The last of the fading light

The clocks go back on Sunday, which for me means no chance of any after work lure sessions until about the end of the season. I had time for a quick 1/2 hour smash n grab session this evening on the Grand Union Canal near work. After reading Matt Holmes  Fooling Fish  and Paul Bosworth's River Piker recent exploits on a canal near them with small Kopytos, I decided to try out some of my smaller ones that had yet to be christened with a fish. I selected a small 3" yellow/white one and gave it a work out on a stretch I had just discovered earlier in the day whilst out on lunch hour recce. Lots of mouthwatering swims full of overhanging trees and reed beds were found, it just had to contain some pike or perch. I even saw a few small shoals of bait fish lurking by the towpath piling in a few places, so everything looked good for a predator or two.

The first spot produced a lovely fat jack of about 5lb or so, a fish that had obviously been feeding up for the long cold winter ahead.

 

There were a few further bangs and bumps on the jig on successive casts, and due to the good clarity of the water I saw a follow from a larger fish that was maybe a low double? Unfortunately it turned at the last second.

 

Further down the canal I managed this little tyke that I saw swim along side the lure for a few turns of the handle, then swallow it as I paused under the rod tip.

 

Another even smaller fish fell off near the net before I decided to head home as the curtain of darkness cast its sinister shadows around me, out there all alone on a deserted tow path in a strange town !

I reckon I may be able to sneak in a few casts here on my lunch hour where I will try to explore a bit more of this lovely stretch of canal over the winter.  The image of that larger fish that I missed out on now etched into my minds eye will only prove to be another challenge for me to pursue, after all they can't all be baby pike, and as the lads mentioned above have proved more than once the larger fish will take a small lure too.  It's just a question of right place right time now.

 

Gone Spinning - part 2

The girl from accounts said she was going spinning after work, I thought "snap"  but I won't be peddling my little legs off at the gym !!

Instead I managed to sneak in half an hour on a new stretch of river on the way home, where a quick go with the spinning gear produced this little chap.

The stroll between fish-able swims revealed some interesting spots along the way, plenty of chub spots, barbel runs, perch snags and pike holes were noted in the mental map. Hopefully I'll return and give them ago at some point.

Also had a reccy along some of the GU Canal near work at lunchtime. It looks like one of the clearest stretches of canal I've ever seen especially as this was taken at around midday when there would have been some boat traffic ( if there is any along here ? )

Might be worth a go with the spinners or lures. Mind you the shoal of roach that I saw soon had my mind flitting to other targets, one of them was easily over a pound. 

spot the small roach

Here be Monsters ??