17 December 2015

Grand Union Practice take 2

It was back off the Grand Union at the Globe today for the grudge match between Alfie and myself, this time I had all of the kit that I would need, although I did have to get Alfie to make me some bread feed.
We walked up the tow path, left from the pub and this time we set up a couple of hundred meters up just off the back of the sewage treatment plant.



As you can see from the picture it was quite wide and there were not too many features across to go at, but there was one bramble so that was to be my main line of attack.  As usual I plumbed up a 5m bread line, a 13m bread line in about 3.5ft of water, a worm line next to the bramble at 16 meters (!) and finally a worm rig for next to the tins 5m to my right as we saw a few carp mooching about as we were setting up.
We had a bit of a staggered all-in as Alfie was ready before me and he went out on the short pole after feeding multiple lines, when I was ready I few 10 worms and a few casters on both worm lines and a small ball of licky on the 5m line.  I then shipped out the short bread rig and had an almost instant response, the fish were a variety of sizes but the bites were coming quite quickly, it was a bit like bread fishing on the K&A in that if the fish got too small then a small ball wold see the bigger fish return, for a short time.  I had a look on a new 13m bread line after tangling my short line rig and found that I could catch a small roach one a chuck on the bread on this line.  I was keen to try for skimmers and bonus fish though and was fishing a 5mm punch on the bottom or just off. After an hour I had over thirty fish to Alfies fifteen(ish) so I decided that I could risk a look on the worm lines.
The line against the inside tins was a non-starter, I think I needed a boat there to act as overhead cover to have any sort of chance really, but when I shipped across to the bramble I was rewarded with a perch of about a pound almost straight away, I was in two minds as to whether or not I should re feed but I thought I would give it a couple of minutes before possibly overfeeding the swim.  Second put in I was rewarded with an even bigger perch close to if not 2 pounds in weight and it was at this point that I decided top it up with a few worms and casters.
I went back on the 13m bread line and continued to shell peas, although I had a couple of quiet spells that I was hoping were skimmers moving in but was probably pike to be honest. After a while of catching a lot but not adding much weight as the roach had shrunk dramatically, I decided to have a few looks on the worm line and over the next hour or so I managed another perch and a couple of decent Hybrids, both getting on for a pound.  It was at this point that I decided to start a new worm line at 13m in 4ft of water well off to the right (away from Alfie) to see if I could make anything happen on it.  I fed it with 30 dendys chopped roughly and a ¼ pot of caster and went back across for another decent perch.
This was close to the end of the action though, I managed one perch from the track line and a missed bite and I had two more perch from the bramble but the last couple of hours were a struggle for both of us. Alfie even went back onto his short line with squatt to try and put a few fish in the net, I refused to and started yet another worm line at 6m just beyond where I had been fishing bread, but I had no indications off that line.
We packed up about 3pm as we were starting to lose the light and a bit of drizzly rain was coming in, Alfie weighed first in the grudge match and he had a respectable 4.5-5lb of small roach with a rogue Perch thrown in, If I hadn’t have been catching a few bonus fish he would have probably got his head down on the bits for 6lb or more, but that isn’t how the day panned out.  My net came out the water and I had 6 or seven Perch, two Hybrids and around 50 small roach for twelve pound and change, I can’t remember exactly but it was good day.

We finished packing up and said our farewells as I am back to a real job in the New Year so will no longer be anywhere near the GU Canal which is a shame as it is a brilliant bit of water, I have managed 3 sessions on there now and the fishing has been really good each time. 
Alfie went on his merry way and I had my tea in the Globe inn again and the food is good…., then the final drive into Watford, some last minute Christmas shopping and then back to my room to turn it around and write this.

What would I do different?

I should have nurtured the long bread line for a bit longer but I was catching bonus fish and I was heading towards a section win so to speak so I kind of forgot about it. Next time if I topped up a worm line I would drop a nugget on the bread line, and possibly catch 10 roach then count to 100 on each worm line and rotate like that?

Tackle used:
Pole Bread Short:
Elastic: Double 4 Slip
Line: 0.13mm N Gage to 0.08mm Cenex
Hook: 20 PR311
Float: 0.6g AS5

Pole Long Bread:
Elastic: Number 5 slip
Line: 0.13mm N Gage to 0.08mm Cenex
Hook: 20 Polemaster Wide Gape (one of my last few L)
Float: 0.3g AS3

Pole worm track:
Elastic: Yellow Vespe (through 1 section)
Line: 0.17mm powerline to 0.14mm Cenex
Hook: 15 B711
Float: 0.3g Frenzee FP500

Pole worm across:
Elastic: Yellow Vespe (through 1 section)
Line: 0.17mm powerline to 0.14mm Cenex
Hook: 15 B711
Float: 4X12 Drennan Dibber



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