The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Mark wrote:Yes it is surprising what you can catch in a canal. By biggest roach came from my local Ashby Canal many years ago, 1lb 14oz, nearly a two pounder.

This thread has inspired me FB, on Saturday I shall take a trip to the Grand Union Canal and fish about a mile from the top of Foxton Locks or maybe near the tunnel at Saddingtion. Both places use to be haunts of big perch. Thank you FB next weeks trip is sorted.

It sounds wonderful, Mark: I bet the big perch are still there!

Loop Erimder wrote:Nice catch, shame about her tail though, I mentioned before that I fished an urban canal clear water and all the junk could be seen like shopping trolleys, bricks, bikes, shoes and also a very nice carp cruising amongst the debris

Indeed Loop - in 1989, I published my first fishing article (and the only one until Waterlog) in Coarse Angler, (Vol 12, February 1989, in case someone has the full collection) and I called "The Glass Cone Carp". These were carp that no one seemed to catch, but everyone tried for: but I managed one, a small one of a little over 7lbs, one rainy day in September. I thought it was a big achievement then, and I described the urban canal environment, accurately, in these words:
"The bottom was a barren valley of pig-iron, sand and grit, the residues of two centuries of industry that passed this way, barge-laden..."

I think it's just a matter of location with canal carp: my brother managed a good run of fish - but not quite 29lbs, - that's a marvellous fish for a canal, Woolly Bear! - but in recent years, my brother's really struggled with canal carp, either because the fish have died or they have moved on.
And it is odd, isn't it, Julian, that canal carp seem to thrive when other species do not?
I think that's the thrill of fishing on canals, rural or urban - the fish don't have names, and we never know what is coming along.... That's real pioneering stuff to me.

F B . If we ever meet up I will show you the photos , it was the time when the application of H N V baits worked well for me . I used to bait up every evening without fail , insane eh . As I said saw some nice eels caught only prob was the boats had to back lead to avoid them ,not to mention the dog poo . Regards . Woolly Bear .

Woolly Bear wrote:F B . If we ever meet up I will show you the photos , it was the time when the application of H N V baits worked well for me . I used to bait up every evening without fail , insane eh . As I said saw some nice eels caught only prob was the boats had to back lead to avoid them ,not to mention the dog poo . Regards . Woolly Bear .

I'd love to see those pics, Woolly Bear! Canal carp are special.
Canals and eels also go together, don't they? My dad used to fish lock entrances at night, when I was a nipper, and he managed a few decent ones doing just that - to about 3.5lbs or so, if I recall correctly.