Memories

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Maggot's Dad

Re: Memories

Post by Maggot's Dad »

DaveM wrote:
Gord wrote:hi md the stretch i used to fish was from alperton to park royal did you ever fish the two willows near alperton bridge or a still better swim called the hole in the wall, all these memories take me back to a time you could jump on your bike and disappear for a day on a great fishing adventure it was at the time anyway since those days i have fished in russia,italy,france to name a few but i still think of those days on the cut
I know the swims well Gord! The GUC can be the most idyllic scenery in parts Mark and in others,
it felt like you were fishing in the middle of an industrial wasteland and it was in these latter areas that I've had days that will stay with me the closest, there just seemed an abundance of fish as unnatural as the surroundings.
The canal felt alive, not just a utility as it was originally designed and had as many fish in as any natural river i had or have ever fished! What I really liked about it was it was very 'responsive' if you were willing to put the work in, not everyone's cup of tea, but to me and many others was roach heaven.
As a young whipper snapper, one closed season, I once walked from King's Cross to Greenford and then caught the tube back! I don't know how many miles that is, but I wouldn't do it now!
Hi DaveM, :Hat:
...... you are perfectly correct about "putting a bit of work into it to reap some rewards".
These canals were not much more than a ditch in section with very few features other than a shallower ledge on either side of the boat channel. The fish were always there, but unless there was a natural bankside feature, you had to create one to attract and concentrate the fish. I never went far without my home-made, folding grappling hook to either drag something out or at the very least rake and stir the bottom up. I still have my grappling hook (much preferred than a rake as you can't haul old motorbikes out with a rake!) which just consists of three stout bent lengths of steel bar, held together by a couple of "jubilee" clips and attached to a rope. It did the trick every time!

One big bonus, as you say, there's nothing like a nice walk along the "Cut" with always plenty to see!

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Gord
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Re: Memories

Post by Gord »

Maggot's Dad wrote:
Gord wrote:hi md the stretch i used to fish was from alperton to park royal did you ever fish the two willows near alperton bridge or a still better swim called the hole in the wall, all these memories take me back to a time you could jump on your bike and disappear for a day on a great fishing adventure it was at the time anyway since those days i have fished in russia,italy,france to name a few but i still think of those days on the cut
"Morning Gord" :Hat:

I have a very vague recollection of the willows but definately remember fishing the "Hole in the wall" with a pal who still lives close by.
Quite frequently as the "Hole in the wall" was quite often occupied, we would bike back to the other side of Horsenden Hill to fish the playing fields stretch by the Greenford Road. I had a little favourite spot which always held some 1lb+ Roach and it was little! Along this stretch it was generally quite well kept and trimmed by the council, but there were a few small blackthorn bushes which always remained untouched right on the bankside and were generally home to either a Blackbird or a Mistle Thrush. My favourite bush also had quite a thicket of bramble growing through it and where the brambles had overgrown it, they hung out into the "Cut". This was the only bush that overhung the water by any reasonable distance (close to 4 feet) and was a natural shady refuge for the fish in that area. I had to frequently make use of my weed hook to trim them back at the point where they entered the water. By feeding little pieces of flake I could soon "get the Roach going" and usually had a good bag from this tiny spot.
Even with the subsurface brambles cut, it was still quite usual to end up spending time trying to untangle and retrieve my tackle from the far edges of the bush, you only needed to be a bit too close when the flow direction changed and that was it!
good evening i know those swims on the playing fields as the school i went to was horsenden sec mod and you are right that you could catch some quality roach from the non tow path side fished there many times even fished an inter schools match there but it wasnt my day but as i said the more industrial landscape appealed to me more i dont know why, maybe i was more sure of myself plus the fishing was so good, i have had roach up to a pound and three quarters, a carp that went of the scales at 14 pound and to look at the place you would think no way will i catch fish in there BUT WE DID
when you are going through hell just keep on going (winston churchill)

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JerryC
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Re: Memories

Post by JerryC »

Remember them well MG’s from as far back as the 50’s. The GU at Harefield by the Halfway House, now the Horse and Barge, (used to cycle down to the railway bridge) and the Slough Arm at Langley were my favourite – also the A40 stretch by the white bridge. The ‘arm’ had some very decent nomadic carp (particularly to the 'wild' Slough side of the boats) and some desirable tincas, plus the usual silvers. The problem these days is finding somewhere to park your car and find it in similar condition when you return. Consequently have not fished a canal for many years, much prefer my club/syndicate rivers/pits/farm ponds/estate lakes with good fishing and safe parking. Still fish the local stretches of the Colne and Frays though.
If you understand what you’re doing, you’re not learning anything...........

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MGs
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Re: Memories

Post by MGs »

Yes, I caught my first ever tench on the Slough arm. From memory it always looked better than it fished. Plenty of lily pads. Maybe I was just a rubbish angler. The Frays always had a decent head of roach in the 60s and early 70s. It seemed to go through a bad spell, particularly around Cowley. In my opinion the Colne is a shadow of its former self. About 1-2 feet less water and dominated by chub and barbel.
I sometimes yearn for a roach session on the stretch between the Packet boat and the Shovel. Immediately after the Packet Boat bridge used to be a small day ticket lake (nice tench) before getting to the Frays. Not sure if it is still there. But on the tow path just opposite it about 100 yards west of the bridge was an overhanging bush with a lily bed. It held a good shoal of roach well over a pound.
Old car owners never die....they just rust away

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JerryC
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Re: Memories

Post by JerryC »

Yes, I believe it was called Cowley Lake, tench and silvers, no carp, clear weedy water and a bungalow at the far end - many a year since I last fished there. Very true what you say about the Colne although the roach/dace have been making a comeback on my syndicate and club stretch in recent years now that the EE/Cormorant issue is under control.
If you understand what you’re doing, you’re not learning anything...........

Taprobanes

Re: Memories

Post by Taprobanes »

I can remember as a teenager fishing the Grand Union at Scrubs Lane near Wormwoods Scrubs Park from 1959 onwards, for quite a few years, the bus from Hammersmith used to stop right near the bridge across the canal with access steps down to the tow path, easy fishing for Roach on hempseed and Perch on worms, you could have a net full in a couple of hours and never any traffic. don't know who controls it now but it was free fishing then. :Hat:

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Gord
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Re: Memories

Post by Gord »

it was laa day ticket when i fished it dont know about now
when you are going through hell just keep on going (winston churchill)

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Capebreton
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Re: Memories

Post by Capebreton »

I began fishing as a very young boy on the GUC at Northolt. Quite different then. My parents had no problems with me getting up early and going on my bike by myself down to the canal and returning when I wanted to. Took groundbait made up in the kitchen, I can still see the small yellow painted float and remember the intensity with which it was watched.

Alan H

Re: Memories

Post by Alan H »

SteveC wrote:The LAA gave up on a lot of its canal waters in London because they were becoming unsafe to fish on your own. Use to at MIle End,Victoria park area when kids.

Says a lot about our society today, when I was a kid you could go about on your own just about anywhere.

Jackson

Re: Memories

Post by Jackson »

I know this thread is a bit cold now, but seemed like a good place to post since i fished most of these west london stretches, plus little britain lake, cowley, colne and so on. Caught my first ever fish ( the inevitable perch ) on little venice. But later we fished the yiewsley section, and particularly the slough cut - and i think i can recognize some of these tucked away swims mentioned on slough arm. We often fished near the aforementioned piggery or abattoir which did smell yes !! but there was some really nice swims in that bit, and of course the banks were alive with vintage bottles underground, there was always diggers for those.

Great memories of GUC, a really classic mixed fishery that always had the chance of something surprising :Thumb:

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