I planned on giving bread a go on the canal again, this time taking lunch and a seat as the last rove in April was quite tiring on my out of shape body and mind, I was 'rove rusty' but this time I was equipped, or at least I thought I was.
Setting up in the usual area I fed a bit of bread and fished straight through on 4,4lb line to a size 12, under a small pole float that only took the weight of the bread. Expectation once again was realistic, a couple of decent chub or bream would do. First cast the latter obliged, this could be a good day I thought as a good bream rolled in the sun and it got even better when it was in the net.
I recognized this fish instantly as it was Scar (yup I've named it) caught in exactly the same spot in exactly the same way as last time, pretty much a month ago. If you go back to my April post on the canal you can see the difference in how the scar has healed a bit and it is no longer the raw open slice. I was delighted to catch it again and see the breeding tubercules on it's body, I'm seriously thinking about going for it a third time in a month from now for scientific research.
After releasing Scar I had it's smaller relative of around a pound or two so was off to a good start as I moved on, as the local bird life had cottoned on to my bread approach. Further up the small chub were already sunning themselves and to catch one of their larger relatives would make the day. However I made do with giving these youngsters a few freebies as I passed by.
The ever brightening morning saw the bream feed up in the water and I managed another couple on the drop from a new spot, stalking them behind some nettles, I sometimes think when I'm wearing shorts the fish can see the paleness of my early summer legs reflecting the sun, so staking bream behind the flora meant a few stings and bites but resulted in a few nice fish.
Cricket season of course is now in full swing but on walking past the nets I must confess I didn't think much of the slip cordon. You're not going to catch much swanning around like that I thought.
I picked up a couple of chub to 2lb in another swim I had never fished before as my walk continued, then a couple more good bream, pale due to the summer colour of the canal but glistening in the sun. With new swims found and with the weight of bream now approaching 20lb it had been an excellent morning.
The day was complete regarding my goal but I continued walking, it was a nice day and I ventured to a part of the canal previously unexplored hoping for a bigger chub, once again I got my wish when a demon cast under a tree saw a bend in the rod that could not be mistaken for a bream. I've said it before but these chub on the canal seem to go better than river fish, mind you this one was a good one and at bang on 5lb it really made the day.
Lunch was brilliant after a great morning, sitting on a gently sloping grass bank below a lock, my seat redundant, by now my walk had taken me into the middle of nowhere, into a sea of green peppered with the colours of buttercups and blossom, birds were everywhere, people were all in good spirits and sometimes you marvel at the canal on days like today. It was the perfect place to relax and munch my sarnies pausing only to say "This is the life".
I continued, refreshed after my break, my walk took me past abandoned boats, one that had been smashed up and normal ones where boaters were putting out sun shades on the bank, one even wanted to buy me drink from the nearby pub after I suggested she needed a glass of wine to complete her set up, but I was only interested in fishing, much like the 8 other anglers I saw today. I walked on and explored, perhaps too far and caught nothing on this ramble but it was still enjoyable.
So it was I returned to my new found swims on my way back for one last hurrah, I've found bread can sometimes work when you leave it and go back. I feel it can draw new fish in as the small stuff hammer away at any feed distributing particles and the scent, anyhow that's just a theory and whilst it didn't work in the first swim the second one yielded a decent chub first cast on my return
Then a bit of flow came as it does and this coincided with another demon cast (two in a day is pushing it right?) and all hell breaks loose as something big is on, it's steaming along the far bank, clutch screaming and I get it to the middle, I could instantly feel it was a really good fish.
However it was no chub as the most beautiful golden flanks could be seen when I eventually got it off the deck, rod bending double, several sets of walkers passed as I played the battling fish, which made a change from the usual audience you get at busy places like this. I didn't mind this one bit as I finally slid the net under a beautiful common.
Carp are as rare as hens teeth on this stretch now which is why I had no mat, but some long grass meant the fish went back in the condition it was caught which was pretty much pristine. Ok it wasn't big as carp go but it trumps any pool carp I'll get this year, a canal special. Along with the good chub and all the bream it made the day pretty memorable.
I packed up soon after as I was out of water not realizing I was also down to my last few slices of bread as I would take out a slice at a time keeping the rest fresh in the shade of my bag. The last of the bread went in to feed what I didn't catch, what a job that cheap loaf has done today. Whilst my bag was now light of bread and water I was also dehydrated but still found time to talk to a retired couple on a boat during the long walk home. I'm glad I did as the nice lady kindly refilled my water bottle and I polished most of that off chatting before I bade them farewell thanking their generosity.
By now it was pretty warm, I made it back home around half two all hot and sweaty, sipping the last of my much needed water top-up, after covering five different lock cuts and quite a few miles but it was worth it.
The free water, much like the cheap old bread and the basic gear summed up a day, when the simplistic approach worked wonderfully. It was a great day on the canal.
