stevetheangler

Session 33 was partaken on the morning of July 11th 2013, between 0500 and 0900. on the Staffs/Worcs Canal near Wolverhampton. Setting up to fish in the flow just below a set of locks, the far bank swim was baited with bread crumb heavily laced with dried blood.

Tackle for the day consisted of my 10′ Des Taylor Avon System 3 rod set up with the lightest quiver tip, and 6lb line straight through to a size 16 hook with an 1/8oz bomb set 12″ from the hook. Bait was double maggot or maggot/brandling cocktail and baits were dipped in ‘Chopped Worm’ dip.

Bites came quickly to start with and in the first half an hour I had 4 small chub (2-3oz), 5 similar sized parch and a gudgeon… followed by further perch to 8oz and chub to 12oz, a few more gudgeon and a solitary and tiny daddy ruffe.

I would have fished a little on beyond my actual finishing time for the day but for the fact I’d somehow managed to get a loose line tangle around the reel and the spool and although I managed to sort it out mainly there were a couple of tiny knotted loops left in the line that were impeding casting at times and the length of line containing them needed to be removed but the time to do that would probably have taken me to my allotted time anyway and the boat traffic was starting to build up too. So I decided at that point to pack in and sort the problems out at home ready for the next canal visit, hopefully next week, but intending possibly to try out a new area.

Whilst walking down to my swim, I discovered, on the towpath, a freshly dead chub of about 1.5-2lb, which seemed to be bleeding from the gill area but no other trauma to the body was discernible – probably a victim of the heron that is usually in the area and which was spotted a couple of times during morning.

Next trip out is on Saturday, 13th,  to a private, normally unfished, pool that our club is privileged to have access to for five weekends each year. Six anglers per day at this time are allowed on the water from 0700-1900, and each person fishing donates £10 to the local church fund. Liz and I have our booked day there, as I said, this coming Saturday. There are good tench, carp and perch in the pool and we’re looking forward to a good day out there although possibly with the hot, bright weather it may not be best conditions – just have to hope for a major freshening thunderstorm or something overnight or tomorrow (Friday)… and hopefully we’ll manage to get on to the deeper water to get the best advantage. Last year, Liz and I had the entire pool to ourselves for the entire day – and doing so again would be absolutely brilliant! So here’s hoping for good results on session 34!! :)