to concentrate on Dead Baits for now,temps are dropping this week with a good possibility the canal will freeze over,a few good places i have found now that wont frreze over on the canal.Ive found an area where the smaller fish shoal up and this is my banker swim,so till the next time....

Back out on the Dead Baits 6-1-13

After having a few short trips out on the lures,with only one pike to show,i decided to get back out on the dead,s at a local water.I decided to start in a usual spot where ive had fish before.I fished two rods,both on pencil floats,baits were smelt & roach.The day started off really foggy,so had one close in and the other about 6 rod lengths out.it was about 9-25 when the first bite came,i struck and no fish and no bait.I quickly got another bait out,mackeral was cast on the money and 20 mins later im into a jack,did a quick self take,put the fish back.Seems the app on my iphone froze,so no pic,damn.I moved and chose a different area,the close in rod went and yet again,no fish but didnt lose my bait.I carried on around the lake trying various areas.So the day ended 3 bite,s 1 pike.Im getting a bit fed up now with this water as there doesnt seem to be any bigger pike,or im going to have to try another tactic.Im thinking of spending the time to catch bait and try livey,s.Maybe this way i might find the bigger fish,who knows.Till the next time...

First Pike of 2013

First off all Happy New Year.Decided to fish local today.The plan was to Lure fish and cover as much water as possible with various lures.I arrived just after 9-30 to an overcast day with a good breeze.I started at the shallower part and worked my way round.I saw a few pike strike and tried to tempt them to no avail.I moved to the deeper swims and tried all the usual area,s.I moved up the water and changed to an original big s,re-named the DS.It wasnt long before a pike struck close in,not a big fish but a welcombe start.I tried a few more swims and moved on to a canal.The canal was very windy,tried an area ive fished before,no follows,so walked in the opposite direction,a good walk.I reached a bridge and tried under ,still no follows,my phone rang so sheltered round the back of the bridge.I finished my chat and was about to carry on when i saw another damn pike angler set up,so decided to move,i walked up and as i passed him it turned out to be mark,i knew him lol.we had a quick chat and i moved on.I walked down to a big bend,but nothing.I walked back to go and try an area further back down towards where the van was parked.As i passed mark i did the honours netting a fish and photo,s .An old pike 17.4,very pale almost grey looking,which look as though it had been dragged up the bank at some point.I said see ya too mark and headed off for home.Till the next time.....

Caught on an Original Big S ,Perch Pattern

Old Estate Lake 30-12-12

A while back i had a conversation in the tackle shop with a chap when buying dead bait,he said didnt know you fished for pike,only oct-march i replied,he said come and fish our lake anytime.So i called him up and arranged to meet him today,he let me in and said its all yours,no one else one.I had a quick walk round and picked an area that looked a good place,depth was about 5 ft .I fished a pat rig a foot of the deck,and a ledgered bait far out on the bottom,baits were small roach and smelt.The water was like a mill pond,flat calm.I swopped the ledgered bait over after a couple of hours to fish closer in,with a change of bait,Herring.
I now was chucking a variety of lures about ,only trouble i had was when retrieving close in i was picking leaves up,so i changed to shallower lures.The morning went without a beep on the alarms.The weather was overcast and a slight breeze on my back,time to move.I decided to move up the bank 50 yard,s.I changed the ledgered herring to a fresher one and cast to some tree,s on the far bank.The other rod i changed to a float and fished a bigger roach at about 3 rod lengths out.I carried on trying lure,s .I decided to try the savagear lip skull and attached a smelt for sink and draw,it worked really well,no takes but an awesome idea.I had to be off the water for darkness,i reeled in both rods and headed down to the bottom of the lake for half an hour throwing lure,s..A lot deeper at this end so will try down there next time i go.My only dissapointment was finding a hand line tied to a tree,which i removed.Probably my last fishing session for 2012,see you all again in 2013.

Savagear Lip Skull.........................

Push the red locating pin through the gill plate....

Once the pin is located,the bait is ready to go,i used a smelt...

This is how it looks with pin located,im going to add a stinger to it.......

Another Lure Session 28-12-12

After thursdays abandoned session due to an abccess and a trip to dentist,i decided to target the canal again.A different area this time,i arrived just after 8 thinking im mad as it was drizzleing,i wont melt so off i went over the bridge to see another angler fishing where i wanted too.i turned right and went the other way,spent about an hour on the move,no follows so headed back to see if he,d gone,he hadnt so walked past him and headed to walk as far as i could,i reached another bridge,started casting in and around the bridge,when all off a sudden i saw a pike strike so tried to tempt it to another meal,no reaction so moved on.I covered quite a distance,once i reached another bridge i decided to turn back and try the better area,s i had already tried.i could see the angler in the distance,he had moved,so i was in the area i wanted,tried various lures,time for a butty,well earned brew and me tablet back at the van.after about 15-20 mins i headed back out.I tried all my lures i had and couldnt get any follows,different retrieves,side to side,in a straight line and nothing,i did find a half dead roach which i tried to revive,a pike had hit it but damaged the fish beyond repair,wish id had a float and trace,nevermind,make a good bait for the drifter float or pat rig.
Till the next time................

Thought there was a storm brewing........................

The trouble with this country,full of litter louts,so annoying.........................

Boxing Day 26-12-12

After my xmas day lure sesh for 2 hours with no results,i decided to try the canal.Rain was forcast after 1pm,so i got there early,started in a few likely spots trying different lures.I made my way up the canal,staying in area,s ,casting under tree,s and some bridges.As i made my way up i spotted a dead fox floating in the canal.After walking a mile i made my way back,i changed over to a bigger lure,but no follows.I made my way up to the basin area and tried there,nothing.I headed back to the van and decided to try another area a mile away.nothing happened there either,so it,s back to dead baiting tmos,till the next time....

The dead fox.....................................