Canal Zander - At Jeffs Birthday Zed bash



We all met up at the Greyhound pub around 3:30pm, and after a bit of gentle banter we headed off in three directions down as many arms of canal from Hawkesbury Junction. I had fished here with Jeff on a couple of occasions and had my canal Zander pb of 6lb 10oz on my first visit here. So I naturally headed for that area with Joe in tow.  As he had never fished the canal, my optimism obviously had him convinced enough to follow me.

We found that the local boaters had taken up residence in most of the likely looking spots but luckily enough there was a patch of dying reed beds opposite a gap either end of the boats just begging for baits to be cast at.  Joe set up one end and I headed to the other. Within minutes I landed a little scamp and so expected more action soon after. Jeff soon joined us and set up in between the two boats.



1lb - enough for a win ?

It always seems to be that when you allow yourself to become so complacent and overconfident like that, then fate slaps you in the face to remind you that " you know nothin " and so it turned out that it was to be the only run I would get all evening. It seems that the others had a similar experience with all the action coming within that window of action between the light and shade of dusk going into full darkness - the witching hour. 
Phil Smith and then Merv and his grandson all stopped by for a chat before dark, and they informed me that I might be in the lead with my one pound fish ! Unfortunately though, I later found I had been beaten by Andy and Danny who were "baggin up" near the marina with two fish each.  Gary had equalled my effort with another pound zedling. These were to be the only fish caught by all 10 anglers and about 20 rods in the water during our 4 hour match.



Phil chats tactics with Jeff

Andy had the contest sewn up with 5lb something on some new secret tactics he and Danny were employing (stewards enquiry !!) and the bloggers challenge multiplier reel zed match trophy was his. ( I think it should become the traditional trophy complete with engraved winners names, and passed on to the new winner each time we have a contest) We soon headed back to the pub for a pint and more banter  and I think the evening was enjoyed by all.  I'll certainly look forward to the next one.

On that canal again...!

Jeff on a mission

I'd threatened Jeff that I'd stop by on the way home after work one evening to have a go at plundering his hard found silver bream swims.  Luckily Jeff was more than generous and hospitable in accommodating me in my pursuit of a new pb, and so at 6pm we were heading down the towpath to find the swims and talk tactics.  Jeff put me in the 'most consistent' swim and he started fishing  a few yards up from me.  After looking through my float selection I opted to set up the rod with one that had 'far bank canal waggler' written on it and was lurking unused and unloved at the bottom of my box. Well I was aiming to fish the far bank on a canal after all, so it seemed a good choice to me !

First cast with a flake of bread on, the float settled then sailed under instantly resulting in this old stalwart of a roach weighing in at a reasonable 13oz.  A new years best and an increase of 8 oz to my challenge score.

Unfortunately that was to be my one and only bite all evening. I tried sticking it out in the same swim but I must have either over fed with bread mash or had spooked the shoal away up the canal into Jeff's swim !

Jeff fared better after losing a couple of bream whilst chatting to a passing native, he managed to land a nice male tench in another swim to my right that he'd pre baited when we arrived.

I carried on hoping the silver bream might come on the feed in my swim as dusk drew in, but it was not to be. The towpath behind me was busy all evening what with with bike riders, joggers and then Jeff traipsing up and down swim hopping till he'd managed about three bream and two male tincas to my one solitary roach.

 

Ah well there's always next time ..!

Finding the time for a canal carp...

greeted by the setting sun.

One evening about 8 years ago whilst walking along the canal at Fazeley, I happened to spot what I thought must be a good carp create a bow wave on the surface near to a mooring. At the very next opportunity I was back with rod and line to try for that fish. I never did catch it or anything near its size, but I did manage to land a small (baby) one on my first attempt, which I was more than chuffed with for my first go, and it proved conclusively that there were some carp around.



My only canal carp to date (circa 2003) - I haven't really tried that hard to catch another yet though...



Since that time I’ve been nagged by an urge to fit in some time trying to land myself a decent carp from the canal. With this in mind and along with the recent mild spell we have been having, I had a couple of attempts this past week.


Nothing to report as yet (except for a few small bream) I just hope I can keep the focus going until I land one of these enigmatic wild canal fish, that is before the call of other spring species takes my attention away again.
.

This is the largest of the bream I caught tonight at 2lb 11oz. It might have edged more towards the dizzy heights of three pounds if it wasn't for the nasty chunk gauged out of its side !

Just another little one....

Not much to report on this week really, I fished a small river for chub earlier in the week and despite a couple of tentative taps the fish just didn't pull the tip round. 

 I then proceeded to come down with a heavy cold and chest infection (not quite full blown man flu but it was touch and go !) so the rest of the week was spent indoors mainly.

I did manage to attend my graduation ceremony at Symphony Hall in Brum which was a nice day out for me and the family, if not a bit surreal.  It was a bit like being on the set of the latest Harry Potter at Hogwarts, what with all the pomp and ceremony.

Birmingham's Mayor meets me

Then yesterday, after an afternoon spent decorating (hence the paint on my fingers), I decided to fish the canal arriving just before last light.  I planned to fish for perch on one rod and zander or pike on other.  The perch set up didn't start too well, as I managed to forget the rod rests so had to lie the rod on some dead reed stems.  Meanwhile I set up a zander float rig and fished that out in the marina.  A juicy lobworm was cast out on the perch rod to the edge of the shadow cast from a small pedestrian bridge across the marina.

After a while I noticed the tip pull round on the worm rod, and when I struck into a fish, it didn't feel too bad.  Unfortunately not the nice pound plus perch I'd hoped for, but a foul hooked zander of less than a pound !

As full darkness fell and with no takes on the zander float, I moved swims to the Pike spot I've been successful in recently.  As I was busy re-arranging my tackle, I heard the distant rumble of a barge engine down the canal, surely that can't be one on the move can it?  However, sure enough the boat came chugging up the canal towards me in the pitch black darkness.   He had no lights on, which I realised was either because it's illegal to travel the canal at night ? or to allow him to see with his own natural night vision rather than use a headlight?  Anyway, as the vessel passed me I was more surprised to see that he was actually towing another barge behind !!  I thought to myself "you must be even madder than me, out here in the dark".

I had a small zed of 1.4lb first cast, then strangely missed a couple of bites later on,  and that was it for another week.  

Currently on the score board and Mr Hatts week was just ever so slightly better again, (you do know it's not the Drennan cup don't you ! ).  I notice that Keith is still managing to sneak his nose into the lead, despite Jeff's haul of recent specimens, which gives an insight into how these percentages will play out once we all get some more species, especially now the spring is coming.  There's still 10 months left to go for us stragglers to catch up, so who knows what results will be revealed by the end ?   Right now I'd just be glad to get in the top 10 for the moment !

Finally back in business....



A beautifully marked double

 After a shaky start to my Sunday afternoon session which had me changing plans at the last minute, I finally got off the mark for 2011. These last four weeks have been some of  the toughest I've known since I got back into my fishing a few years ago.  You know the drought will end eventually, but the wait can be excruciating at times.

Since Saturday lunch time and after checking the forecasts for the next 48 hours again,  I decided to head to the Trent to fish for roach and dace,  also with a Pike rod out until it got dark. Then because its been so mild for a number of days, I would switch over to  barbel on one rod and leave a paternostered roach on a starlight float out for zander.
When I arrived at the river however, I found it running like chocolate and surging through with at least a foot or so on, plus the wind was still at gale force level in the Derby area. I didn't fancy my chances apart from maybe the barbel and then only if I could keep a lead down on the deck. What with the way my luck's been recently, I decided it was better to cut and run and head back to the River Anker, which I had noticed looked in fine form on my way up the A42 travelling towards the Trent.


At the Anker - I set up the centrepin on my float rod with a 5BB stick, the pike rod went out to a marginal bush on my right up stream. The centrepin was again a challenge especially in the gusty wind but I still managed to get a bite almost straight away.  Soon enough I'd caught my first roach, so small I thought it was a minnow at first.  This was followed by more micro roach and then the odd ' bigger' sample up to 2oz, that amazingly I  managed to weigh for the 'bloggers' percentage record weight challenge.  I had to smile when I 'hauled' this ruffe in, and on the pin too. (Keith - I don't know what it is mate, I just attract em ? )

"Taking the ruffe with the smooth "

Darkness fell all too quickly, but I wasn't ready to go home yet.  So, with a few fresh baits in the keepnet that I could use, I headed for the nearby Cov Canal to try for some zeds. 
The swim I had planned to fish was occupied ! but it was one of the local  lads I met down here at the end of the summer ( funny how you don't mind when it's someone you know, but you feel peeved if it's a stranger). We caught up on each others fishing news, then I headed to the next spot along the canal about 70 yards up.  First cast on the float produced a small zed that must have sat chewing the bait for a while as I hadn't even noticed a dip register on the float. The fish was weighed but only managed to scrape a mere 9 ounces on my scales. I hoped I wouldn't have to put that score on the board !


The other rod was set up ledger style with a bobbin to alert me to any takes, unfortunately there was nothing for the bobbin to do all evening ! Back on the float rod however, I was getting some movement from the float as it danced the telltale bobbing along dance, I wound down to strike but pulled out of the fish. This happened about 2 more times within only a few minutes between bites, until on strike three I felt the rod hoop over nicely. The fish came in towards me but hugged the bottom, the way only a large weighty fish can do.   I thought if this is a zed it could be the magic double? but at the same time I realised that the familiar head shaking that zeds usually give was not there.  From the feel of the fight I decided it would most likely be the other candidate  - a pike.  Sure enough a spotty green flank glided up through the water in the light from my head torch. The fish took off on another powerful run before finally being subdued and brought over the net cord. The duel single hook rig did the business, hooking the fish nicely in the edge of the upper mouth near the scissor on the bottom hook, I didn't even need forceps to remove it.



11lb 10oz canal pike


It seems I have lost my weigh sling so had to weigh it in the net. The total was 13lb 4 oz with the net weighing 1lb 10oz,  so by the power of my vast mathematical acumen, I calculated it was 11lb 10oz and a new PB for me - by just 10 oz (OK, OK I did check it on a calculator too - just to be sure I'd converted the ounces correctly and wasn't diddling myself). This is the second pike I've caught at night and from virtually the same spot (it's not the same fish). It's also ironic that I always catch  my pike PB's when I'm zedding ! (I suppose I could try catching zander whilst piking and see if that will bring a bigger stamp of zed !)

I landed another zander again on the float rod, this weighed in at exactly a pound. (weighed in the blue plastic bag)  My scales have been checked against several avery scale brass bell weights in 4oz, 8oz , 1lb  and 4lb and are pretty much bob on !

So I'm finally on the score board with a  few species, the roach and zed are pretty pathetic percentages I know but it's a start at least, and a damn sight better than I had on the board this time last week.

Chuffed with the pike though - thanks go to Sean who was on hand to take the photos once again !




Session 3:30pm - 10pm
Ave temp 11c
Pressure steady 1015 hPa
Wind dir SSW 20km/h
Cloudy
Moon - made of cheese !

Freezing ...

I woke up at 6am this morning all ready to go out to the River Dove after some grayling, but on stepping outside and checking the temperature I decided -8deg C was a bit too much to be out for a mornings fishing. So having chickened out, I drank some of my flask of coffee and headed back to bed to snuggle back up against a nice warm wife.


Frozen river !

At about 3pm I headed out again to try a small local river for a nice winter chub, but this was not to be as most of the limited swims were frozen over on this fairly inaccessible stretch.  I walked the whole area to seek out somewhere with enough running water to allow a cast,  but in the end I decided against it as mostly all the accessible areas were frozen nearly all the way across, just being out and enjoying the frozen landscape was enough for me today.

When I returned to the car as darkness fell I checked the temp and found it was -8 deg C !
I hadn't felt cold at all and only my hands had suffered from the biting cold,  gloves had soon revived them. I'm sure I would have easily coped with the cold this morning after all. Whether the fish would have been feeding is only left for me to wonder!

I had a trip out with Jeff earlier this week on the canal but drew another blank, I think we'd picked the first night of the rapid temperature drop so four rods over 3 hours failed to attract a single bite. 



Timing it right

I've been struggling for fish over the past few sessions, so I've not really bothered to report on them. I think it's just down to timing my sessions during a feeding spell, especially now the temperatures have dropped to low single figures and the first few frosts of the year have already happened.  Choosing the right conditions are definitely more important at this time of year as the fish will feed for shorter periods at a time.

My latest session was this morning, and with an air temp around 3 deg I hoped this would not put off the fish.   I started the morning hoping to catch some more baits from the nearby pool but I couldn't even get the roach to feed.  I also had a float fished lobworm out for any perch that might be lurking next to the weed bed on the left. After an hour of complete in-action I gave up and moved back onto the canal to try for a morning zander. 


That should be - " No Chance of Catching " in my case

Despite my best efforts it was a futile session ending with another blank. I tried all the known spots with no results, I just hope I can do better on my next trip out when I meet up with Jeff again.



These are all pretty reliable areas - but not today  !

  

Even this mouthwatering roach kebab was not enough to entice !

  My set up never really changes, in fact its pretty easy to catch zander if your location is correct.  I think my conclusion over these past few sessions is that there's no real way of knowing if the fish will be feeding or not, it's ultimately a case of right place and right time.

A security incident and the missed feeding spell

After leaving work about 5:15pm I was soon heading up the M1 towards the river Trent.  With the radio on it was apparent there was an international security incident unfolding at East midlands airport, which is off the junction I was heading for!  Sitting in the tailback on the motorway I noticed a convoy of both marked and unmarked police vehicles rushing past on the other carriage way, lights ablazing.  I hoped I'd be able to get to the river before dark, as it turned out I didn't. The reports went on to say that a suspicious package had been taken away for scientific examination.  I wonder what was in that convoy of vehicles I saw ?

I was fishing for both zander and barbel with a rod out for each, what with the recent mild conditions I figured I had a reasonable chance. A roach head was cast under a overhanging tree to my left in about 6 ft of water and a lump of meat was cast to a near middle crease just out of the main flow.  To cut a long story short neither twitched nor moved for about three hours despite several bait changes on both.

I had a number of 4 or 5" roach left in the cool bag and wanted to make use of them so decided to cut my losses and head for the canal on the way home. Arriving about 10:00pm, I found parts of the canal covered in autumn leaves so decided to try a bait under a large raft of these first. One was was cast under the leaves, and the other to the shelf under a far bank tree. After 20 mins  - nothing so I moved back down towards the marina stopping along the way to try the occasional likely spot.

I eventually ended up at the hot spot in the marina, but even here a take could not be enticed. The fish must be already past their evening feeding spell was my conclusion, as I have experienced this two or three times before.  I think you have about three hours after dark then the fish seem to go off the feed.  I'm not sure if they have another go during the night as I've never stayed out past about 11:30pm to try.  I know there is another spell before and into dawn but again I have rarely tried at this time either.  If I can get a pass out I might just forgo my extra hour in bed tomorrow (Sunday) due to the daylight saving ritual and try a dawn session for them.

On the way home the radio reported that President Obama had confirmed explosives had been found in packages loaded onto planes at East Mids, Dubai and at an Airport in the US !

A new area - a new PB

I met up with Jeff for a zander session on his stretch of the Coventry Canal, so after a quick pint at the meeting point we decided to try a new area that he'd not fished before further up the canal towards Bedworth, I wasn't fussy as it was all new area to me.

I fished my usual sliding light lead and bobbins and Jeff was using his home made floats.  My first rod had a two hook pennel rig, both singles, which soon produced a small fish of about a pound.

The other rod was fished with a half bait of  rudd tail or head end on one of the Mustad ultimate bass hooks, I was eager to see if they would perform better than my pennel rigs which have so far been very hit and miss in terms of successful hook ups.  Jeff has been using the bass hooks for a bit longer than me and has been having some good success with them and more importantly less deeply hooked fish (this is an aspect I'm most interested in, after a couple of deeply hooked fish lately on singles).

Meanwhile,  back at the pennel rig, I hit a run that met with a solid force, the rig sprang back minus the bait though as the hooks had dissapointingly missed their target.  I attached a fresh rudd and cast it back out near to the boat channel, more due to a fluffled cast than any other reason.  The wind had picked up a bit by now and was gusting down the canal making the bobbins swing sideways pendulum fashion, they could really do with bit of putty or blu tac to make them heaver in this situation, thus aiding stability.

Shortly, I noticed the bobbin rising up again but in a more staccato fashion, I waited a second to make sure it was still moving before lifting the rod. It met the same solid resistance as before however this time the fish was on and on the move.  It stayed deep and I could feel it was probably quite a decent fish.   Jeff realising it might be a better one had picked up the net and after a bit of a tussle she was safely landed.  My reward, this new PB, and a really solid, plump fish.



6lb 10oz

A short while later we decided to move up the canal back towards the pub as the bites had dried up a bit,  Jeff was soon into a fish, landing one of around 2lb in this new spot.  He managed another one slightly bigger  after another move when the bites had dried up again, but my action was over for the night as it transpired.  Not that I was bothered, it was good just chewing the cud with Jeff about all things fishy and for me to go home with an new PB was totally unexpected.

One of Jeffs fish



Night time on the canal

 I fished with my Dad for the first time in ages, he's not an angler but he'd kept saying he would come down with me on my next canal visit, as it's not far from his house.

After casting in the first rod I told Dad to keep an eye on the bobbin while I sorted out the second rod. He was mesmerised by the little glowing stick and warned me of every slight movement.  I quickly pointed out that he would know if there was a fish taking line as you couldn't mistake it !

Soon both rods were in and fishing, and we both sat back to wait for the action to start. The blue bobbin was first to show signs but only for a dropped run. Shortly after and the red was away with a fish between one or two pounds.

Red was to be the leading rod tonight with the another fish of  2lb 11oz taken that fought well above it's weight. The blue rod finished the session with another small zed around 9 pm, Dad acting as ghillie to expertly net the fish and swing it onto the bank.

It was time for Dad to go after this last fish, but I stuck it out for another 45 mins, the fish however were not interested in any more of my baits by now. 



Best of the night



Two canals for two fish

I ventured out to the Trent & Mersey Canal to try and locate some of it's Zander.  The result was inconclusive as I failed to find any fish in the stretch I tried, although there are Zander in the canal.  There was quite alot of slimy weed around on the bottom, so I wonder if it put them off this area as it looked perfect otherwise with lots of overhanging vegetation. Either that or they just were not interested in my offerings ?

Lots of cover but where are the Zander?

I packed up early and headed back to the Coventry Canal instead to get my Zander fix for the week. 

I landed two fish in a short 2 hour spell, the first an emaciated fish that I reckon would have been a good four or five pounds had it not had such an empty concaved belly.  Not sure what was wrong with it but I got the feeling it was on its last legs, it seemed very listless, maybe just an old fish?  As it was, it only weighed 2lb 8oz being in such a sorry state.



Only 2lb 8oz but a long fish



The second  fish was a nice 3 pounder that fought well taking a perch head on a single hook rig. In between fish I had a few dropped takes that I put down to hook up issues. I'm not sure if it was the new traces I'd tied over the weekend or the fact I was using single hooks but I must have dropped four or five runs, one small fish dropping off at the net.  Last week I only had one fish spit the bait, but to get four or five drop off is a bit worrying.

3lb

 Fishing from 9 pm the bites dried up at about 11 pm, this was probably the end of the evenings feeding spell as I tried moving the baits around to pick up the shoal again but couldn't induce any further action.

Predators of the Canal

The Canal was the venue, Zander the target and the rods were set up and ready prior to leaving the house.  Once I'd cooked tea for the kids and a pass was granted from the better half, I was finally able to set off.

Crude but effective

I figured there would be enough daylight left to get the rods positioned  before it was fully dark, although my first swim choice was a little more challenging than I'd hoped.  I wasn't happy with the way the rods were positioned lying on flattened reeds and my new home made bobbins wouldn't hang correctly.

 After about 20 mins and no takes, I decided enough was enough so moved back up the canal to the next area I had in mind where the rods could be laid on open tow path.  Here there were some reeds and overhanging bushes on the far bank.   I leapfrogged the rods along the first section of reeds until I had a rod positioned under a small tree with a roach head on one single hook.

It's hanging off a rod - honest !

It was the rod left in front of the reeds that was the first to see some action.  As is usually the case, I was looking at the wrong rod when the take happened and only just looked over in time to see the bobbin gliding  up to hit the rod blank.  I lifted it quickly and felt a resistance on the end, the fish moving quickly across the canal towards me.  Just as I was making a grab for the net handle the fish spat the bait out and was gone, Bugger !  The bobbin method worked very well I was pleased to see.

I quickly replaced the whole roach, this one was on two single hooks and cast it back to the same position.  I don't think it was too long before it was away again. This time if felt quite a solid fish and I hoped my Zander PB would finally be beaten.  I quickly realised that if this was a Zander it would be a very good one.  As it surfaced my heart was in my mouth but as it glided over the net cord realisation struck.  I hadn't broken my Zander PB but I'd just thrashed my Pike one.

A new PB

While the Pike was waiting in the net I noticed the bobbin on the other rod rattling against the blank, I quickly reeled in the first of the nights Zander.  I took a quick snap for the blog before it was returned so the Pike could be dealt with.

With the help from some nearby anglers who had heard the commotion I must have made landing the Pike, she was unhooked and weighed.  I was a bit nervous about removing the hooks as I've only ever dealt with small jacks before and the end hook was quite far down. One of the lads held her by the gill cover to open her mouth so I could get in with some long forceps to remove my pair of single size 2 hooks.  All went well  and she was eased into the sling going exactly 11lb on the scales.  After weighing she was quickly photographed and returned, swimming off nicely with a strong powerfull flick of her tail (thanks for the help lads). 

With the adrenalin still running high, I carried on fishing the same spots to see if there would be any more action.  Sure enough no sooner had the rod been cast back out to the reed swim, that it was away again with another small Zedlet of about a pound.  The rod positioned under the small tree was quiet for the rest of the session, it was the rod in front of the reeds that produced the bulk of the action adding one final Zander, the best of the bunch at about 2 lb or so.

 I decided to pack up soon after as I'd had some good sport and had already stayed longer than I'd planned. I had another good chat with the other two anglers, before leaving them to thier Bream fishing.  I headed home pretty chuffed with the way things had gone.  My bobbins had worked perfectly (credit to Roger  Ryton Carp) although I adapted his idea a bit to use some chemical lights instead and clipped them to the mainline with simple swivel clips.

More small tales from the canal ...

I mentioned in my previous post that I haven't had much time available for fishing at the moment.   Despite this I did manage to fit in a couple of hours on the canal on Tuesday for a quick session after Perch and Zander.

I tried a new stretch of canal which was very rural and surprisingly quiet in boat traffic.   The recently harvested lobworms were used on a size 4 hook to a running  feeder on 4lb line straight through. This was cast under an overhanging bush on the opposite bank, in front of a reed bed gradually emerging from its long winter slumber.   The Zander rig was my usual float set up with a roach head on a size 2 single hook.

The worm was the first to show indication with a short rise of the bobbin and a double bleep on the alarm. The bait was obviously dropped however and the tail end was missing on retrieval.   The float rod was away next and another small Zander was soon netted, this one putting up more of a fight than usual, giving me a bit of excitement for a moment.   The fight defied its size though as it was only around the 2lb mark.

That was about the last of the action except for one more short tug on the bobbin as a fish checked the worm.   I wrapped things up soon after about 9pm.

The next plan is to get my Tench campaign underway hopefully by next week.   I am practically chomping at the bit especially after reading about all the cracking Tench coming out so far this year.

A Spring Zander

Fri  2nd April 2010

I'd been desperate to get out fishing for a number of days, but for one reason or another I'd not been able to get out till today.   With the Easter weekend arriving I was determined to fit some in one way or another and finally got out and down to the canal by 6:30pm, later than I would have liked but still well before last light.

In my haste to get down there, I'd forgotten my box of floats for the Zander fishing I had planned !
So a running ledger set up was the only alternative for the first rod, baited with a small roach mounted on two trebles.   The other rod had a zeppler pike float still set up on it from my last pike session, so I attached a chunk of roach to a single size 4 hook and cast that in too.

An average fish for me of about a pound or so.

I wasn't happy with the way the float was lying so brought it in to adjust it.   While attaching another piece of roach to the hook, I happened to glance over to the tip of the other rod and saw it was being pulled round.   I was reaching over to the grab the rod when the alarm started to beep indicating a fish taking some line.   On winding down sure enough a fish was on.   The resulting zander was landed and un hooked, it was another small fish of about a pound or so.   It proves that you need to keep an eye on whats happening as you can't just rely on the alarms.   The fish was hooked quite deeply but thankfully I was able to get in under the gill cover and remove the furthest treble.   I was a bit paranoid about missing another take and deep hooking another fish, so before dusk had turned to dark,  I re rigged the float rod as a running lead set up and cast it to the near side of the boat channel to attract any roving fish.

                                 setting a trap                             

   

There were no more fish to report and after darkness fell I moved near to a bridge to try and intercept any fish moving in or out of the nearby marina.   This area also failed to produce any fish but I did have a couple of rattles on the tip that seemed like indications.   Actual proof they were indications from fish were left inconclusive !

 Anticipation.....

I would have liked to have caught more than one fish,  to up my average if nothing else.   Landing a larger fish in the 5lb + bracket is my next target, so I am thinking of moving to a new stretch to see if I can improve things.  Although there are some reasonable fish coming out of here, up to 6lb in recent times and larger reported in the past, the average size here is only say a pound.  I need to fish a spot were this average is somewhere nearer to my target.   The hunt will continue !

Weather 6:30pm to 10:30pm

Cloudy / Light rain showers
Wind - Southerly
Pressure - rising  997 - 1000 hPa
Temp - Air 7c
Water  - 9c