Ahh, the last few weeks of the season, and a familiar tale of endless roadworks and chocolate rivers, at least for me. Predictably I have turned to the canal for a bit of sport, which has proved worthwhile, despite the fact that what I really wanted to do was run a float at some roach.
I did get an opportunity for two hours fishing on the River Isle, picking up 6lb or so of small roach on breadpunch. This river has been a source of real frustration for me; I own a season ticket but every time I try to fish it the weather gods conspire against me and force me home before I get the chance to put a decent net of fish together.
On Monday I fished on the Taunton to Bridgwater Canal in the hope of connecting with a few pike. Although I am sure that a sink and draw approach would have scored well, I decided that a couple of rods fishing float legered deadbaits might just see me connect with a pike to beat my rather modest all-canals best of 10lb 12oz.
I fished a mackerel tail on one rod and a smallish roach on the other, leapfrogging them along a stretch of canal. First cast was made at 12 noon and the first fish was captured no more than five minutes later. A great start and a typical three to four pound jack on the bank.
The next couple of hours passed without incident but when I reached a bed of floating reeds on the far bank I made a concerted effort to land a bait as close as possible. After several not quite there casts, I finally landed one where I wanted it and started the twenty minute countdown before I would move on along the cut. Again the mackerel remained untouched, but a very slow bite on the roach resulted in a heftier fish which gave a much slower, deeper fight than the first fish. Not a double-figure fish but a very pleasing one for these little canals at 9lb 2oz.
Today I visited a spot which has given me a number of decent perch but which I am finding is losing its appeal with every visit. A big shame as I think it offers me a genuine chance of my first three-pounder, but I am starting to feel that if it is at the expense of my enjoyment then it might be time to say farewell and search out somewhere new. I did have another couple of perch this evening, fish of 1¾lb (roughly) and a battered old fish of 2lb 2oz, but in all honesty it left me a little cold. Not the fact that the bigger of the two had a split fin and looked a bit tatty, but more a case of the venue becoming too familiar. Definitely time for a change. Next time I'll go somewhere new.
