The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

My brother, David, had a rather nice result yesterday, using his 20ft rod on a rural canal. He used liquidised bread as an attractant and float-fished flake against the far bank to catch this rather nice canal chub. The chub's tail, however, seemed to have been chomped, but I'm not sure whether or not the net is actually concealing some of the tail..
Anyway, canals are not often rated for decent chub, but I've managed a few to over 3lbs in the past, and Dave has caught them to over 4lbs..

Very nice, looks like a pristine fish

A stunning fish from 'the cut.'

I recently acquired a "Kingfisher Guide to Angling" booklet with a list of 'Record Fish standing at January 1960,' which pointed out that at that time the British record tench was caught by M. Foode on the Leicester Canal in 1950, weighing in at 8lb 8oz.

Thanks, MGs and Ashby, - my brother will be pleased.
I think the tench you mentioned, Ashby, is the one mentioned by Walker in Drop Me A Line (?), when he said it was "a significant increase" on the previous record, if memory serves me correctly.
Canals probably hold many mysteries. The canal my brother targeted is becoming known for decent pike - there's no reason, to my mind, why it shouldn't throw up a twenty.

Nice fish there.

Curiously, living in Leicester, whenever I've been to a tackle shop and asked about good local tench fishing the canal never gets a mention. I have indeed seen tench bubbles and the odd sunbathing mirror carp on an inner-city stretch I often cycle past. However the soup of floating used condoms, nappies, refuse and effluent puts me off a little. Not the place to wet one of my treasured floats.

Yes, urban canals can be off-putting, John, but they often lead to rural idylls, only a few miles beyond.

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.

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

The Grand Union Canal in my area has yielded specimens of many species over the decades , but in recent years other than occasional very large carp not much in the way of decent fish seem to get caught.

There are some large carp in our canals , I caught a common of over 29IBS many years ago up in the midlands , had two others over twenty too. Some good eels in our canals also but not often fished for . Zander are also resident ive been informed. Regards . Woolly Bear .