So I had this idea that the bigger perch would be by the reeds. The reeds grow halfway across the canal, so the boats are pushed into a narrow section. Narrow means deeper, and in my experience, deeper means more and bigger perch. Surely this stretch would throw up some bigger fish?
In the 100m stretch leading up to the reeds, I caught 20-25 perch, all under 4ozs. All right down the edge. It was a-fish-a-chuck.
Upon reaching the reeds, I covered every inch of water. I spent a good hour trying out all kinds of lures, slow retrieve, fast retrieve, bump along the bottom, sink and draw, vertical jig, the lot. Result from 1 hour's thorough searching = a single perch taken on a 3" curlytail.
I was confused. Still, it was a nice evening just to be out fishing, and at least I'd caught some.
Heading back under the bridge to the car, I thought I'd have a few quick drops opposite some moored boats.
The next three casts produced two pike and another greedy perch. First pike was about 2.5 pounds.
The second was a fish of about 5-6lbs and took the lure as I was lifting it out of the water. It put up a crazy fight, tail-walking across the canal several times. I didn't think I was going to get it in, because I could see the lure was in one side of the mouth, and the line was coming out of the other. Fortunately the flourocarbon held, and so I ended the session on a high with the biggest fish of the day.
Difficult finding time to blog with the new baby, but I have managed a few quick fishing exploits in the past week or so.
First up was a trip to relatives, and I grabbed an hour one evening on an urban section of canal. Good fun exploring the stretch, and I managed to catch half a dozen plump little perch, biggest about 8ozs.
Next was something I have really been looking forward to - my first trip to the seaside with the LRF gear.
Considering that it was LRF articles and forums that first inspired me to go and buy some ultra light kit, it's taken me quite a while to cast a lure into saltwater. But, on a windy June day, I found a spot in Morecambe Bay where the water isn't a mile from the shore, and flicked out a hopeful jig. I didnt have to wait long either, because halfway through the retrieve and the line tightened, and the rod tip started nodding.
As I got the fish under the rod tip, it started to put up a proper scrap, great fun on such a light rod. I few moments later and I had landed my first marine species - a flounder of about a pound.
I'd certainly found a good spot, because I caught another six in as many casts before the rain started and it was time to head back to the van. Great start though. All fish falling to either a Power Isome or a Berkeley Fish Fry.
Finally, during a short holiday trip to North Wales at the weekend, I spent an hour or so one evening exploring a rocky beach next to our campsite. In the scour behind a particularly large rock, and at after several times of asking and nibbling the end of my lures, I caught my first mini-species. I think it is a common blenny.
