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
