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ROB KAVANAGH.
The inside line on fishing.
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I'm Rob Kavanagh, your Artful Angler artist and dedicated angler.
My fishing blog is here to share my fishing adventures, ideas, stories, tips, anecdotes, techniques etc.. tight lines!
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06/05/2008
Canal Surprises
Full of enthusiasm for Tortworth I headed there several times over the next couple of weeks but without success. The freakishly good weather we had briefly enjoyed was over all to soon, and a familiar pattern of cold easterly winds and generally miserable weather returned.
I turned my attentions to the canal whenever I could get out fishing, testing a telescopic rod I have er, modified for use as a sturdy spinning rod. Although my main aim was to sort the rods' balance and reel position out, I flicked large spinners and the odd plug about on the offchance of hooking a pike or perch.
At the end of the month one such short session produced a nice perch just over a pound on a big silver spinner.
Inspired by this unexpected catch (I must get hold of some lobworms from somewhere!) I returned on my next day off, after having a look at Tortworth, to have a serious lure session.
I started off on the wall where the river flows in. There was a bit of colour in the water and I began a steady rhythm of casting and retrieving. I worked the spinner as slowly as I could with an occasional burst of speed. First cast alonside the wall to the left midway through the retrieve resulted in a tiny perch.
I strolled along the bank to cross the bridge, looking under the overhanging tree from habit. I abruptly stopped on spotting five chub basking on the surface, lined up like midget submarines in their leafy pen. I scanned the water around the lillies and spotted what looked like a common carp of about 5lb. I moved slightly to get a better view and realised my suspicions were correct, whats more, this fish was accompanied by a mirror of a similar size. One of the chub looked about the same size as the carp and I pondered what to have a go for, carp or chub? I had just decided to have a go for the chub when a mirror carp looking every ounce of 20lbs cruised out from under my feet like a battleship.
Carp it'll be then!
I nipped back to the car to swap tackle and was back on the bank within minutes. A few pieces of bread were flicked in and delicately taken by the smaller fish. They would suck the bait in and blow it out again on the spot, repeating the process a few times until the food was consumed.
After half an hour I had my first take. Several other decent carp had arrived and I watched in fascinated terror as a common of around 18lb gently sipped up the flake. The fish began to move off and the slack line sharply tightened...........
I struck, whipping the bait away from the fish and into the overhanging tree. Curses! The fish bolted and I began tearing out my somewhat limited supply of hair.
After letting the swim settle I found that a few of the smaller fish were still present. The chub were long gone so I decided to have a go at catching the carp. I didn't have long to wait before a chubby common circled the bait before slurping it up. This time everything looked perfect; the fish travelling away from me as the line tightened. Once again I struck, fully expecting the water to explode under the rod tip as the hooked fish charged off, but all I struck was thin air! Grrrr! Missed another one!
I returned the next evening after work and found the carp cruising in close by the wall. This time I spotted four different commons around 15lb, two mirrors nearer 20lb and at least half a dozen commons and mirrors under 10lb. They were following each other closely and I suspected they were preparing to spawn. No bites were forthcoming, but undeterred, I returned the next day. Again plenty of carp could be observed. I've only ever seen one carp in the canal before so I've been like a little kid in a sweet-shop for the past couple of days.
I watched as the fish swam past my bait at regular intervals, but they were definitely more interested in each other. A warm rain began to fall and shortly after it ended the carp started rolling and splashing, small groups of males pursuing the larger females. Every so often the broad chestnut flanks of a large common would be visible as it rolled under the marginal vegetation of the far bank. I watched fascinated, it firmly looked as though breeding was a higher priority than feeding!
Before it began to get dark I packed up and headed over the bridge to have a closer look. Carp of all sizes were chasing about, but as I quietly walked down the bank I became aware of numerous dark shapes swirling in the water right under the overhanging plants at my feet. Closer inspection revealed them to be not carp but bream. Literally dozens of slabs between 2lb8oz and 4lb were congregating to spawn. I watched them cavorting about until it became too dark to see clearly and left them to it.
Needless to say, once they've done spawning, both the carp and bream will be eager for a feed, and I'll be sure to be there to offer it to them!
Rob, 06/05/2008
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| 1. On 07/05/2008 01:29:57, matt wrote: |
Rob, some hefty carp on the canal then !?. Sounds exciting. Which stretch ? at far end near the river ? (where we caught those bream). The fish seem to gather there! make sure you get them photographed for me!.
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