Testing New Kit

As I'd recently bought a shiny new baitcasting outfit for perch fishing and I was going to be in the vicinity of the navigation for a couple of hours I took it along for a bit of casting practice. The new set up consisted of a LMAB La Moustique 2-10g rod, though, I'm not sure naming it after one of the worlds most loathed insects is a great idea. The reel is a Lew's ProSP, one of small number of baitcasters with a half capacity spool ideal for light braid. 

 

I started with a 5g jig head with a small white grass minnow. The first cast ended in a bit of back lash. A bit of a twiddle of the brakes and things improved. After half a dozen casts I was able to get to the far bank some 35m away. On the seventh cast as I jigged the lure back I felt the rattle of a perch and was in. The last three whippings are yellow to help bite detection though I'm not sure it helped.

Over the next dozen or so casts I had half a dozen more small perch. Nothing to really test the power of the rod but the bite detection was excellent. I wasn't too sure about the skeletal reel seat and the small grip but once a reel was on it was perfectly comfortable. I then tried with a 3g jig head. This again I could get well over to the far side but it was too light to fish properly. The tow on the canal combined with the breeze and depths of ten to twelve foot were just too much to keep in contact with the lure. It would be nice, though, if manufactures would make ultra light casting rods in longer lengths. This one is 1.98m, 6'. 2.3m, 7'6", would afford better control of the lures. Still I think It'll serve its purpose.

Sunday I again had a couple of hours spare near another section of the navigation. So had another session with the new outfit. Another angler was fishing near to where I wanted to be taking the odd small perch. Using the same lure as previous I was soon into a record breaking perch, or maybe a little jack pike. The rod performed excellently and quickly subdued the little 61cm beast.  I then had a wander along away from the other angler and picked up a couple of tiny perch from near an overhanging bush. The cold breeze then picked up and I wandered back to the car for a cuppa and the big coat.

While I had my cuppa the other angler left. I changed from a jig head to a weedless setup as the spot I wanted to fish was rather snaggy. The problem with this was the hook up rate was rather low. I could feel the bites but the small perch weren't chomping down on the bait hard enough to expose the hook point. The advantage was that i didn't lose any lures. It took about an hour to land a dozen small perch. Clearly the larger fish weren't in residence. As it got close to packing up time I did manage to snag on something. A length of rope came up followed by a magnet. I suspect somebody forgot to keep hold of the end. It clearly hadn't been in there long as the was no algae or beasties on the rope.

Overall the outfit works as I'd hoped and I look forward to using it on some of the smaller canals.

Weekend on the Navigation - Now With Added Pike

 Arriving at the navigation I found cars strewn everywhere. According to the web site  there wasn't a match on so I assumed it was the new moon rush for the pike. Turned out it was, sort of. It was a PAC get together. I saw one pike come out and believe another had been caught.

I headed in the opposite direction flinging all many of large lures about with out any sign of a pike. As I returned towards the car for a cuppa I met a couple of anglers I'd met before. One of whom had a small pike first cast. I had my cuppa and headed back with a lighter set up. A variety of lighter lure were chucked about with little success until a mighty thump on a Jerkster. Consider how hard the lure was hit the pike came in like a wet blanket. I chinned it and lifted it clear of the water. It was then it decided to put up a fight. The lure went one way the pike the other, skinning my knuckles as it went. A fish of 5-6lb but a pike at last. Time was now running out. As I headed back to the car a bait angler had a fish slightly larger than mine. The two anglers I'd met earlier had had nothing else.

The next session headed further down the navigation. The swans seemed quite happy paddling about the flooded field. While over the other side some twitchers were playing spot the duck, or something. It was a warmer more pleasant day than previous. I started off with a spot of perch fishing under the bridge and eventually managed to winkle four fish out. Little perch like that shouldn't be so hard to catch.

AS I was having a cuppa contemplating whether to fish for perch or pike another lure angler turned up on the opposite bank. He seemed to be having a bit of a problem with his baitcaster. Whether he was new to it or what I don't know. As I finished my cuppa a few fish scattered ahead of a large swirl. I already put a SG Da Bush spinnerbait on with the intention of trawling it along the edge for pike so cast beyond the swirl.  The bait had probably travelled some ten yards along the edge when it went solid, then swung out into the cut. The pike put up a very spirited fight before giving up and allowing me to chin it. A 90cm fish of 8lb 10oz.

I then spent the next hour or so chucking the spinnerbait about but didn't see another pike. When I got back to the bridge a cormorant was happily sunning it's self on the far bank. I flicked the lure over which hit the stone work and had the bird dive into the water. I looked up and down for it to reappear which it did along way down. I'm still surprised how far and how fast these things can swim underwater.

Two sessions. A pike on each. Not brilliant but things are getting better. With another storm on it's way I'm not sure where's go to be fishable later in the week. Somewhere will be and hopefully the fish will get bigger and better.

Weekend on the Navigation

 Originally I'd planned on a spot of floodwater barbel fishing over the weekend, but I had my family taxi duties on Saturday then I was reminded by a friend we were going to chuck some pike lures around in the navigation. The barbel would have to wait. As I had a bit of time between taxi duties I took a lure rod with me for a bit of a fling about. The canal was pushing through with a lot of rubbish and the likes been pushed along as well. The river was just under the top of the flood banks which would have had the locals worrying as three years ago it overtopped them and made a right mess of houses and businesses.

 

I had a couple of hours flinging lures about on the navigation which looked in remarkably good order considering. I'd expected water from the river to be pushed into it to provide a bit of relief to the flood banks. Despite my best efforts I only managed to attract one pike which followed the lure to within three foot of the bank then sat there seeming hypnotised as I pulled the lure back and forth in front of it. As I lifted the lure from the water it shot away never to be seen again. One angler had had a pike on fly and another a decent perch but that seemed to be it.

Sunday the navigation had dropped six inches and was pushing through a bit. There was also a tad more colour to the water. This time I took two rods. I was going to concentrate on perch but had the pike rod with me in case they decided to feed. My mate just had his pike rod. While I managed some dozen or so little perch on our two mile wander my mate had nothing. Not even a follow. Back at the car he managed to winkle out a couple of little perch on my rod to avoid a blank. We moved spots to a section where we'd both had pike in the past but we again failed to elicit any response. By now there navigation was pulling through again. A couple of other lure anglers we spoke to had had no luck either. My mate and I decided that the pub may be a good idea.

 
I had been thinking that my lure chucking skills, especially for pike, had deserted me, but as nearly everybody else seems to be failing at the moment I feel a bit better about them. Still plenty of season left to prove they're still with me.

The Passing of William Jessop

 As I looked over the bridge  A couple of the CRTs work boats passed by on their way to repair the bank further down. The first was William Jessop and the second was Wharfe Ⅱ. 

I set off with both a pike rod and a perch rod. Really I was after pike but as they can be a tad uncooperative I'd taken the perch rod along just to prevent a blank. After an hour and a half of fling pike lures about in the bright chilly conditions I met a couple of other anglers who'd been fishing for three hours for just one little jack and where now heading back for a warming cuppa. This seemed like a good idea. As I was gathering my kit together I noticed a few small baitfish scatter very close to the bank and could see three decent perch attacking. I flicked out a Salmo Minnow and a couple of twitches later I was in. It wasn't one of the three I'd seen but a smaller fish that had grabbed the lure. A welcome blank saver. I fished around the area for another fifteen minutes but failed to attract anything else. Back at the bridge I changed lure to a Z-Man TRD TicklerZ™ . Second cast and I was in to what felt like a good fish. A rather nice perch of 32cm. Having unhooked it I flicked the bait into the water and prepared to take a photo when i noticed the rod tip bouncing about. A tiny little perch had grabbed the bait as it dangled by the edge. By now the boat traffic had suddenly increased. Four boats were heading towards me and looking through the bridge there was three more heading my way. Time for a cuppa while they sorted themselves out taking it in turns to go through the narrow bridge.

By the time I'd finished my cuppa all was quiet on the water, no boats in sight. I just took the perch rod with me, along with a smaller landing net. It took a while to find then perch. Strangely they weren't in the shadow of the bridge but out in the sunshine. They were obviously a lot of tiny perch down there judging by the rattles I was getting. Eventually I had half dozen perch in the landing net. Things then went quiet for a while before I hooked another. As I wound it in it suddenly got very heavy and shot under the bridge. After a couple of minutes I had it heading back towards me. As I got it to the surface, the perch still in it's mouth, it made another bid for freedom and the hook came adrift. It had been bent out. I grabbed the pike rod out of the car and put on a perch pattern lure. If it was prepared to hang onto the perch for that long maybe it was very hungry and would have a go at the lure. After a dozen or so casts I change to a loud lime green lure in the hope of shocking it into an attack. This didn't work either.

By now it was just about time to leave as I had to be elsewhere. I had a couple more casts with the perch rod before I got snagged up. Unable to ping the lure free I had to pull for a break. I did know about the snag as I'd lost lures on it in the past. As had others. Nobody seems to know what it is but it must have a fair collection of lure attached to it. Whatever it is it's not ferrous as the magnet fisherman have never got their magnets attached to it. Not a bad day although I wish the pike would be a bit more cooperative when I'm down there.

Killing Time On The Navigation

Found myself in the vicinity of the navigation with a couple of hours to a kill and a bit of tackle in the car. I only had a small box with a few lures in and there was a steel trace on the line for some reason. No mono so the steel trace, though not ideal, would have to do. I did think of removing the clip from the trace and tying it direct to the braid but I'm not too keen on braid straight to the lure.

First lure out of the little box was a blade lure, and excellent search lure. This produced a small perch after a couple of casts. This was quickly followed by another before it went quiet despite wandering quite a distance.

By now I was I was in a area with a lot of weed near the edge with lots of little perch about. A change to a little white shad quickly produced a small perch. While several were happy to follow it to the bank, or even stare at it while I jigged it about no more attacked it. A change to a small green tube got similar results until one took a lunge at it and was hooked. A blue sparkly shad had similar results again but this time two took a like to it.

The only other lure in the little box was a small Salmo hornet which I hadn't bothered with so far as it isn't the easiest to fish in the small areas around the weed. Now, though, I was at a point where the channel narrowed and I was able to to cast long the out side of the weeds. This made for some fun sport. Although not particularly big I was able to catch quite a few perch with some very solid hits at times which had me thinking I was into a larger fish. A couple of dozen fish and as many hits again so passed the time.

An entertaining couple of hours once i fathomed which lure they preferred. I not sure why there was so little enthusiasm for the other lures, maybe the Hornet made a lot more noise.

Out For A Waggle

 With the trout rivers up again, though dropping, I decided a spot of stillwater angling may be a better idea. I quickly gathered up the requisite tackle and stopped at the tackle shop for some maggots. I already had ground bait and sweetcorn, but maggots never go amiss. My first problem of the day was the road was closed to the pond I wanted to be at. I traipsed round the diversion to another pond instead. I was surprised to find the car park empty. I remembered a club notice about it being closed, but a quick check showed it to be last week, so all OK. As I put the reel on the rod I noticed a complete lack of line on the spool. A spool of 4.6lb was found in the tackle box. As I wound it on I couldn't help thinking it felt a bit thick. Another look at the spool showed it to be 4.6Kg. Ooops. After winding it back onto it's spool I found the 4.6lb and got that onto the reel. Next cock up was the tube of insert wagglers wasn't to be found, all I had was a collection of rather thick river wagglers. Oh well.

 

I selected the slimmest float I could find and dotted it down as low as I could. To avoid the tiny rudd I put the bulk of the shot a couple of foot above the hook. A few balls of groundbait laced with maggots and a few bits of sweetcorn. The first few fish followed by a skimmer.  It then went quiet for a while. This is how it went for the rest of the day. While I was struggling to catch a couple more anglers arrived. I alternated between live & dead maggots and sweetcorn. The sweetcorn picked up the odd roach, live maggots got the Rudd, and dead maggots the little skimmers. For 4½ hours fishing I really didn't catch very much. I had plenty of bites, but I suspect the thickish float was the problem.

One of the later arrivals had a reasonable catch of skimmers and bream from the far side of the pond so the fish were feeding, just not in front of me. To be honest the swim I'd chosen does well in winter but I'm not sure it's a spring/ summer swim. I was entertained by a carp during the afternoon that kept rising vertically out of the the water to it's shoulders. A bit of a strange antic but then carp are bit strange at times. Once I got home I made sure the tube of insert wagglers was in the bag as well as the spare spools with more appropriate line on the them.

On The Navigation Ⅵ : Wasps, Jacks And Snails

I had intended to try again at this fly fishing lark, but the recent thunderstorms had lifted the rivers a tad and didn't fancy trailing out there to find the unfishable. Instead I made the sort trip to the navigation. This too had been effected by the rain, and the boats, causing it to be a bit more coloured than usual. With it a bit coloured I thought a bit of noise may be a good idea so started with a Salmo Ratlin Hornet and was in straight away. A fairly average water snail had managed to hook itself.

A few more casts later and a fair old thump heralded a fish in shape of a perch. A couple more casts and what felt like weed turned out to be another perch. Things then went quiet for the next fifteen minutes or so.

Some small bait fish scattered close to the bank so I changed to a small bluish shad that had been working reasonably well in previous weeks. I was hit almost immediately by a lively little perch. A few more casts just resulted in a few rattles and tail nips before a little killer cucumber followed the bait in. It did this a couple more times before I changed to a Salmo Minnow fished quite aggressively and nailed it first cast.

 

Another half hour's fishing produced nothing despite several changes of lure, so I retired for a cuppa. A robin quickly turned up as I opened my packet of crisp but didn't seem to like salt & vinegar. I did spend some time pointing my camera at a puddle where martins were occasionally collecting mud but they never turned up while the camera was pointing at it. As I finished my cuppa a largish bat fluttered along the edge of the little copse. Given it was nine o'clock and bright sunshine this was a bit odd. I had a look in the copse to see if there were any more but didn't see any.

 

I spent a while chucking lure about under the bridge to no avail, but a Z-MAN TRD TicklerZ in some sort of green colour produced half a dozen perch from the middle of the canal a bit further down before bites dried up. I worked my way back with the Salmo Rattlin Hornet again with out any signs of fish.

A change to a Fox Spikey Shad produced several tail nips before a rather scruffy little jack grabbed hold. Despite it's tatty appearance it put up a fair old struggle. This was followed by another equally energetic little jack a few casts later.

I fished on for another forty minutes with a sign of another fish despite several changes of lure. By now it was rather warm and very bright, and I had thirty minutes to get forty minutes away. As it was an accident on the main road gave me an excuse for my tardiness.