My stretch

[Homer Simpson]

Despite my best intentions, I have not been back……until today!

Had a pleasant couple of hours in the sun this afternoon, lots of fish but mainly small stuff. There was a scattering of beautiful coloured roach of around 6oz. and a few chub too.
Gave my new Mitchell a trial run with a porcupine quill that a friend found clearing out his grandads shed.
Sat in the grass with my feet dangling over the water, for a short while, I was ten again.

Must adjust my bike seat

[ReelMaker]

Good evening fellow friends,Used to fish the Aylesbury Arm,years ago,never caught many fish but just being there on the bank after being shut inside all week it was so nice to be out in the fresh air and nice weather.Terry

[Homer Simpson]

Bit of an update.
Now been several times, as it's an easy 15 mins on my bike and the weather has been kind, I just go for a few hours when I sense her majesty is running out of patience with me.

Getting a fair few fish, pretty much a bite a chuck, nothing spectacular but some nice roach shy of 8 oz amongst the small stuff. Not sure if it's the same fish but I have also had a bream of about a pound three sessions running.
A few weeks ago they were harvesting adjacent to the bridle lane on the way. I stopped for a chat and aquired a large carrier bag full of wheat. So I have been giving a flask full a stew and baiting up with this.

Next plan is to take a rake head on a rope and oink out some of the rubbish in my preferred swims. A 1lb hook length is pushing it with some of the branches that I am snagging!

[Homer Simpson]

Not been back for a week or so, as the river has been fishing so well since the rains.
Went this afternoon as I fancied an easy session, usual stuff plus a clonker of a perch weighing just shy of 3lbs.
….. and a coconut! On double maggot if anyone is considering targeting these.

Edit: I had a vague recollection, so goggled, and here was the answer
https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index ... d-candles/

[Homer Simpson]

Went two weeks ago and never had a bite.
Today’s forecast was cold (relatively) but turned out much warmer, so I threw some bits in my rucksack tied the rod to my bike crossbar and ten minutes later was bankside.
Found that I had put my carp reel in the bag so instead of the Mitchell with 2lb line, so I had reel with 10 lbs
Also left rod licence and permit in another bag!

The water was running through consistently and I could have easily have run a stick float all afternoon, except…… for that damn line.
I still managed to catch maybe 20 fish including some nice roach, I like to think the quantity and quality would have been higher had I been a bit more careful with my preparation.
Still, bodes well for the next few months until I can get on the river again.

[Catfish.017]

You must be happy with that result H.S. I would have been today as I tried a section of the Coventry Canal near to home that screams fish but sadly it flatters to deceive . I blanked!

[Homer Simpson]

Now that the river is out of bounds, I have paid my first visit to my canal spot. I haven’t wet a line since February due to two holidays and a bout of shingles.
So as the forecast was good, I tied a rod to the bike crossbar and put some bits in a rucksack and 15 minutes later I was bankside.
I ran a float through for over an hour and not a single bite, I was not exactly surprised as it’s early for this spot and had not been pre baiting this year.
In desperation I changed to a size 22 hook to nylon (I bought these 3 years ago in a go out doors clearance for very little money and I think it’s the second hook out of the packet since then). Almost immediately I had a knock and caught four roach in 20 minutes, three were 3 oz swinger in size, but one needed the landing net, bit less than 8 oz but in good condition.
Still contemplating if the hook size was a factor.
Got a flat tyre on the way home so I had to walk, nonetheless it was an enjoyable session. Tomorrow looks like rain but I may stroll down and get some bait in. Hopefully this place will keep me entertained until June.

[Catfish.017]

Probably a combination of the smaller hook and finer hooklength. Were you using maggots? Was there any colour in the water? On my local cut, the Coventry, if the boats are active I can catch Roach and skimmers on bread on a 12 hook to 5lb line. Using maggot or caster in Winter- different story though even then a 20 to .10 hooklength is the lowest I go.

[Homer Simpson]

It was well coloured and quite a few boats going through. That’s why I thought my usual 18 to 1.5 lb would be ok.
Lesson relearned (yet again!) though, try something else rather than doggedly sticking to the usual.