Improve Your Coarse Fishing (UK)
Fill your net at these underfished canal stretches
British canals are on form but the secluded, rarely-fished sections off the main stretches are also teeming with pristine fish, says Graham West
CANALS OFF THE BEATEN...
CANAL fishing’s incredible resurgence in recent years has led to the most famous stretches becoming ever more popular haunts with anglers. Their desire to experience something completely different from the commercial scene has led to them wetting a line on the dozens of urban stretches that regularly hit the headlines. But the heavy boat traffic and sometimes tetchy runners and cyclists often leads to anglers to reconsider whether fishing ‘the cut’ is worth the hassle. However, Graham West has the perfect solution that will provide you with the idyllic canal experience that will instantly change your attitude to these underrated fisheries. The Browns Angling and Preston Innovations consultant is one of the country’s leading canal experts and has proven time and time again that large fish stocks are held up in areas you didn’t even know existed. “A lot of the canals I fish are full of little arms that snake off the main course of the waterway and at this time of year they are absolutely teeming with fish,” explained Graham. “The fish head for quieter areas with less commotion and, more often than not, more cover and depth, and they find what they want in these rarely fished stretches.”
An angler’s paradise
The big fish stocks are of course the main attraction on the stretches that Graham frequents throughout winter, but there are several other benefits. Often situated several miles away from the nearest town or even inhabited village, the footfall from pedestrians and bikers is considerably lower. Head down on a weekday and there is every chance you won’t see another soul in the day. That rural location also makes parking a doddle, with plenty of little laybys close to canal bridges where the wheels can be left just a short walk away from where you plonk down your seatbox for a session. The Grand Union Canal at Theddingworth in Leicestershire is a favourite haunt of Graham’s and a typical example of a prolific winter zone. A canopy of trees tower over each side of the
“On a weekday there is every chance you won’t see another soul”
water, with countless farmers’ fields in the surrounding area. It is located five miles from Market Harborough and over 15 miles from the hubbub of Leicester – in truth, you couldn’t ask for a more rural setting. “This stretch is located off a little lane which is several miles from the main road. Drive down the lane and it gradually becomes more and more rural. “It’s a beautiful zone and the best pegs are situated within a couple of minutes’ stroll from the bridge which you park by. “You can expect to get a bite every chuck if you get your tactics right, with roach, perch, gudgeon and even rudd likely to feed.”
Winning ways
As with any venue at this time of year, a swim that is teeming with fish could appear lifeless but there is nothing complicated about succeeding on canals like this. “Two lines is all you need to keep the fish coming – one down the boat channel in the deepest water and the other towards the far bank on top of the shallow ledge. “I will feed a ball of groundbait over each at the beginning of the session with just a pinch of pinkies added. I use Sonubaits Super Crumb Lake, which is ideal when you want to attract silverfish of various species.” Very light rigs will help entice bites, with an extremely slow fall of the hookbait made possible by using a strung out shotting pattern. “The new Preston Innovations ‘Silvers’ floats are perfect for this type of fishing. They are very
sensitive and the narrow body enables the float to move in a slow tow without you losing control of the rig.” A 4x10 version is used close to the far bank, with a 4x12 or 4x14 better down the middle where the depth can exceed 5ft in places. Both rigs incorporate 0.09mm Reflo Precision Power mainline to 0.07mm hooklength of the same material and a size 20 or 22 PR311 hook. “When you are expecting to catch fish to a pound you can get away with really light rigs. Scaling down always makes a major difference to my results.”
Forcing bites
Once the initial feed has gone in, it is time to drop in your rig over the top. Chances are the float – which must be dotted down – will dip within seconds of settling but, if not, a little patience may be required to start with. “It can be tempting to pick up the catapult and start firing pinkies over the top but this is a dangerous approach in the early stages. “If the fish only want the odd mouthful then piling in the bait will reduce the chances of them actually taking what’s on the hook. “Once I get into a rhythm and almost want to disperse the fish ever so slightly so that I can pick out the better samples, I will loose feed five or six pinkies every few minutes at the most.” On the day that Improve Your Coarse Fishing joined Graham at Thedding worth there was a real crisp feel in the air. A slight frost overnight had left the banks glistening and the water was showing very little colour. But despite the bleak outlook, our man knew that his tactics would come good. Sure enough, small silvers gladly obliged from early on and, as the session progressed, the stamp of fish improved, with chunky roach and perch to 4oz going into the net. Several boats also drifted through the swim and many of the owners appeared to give Graham a slightly rude and confused glance before getting on with their business. “They aren’t used to seeing anglers down here! Almost every time I come down here I have the place to myself – I have no idea why people would ignore such prolific fishing at a time of year when the going gets tough elsewhere.” Within four hours action he had put 221 fish in the net for a total of around 12lb – more than enough to win or at least frame in a canal match during the cold season. “These arms off the main route of a canal are underrated and often unheard of. Stray off the beaten track and you’ll almost certainly find huge shoals of fish that have never seen a hook,” concluded Graham.