stevetheangler

Friday 7th October 2016 … and it was a visit to a club stretch of the Shropshire Union Canal (WA) … the first end-of-this-year visit … with the 6′ mini-jig rod (rated 2g-10g) and the 8′ canal spinning rod (10g-30g).

During the long lure session of 4 hours – usually 2-3 hours is my limit but eeked out this session a little longer by having a few breaks along the way – I fished up to about halfway along the 1.2 mile stretch with the jig rod in action mainly although the heavier rod came into action during the breaks by baiting with sprats on a wobble trace/rig and adding a small ‘Gazette’ type float and letting the bait drift along the far bank…. and then I fished back to the car with the heavier rod with a medium sized blade spinner as the attractor.

And it was this spinner that took the only fish of the day – almost last cast of the day and in the first swim that had been fished at the start of the session too – a superb (LOL!) perch that approached possibly all of 2oz…

Anyway, it was an enjoyable session – a good walk in calm and temperate air with the water a good colour and light boat traffic (possibly 5-6 boats + 1 canoe passed). There were the usual autumn leaves on the water’s surface but due to the lack of wind and only light falls so far they weren’t too much of a problem with attaching to the line, etc. However, there are willow bushes along the stretch and there were willow leaves on the water which may explain the less than expected results… willow leaves contain a natural form of ‘aspirin’ and to my thinking this seems to ‘sicken’ the water a bit as I’ve never had good results when they are around (all waters) and by choice I try to stay clear of such bushes at this time of the year… but with the natural flow of canal waters the leaves naturally spread all over. Don’t know if this is fact but I do feel that if its leaves other than willow on the water then there seems to be no deterioration in the fishing but as soon as any willow  ones appear then…

So….. next session was intended to be the Warks Avon on Tuesday but I have now changed my mind …. filled the car with fuel today so I’m wanting to conserve as much as possible ready for our holiday in Somerset that starts next Friday so I’ve decided to visit a local club pool instead. Also visiting the river would require a changeover of tackle in the bags to the river kit, and as the site on which we stay on holiday has a pool to fish and the tackle is being taken there then a swap-back to pool gear would be needed … so fishing a pool on Tuesday means the right tackle is already in the bags and negates that need.