FISHERY OF THE WEEK
K&A Canal, Wilts
NEVER knowing what will take your bait next always makes for exciting fishing, and you can bank on such unpredictable action when you visit the Kennet & Avon Canal.
Quality roach, bream and perch are present in healthy numbers in the Bradford-onAvon stretch, with bites galore almost guaranteed all year.
The stretch running between Lock 14 on the outskirts of the Wiltshire town and Lock 15 in the village of Semington is around five miles long, so you’d be forgiven for thinking that pinpointing the shoals could prove tricky.
But there’s a renowned hotspot that never fails to produce, with silverfish hauls to more than 30lb possible under the right conditions.
Fancied flyers
Fish will hover close to any cover they can find because the water surrounding it is likely to be a fraction warmer than elsewhere. So it’s no surprise that huge numbers of fish congregate at the marina, which lies just beyond Bridge 170 at Trowbridge Road.
With dozens of barges moored up in it, it’s easy to see why it’s such a magnet for fish.
Angling isn’t allowed inside the marina itself, but the shoals seem content to linger on the outskirts of it – where they can be easily targeted.
Up-and-coming match star Andrew Cranston first found out just how good the area can be last winter by accident, and said: “I drew the peg directly in front of the mouth of the marina and thought it should produce a few bites, but what happened massively surpassed my expectations.
“The shoal stayed put for the whole session, with skimmers, hybrids, quality roach and even a 2lb perch coming to the net.
“At the weigh-in I’d landed 39lb of silverfish on a cold winter’s day. It wasn’t a fluke either, because I’ve been back to
the zone a number of times and caught similar weights.”
Cover all bases
Once you’ve selected a swim where you can feel confident, it’s time to pinpoint the most productive spots.
Fishing long towards the edge of any moored boats just outside the marina is a good starting point, cupping in a couple of balls of groundbait laced with a little loosefeed. A second line is best set up on an angle down the track, feeding chopped worm and caster sparingly for big perch and skimmers.
With boat traffic low at this time of year, the fish will settle down the middle, and this is often the best place to pick off the bigger fish, switching to the long line for the redfins.
Winter fishing doesn’t always have to be difficult, especially if you wet a line on this Kennet & Avon Canal hotspot!