Short session on the Shropy

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John Harding
Rudd
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Short session on the Shropy

Post by John Harding »

Good evening all,

The Canal & River Trust are going to be doing a feature soon on the "Top Ten Favourite Places on the Waterway Wanderers Permit" which will be on the fishing section of their web site. They, in their wisdom, nominated me for a piece on the Shropshire Union Canal so I have been out today and had a very short session on a length at a place called Craughton, which is just a bit further along from the area behind Chester Zoo.

I decided I would do something a bit different and instead of sitting there holding 13 metres of carbon pole, (sorry, I know I used a rude word there) and yes, I do have several ****n poles and I enjoy useing them, sorry again, I won't mention them again, I just took one of my split cane rods and matched it with a vintage fixed spool reel.

The rod is a 12ft 6" float rod by Reliant Fishing Tackle, I don't know if anyone is familliar with them, I don't know anything about them myself, I can date the rod fairly accurately as on the bottom of the but section there is a silver band with an inscription on it, which reads :- "Presented to C.W. Caunde by the Shropshire Anglers Federation for services as Hon. Secretary, 29th September 1948". Assuming that the rod could have been made during the previous twelve months it makes the rod 68 years old, just a bit older than me !! The reel I used was an Intrepid New Deluxe, I am sure one of you experts will know the era this comes from, I am guessing late 60's/early 70's ?

As I said earlier it was a very short session and I only wanted to catch a few fish for a photo' to accompany the article, conditions were quite nice to start with, the sun broke through and it was quite mild but there was quite a strong breeze blowing from left to right and combined with the natural flow of the canal which is in the same direction it was almost impossible to hold the far side of the canal. Instead I opted to fish just of the end of the rod and lay on over depth with a small porcupine quill float. I managed to catch four small roach, a perch of about half a pound and a small eel, the eel was a bit of a surprize as I haven't caught one for a long time, a few years back they were a bit of a nuisance but they seemed to dissapear, so it is nice to know that there are still some there.





Image

Sorry that the net of fish isn't of the usuall standard that are posted on here but the main point that I am pleased about is the fact that the rod I used is older than me and still catching fish after 68 years, it is not in the best pristine condition, the rings could do with re-whipping and it could do with a coat or two of varnish but after 60 odd years it is entitled to be a bit rough around the edges, as I am, and it is still catching fish, as I am !

Regards,
John

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Scott
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Re: Short session on the Shropy

Post by Scott »

Nice to see an eel popping up, well done! :Hat:

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Dave Burr
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Re: Short session on the Shropy

Post by Dave Burr »

Don't ever apologise about the 'standard' of fish John, that's a lovely mixed bag from an autumn canal and most of us would be happy to watch your float dip and bob throughout the day. I know that poles are far more 'effective' on some waters but doing it old style has a very satisfying feel to it.

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John Harding
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Re: Short session on the Shropy

Post by John Harding »

Dave,

Thanks very much for your reply, you are correct poles are a far more effective way of presenting your bait, but I don't equate effective with enjoyment, I much preffer to fish with whatever method on the day takes my fancy, sometimes it may even be with a pole. I am old enough to remember when we all fished canals with just rod and reel, poles were non existant and we still caught plenty of fish. I find sitting with a rod and reel far more relaxing than holding on to a pole for several hours particularly when it is windy, but if I was in a fishing match, well thats a different thing all together and you need to be "effective" against the other competitors.
Regards,
John

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ExeAngler
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Re: Short session on the Shropy

Post by ExeAngler »

Welldone. I do enjoy a bit of canal fishing as I grew up fishing the Exeter Ship Canal. Sometimes I fish a rebuilt section of the Wilts and Berks canal, which is round the corner from my house. Using my old rod and reel managed some nice, short sessions. Nothing big but plenty of Rudd, Skimmers and a few Small Tench. Lost the biggest fish I had ever hooked on the canal during one short session. Using the "old rod", the hook pulled out on it's second run. Maybe in was not that big but felt a "whopper" - on the old glass rod.

Tight lines.

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WhiteWolf
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Re: Short session on the Shropy

Post by WhiteWolf »

It's a great picture John. Thanks for posting it.

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LuckyLuca
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Re: Short session on the Shropy

Post by LuckyLuca »

Looks like a very satisfying few hours to me!
I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete.

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Rutland Rod
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Re: Short session on the Shropy

Post by Rutland Rod »

Its a good mixed bag John as others have already said, all the fish in pristine nick caught on a rod which has spent its 68 years in the area you used it, you cant ask for more. Tight lines Dave

GazTheAngler

Re: Short session on the Shropy

Post by GazTheAngler »

A nice couple of hours by the look of it

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Olly
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Re: Short session on the Shropy

Post by Olly »

I have several canals within easy reach but have mainly avoided them like the plague! Some sections are purely canalised and some are river/canal combined allowing trotting!

Well done with the fish pictured, gives me renewed enthusiasm to try one! The eel is a turn up as they are an "endangered" species! Along with the puffin now.

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