Autumn Glory (again)

It's been over a year since I first started this Ultralight fishing. With the exception of a single, biteless day's barbel fishing in the summer, all my fishing sessions in the past year have involved fishing with soft plastic lures and jigheads. It's been a great learning experience. 

This weekend, all the practice and learning paid off. Whilst I have really enjoyed exploring new stretches of water - and I've covered more than 12 miles of my local canal in the past year - the missing piece of the jigsaw has been a big perch. Before this weekend, I'd only managed two fish over a pound (see my post from June, Back with a Brace). This sunday, I added four more...

I got onto the canal at first light, and started with a couple of fish around the 8-10oz mark 

It was a good start, and then came the first big one. The second I hooked I knew I was into something in a different class. It put up a proper fight, and looked brilliant as it jagged and danced it's way to the net.

On the bank it looked like a monster compared to the thousands of 1 ouncers that I have caught in the past year. On the scales, it went 1lb 14ozs

 On my arm, it looked even bigger...

After I slipped it back, I was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. I even did a little dance (making sure there were no dog walkers watching first). In the next hour I caught another perch around the pound mark, and a 5lb pike..

I could have gone home right then a happy boy, but as I spotted the first boat of the day approaching in the distance, I decided to have a few more casts before it turned the canal to coffee. Thirty seconds later, and I was in again..

What a belter! 2lb 2ozs, and a proper old looking warrior perch at that. The lady off the boat even stopped to take a photo as I put it back.

I added another fish around the pound mark as I returned back to the car. All of the fish caught within a foot of the bank on various soft plastic lures. It was a great session, both for the exploring new water and finally breaking the 2lb barrier.