Memories
Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 7:23 pm
Here goes. First post in the GU Canal section.
Unfortunately, I no longer have access to canals like those I fished as a youngster. I regularly fished the Grand Union, to the west of London. The Slough Arm, Cowley, Uxbridge and Denham sections being my favourites. The source or decent catches during the 70s. I and my friends often bagged up using hemp, tares and elderberries. Roach and rudd bags of 30-50lb were not unheard of in the summer, with fish up to about 1lb 8oz. There were also some nice shoals of bream, if you could hit on one. The Slough arm had a nice head of tench, which although small where a nice bonus to us lads. The stretch at Yiewsley was renowned for big carp, which were often seen cruising but rarely if ever caught, even by those spending ages hunting them.
Having returned to the area briefly a few years ago one thing was blindingly obvious. The huge increase in moored narrowboats. I spent a few days walking the towpath, looking at all of the hotspots we used to fish. Now sadly inaccessible due to moored boats. canals section.
Unfortunately, I no longer have access to canals like those I fished as a youngster. I regularly fished the Grand Union, to the west of London. The Slough Arm, Cowley, Uxbridge and Denham sections being my favourites. The source or decent catches during the 70s. I and my friends often bagged up using hemp, tares and elderberries. Roach and rudd bags of 30-50lb were not unheard of in the summer, with fish up to about 1lb 80z. There were also some nice shoals of bream, if you could hit on one. The Slough arm had a nice head of tench, which although small where a nice bonus to us lads. The stretch at Yiewsley was renowned for big carp, which were often seen cruising but rarely if ever caught, even by those spending ages hunting them.
Having returned to the area briefly a few years ago one thing was blindingly obvious. The huge increase in moored narrowboats. I spent a few days walking the towpath, looking at all of the hotspots we used to fish. Now sadly inaccessible due to moored boats.
Unfortunately, I no longer have access to canals like those I fished as a youngster. I regularly fished the Grand Union, to the west of London. The Slough Arm, Cowley, Uxbridge and Denham sections being my favourites. The source or decent catches during the 70s. I and my friends often bagged up using hemp, tares and elderberries. Roach and rudd bags of 30-50lb were not unheard of in the summer, with fish up to about 1lb 8oz. There were also some nice shoals of bream, if you could hit on one. The Slough arm had a nice head of tench, which although small where a nice bonus to us lads. The stretch at Yiewsley was renowned for big carp, which were often seen cruising but rarely if ever caught, even by those spending ages hunting them.
Having returned to the area briefly a few years ago one thing was blindingly obvious. The huge increase in moored narrowboats. I spent a few days walking the towpath, looking at all of the hotspots we used to fish. Now sadly inaccessible due to moored boats. canals section.
Unfortunately, I no longer have access to canals like those I fished as a youngster. I regularly fished the Grand Union, to the west of London. The Slough Arm, Cowley, Uxbridge and Denham sections being my favourites. The source or decent catches during the 70s. I and my friends often bagged up using hemp, tares and elderberries. Roach and rudd bags of 30-50lb were not unheard of in the summer, with fish up to about 1lb 80z. There were also some nice shoals of bream, if you could hit on one. The Slough arm had a nice head of tench, which although small where a nice bonus to us lads. The stretch at Yiewsley was renowned for big carp, which were often seen cruising but rarely if ever caught, even by those spending ages hunting them.
Having returned to the area briefly a few years ago one thing was blindingly obvious. The huge increase in moored narrowboats. I spent a few days walking the towpath, looking at all of the hotspots we used to fish. Now sadly inaccessible due to moored boats.