Just a Jack 9-2-13

After finally getting out last sunday and blanking in the process,i decided to head back to the canal.I arrived at first light and dcided to fish under the bridge,smelt on one rod and sardine on the other.I fished for just over an hour and decided i was going into the concrete jungle (town centre),I quickly packed up and was there in 10 minutes,i looked at a few areas from the van and had a drive further into town,turned round and headed to an area id lure fished before xmas.I arrived and to my relief the area i wanted was free and no other pikers in sight.I quickly headed to the area,ame baits as this morning.I put one rod down the middle and the other to the far bank area.Further down from me two others had arrived ,they fished in front of a barge,i noticed they were live baiting,mmm......It wasnt long before my float lay flat on the smelt rod,struck,fish on...small tail walk and in the net,a jack.Once o the mat i noticed my bottom hook was in the scissors,the hook had gone through top and bottom jaw,had to cut hook as i couldnt free it,the flying top treble had caught its gill,which had somehow got inside the gill and had caugt a raker,you can see blood in pic.Fish went back strong.There was a lot of activity during the day with pike striking,big swirls and one pike coming up and diving back down behind my float.The two chaps further down were catching on the liveys,only jacks though.I had no more fish,i stayed till dark then left.Its proving harder than i thought trying for a canal 20,but the pursuit carrys on.Im off to a bigger water nxt weekend so the canal will have to wait for my return.