Wednesday 26 August 2015

Canal Perch — Insignificant Accumulations

With the Bloggers Challenge nearing the end of its first third and with the autumn season in sight I've been working very hard to get what I can from the canal targeting those species that will be difficult to tempt come November and nigh impossible thereafter. Silver bream I can rest on. If I catch better as I go along than I already have then that'll be a bonus. There's no time to target them specifically. Rudd are similar. They turn up from time to time. And I really do mean time to time!

Carp are my next canal target. They have to be. They are so rarely caught around here that only summer will do for them and then usually at night. Tench I'm satisfied with. My best so far is good enough. There's no point chasing better when better is likely to come through carp fishing, is there? 

However, there's points to score during the daylight hours I often have available between, before, and after work commitments, when I can walk round the corner and make my way with species that will keep the year round. Roach for instance. I have a pounder under my belt and ten bonus points for it but that advantage won't stand long. However, canal roach are my strong point. Every other competitor must travel to catch them, but I don't have to, unless you'd call a three minute walk 'travel'. I don't even bother breaking down my top kit when I'm over! 

Perch are another. So this morning I went down Lady Lane to catch one large enough to catapult me from seventh place to fourth. I'd calculated that I'd require a fish of just six-ounces to do that. I thought that target a forgone conclusion and to be got in the first half hour. But I was wrong there. I had a succession of five-ouncers falling to lob head and tails over chop and most coming within spitting distance, the far shelf not producing well at all and when it did produce only giving up yet more of the inevitable skimmer bream who I've seen a little too much of lately. 



So I concentrated on that productive near line for the rest of the short session. And was eventually rewarded with what I set out for. A perch respectable enough for purpose. I packed down just as soon as it was released having no reason to stay on to catch better with 240 days to go in which to.

At 1lb 2oz it scored 18 points, launched my name to just where I wanted it to be, and with a little in the way of cushioning points too. Not a significant fish by any means. None of my captures thus far could be called that. 

But all are insignificant accumulators, nonetheless...



5 comments:

  1. Shit, you're beating me!! K precedes J in my alphabet... you've awoken me again Jeff - Let's get out soon. :)

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    1. Sure thing, Keith. Glad this post had the desired effect!

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  2. Great catch there! You mentioned you're happy with your PB Tench, do you have any tips for targeting them on the canal? Apparently they're abundant on my local cut, but I'm yet to catch one! Any advice would be appreciated!

    Tom

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    1. Hi Tom. Depends on what kind of canal you have, I suppose. However there's a general rule on my local canals and that is fish as tight to the far bank as you can during daylight hours and beneath brambles, near reeds or lilies. They patrol the margins but don't come very far out till after dark when they move about freely.

      The best bait is undoubtedly sweetcorn in my experience. Make sure there's a handful of it as ground bait and make sure it goes into the brambles, reeds and lilies where it'll drop down right against the bank and entice them out to the grains that fall short which is where your bait will be. Bread is good too but attracts far too many bream, I think.

      Dawn, dusk, and through the night is best, though I've caught them through the day. At night make sure the rod and line is up to the job of taming carp. Canal carp round here are secretive wary brutes! They seem to feed after dark. Canal tench are brutes too, but more easily tamed...

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    2. Great tips there Jeff, and thanks for the reply! I'll give this a go next time I get out on an early/late session.

      Tom

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