Friday 19 February 2016

Canal grubbing.


Quite simply my latest outing on the tow path was an unmitigated disaster. Really I probably should have ventured to the river, but I was guilty of waiting for what I thought would be optimum conditions (which might not come at this rate). So I headed to the Coventry canal to see if I could try and pin down any groups of zander or perch in the area.

The moment I laid eyes on the canal I should have got back in the car and gone to another stretch. Probably being a bit pig-headed I thought I could root something out, but the conditions were against me with a big drop in temperature. The section I was on is very susceptible to a north wind battering which seemed to have stirred up the sediment as well, leaving the section where I was very coloured whilst reports that it was clear on sheltered areas northward.

As I mooched the tow path persevering, I came across something interesting though. The canals with their infestation of crayfish have really begun to suffer with collapsing banks. I never thought it was that much of an issue until I spoke to a chap on a work party a few years ago. He explained to me that the crayfishes burrowing was speeding up the erosion rates on sections that aren't lined with metal pilings. Anyway, the interesting thing I came across was that a large section of collapsed tow path had recently had new metal pilings installed and that behind them it had all been back filled. Given the lack of accessibility where I was, it doesn't seem likely they could have transported the material in to use to fill behind the piling. So more than likely I must have been sediment dug from the canal onto the bank.

This stuff was a treasure trove! As well as a of a couple hundred years of accumulated silt there was remnants of broken bottles, from the classic Budweiser bottle right back to vintage square pharmaceutical bottles, none of which were intact sadly. Along with bits of plastics and crisp packets dating back to my child hood was a lost or dumped American express card which went out of date fifteen years ago. But what interested me were the signs of aquatic life. Literally everywhere was peppered with shells. The amount of swan mussels alone was shocking, but they were outnumbered fifty to one by some kind of clam which it would seem at some point were very prevalent in this area.


I must've grubbed around kicking about in the newly exposed soil for a good three quarters of an hour hoping to find something good and in doing so began to see evidence that the soil was certainly from the canal bed. Weirdly though I had a little plumb around to see if the excavations had changed the depth, only to find little difference at all to what I would expect to find anywhere on the canal.

In the end I left and continued down the tow path and to maybe even find a fish or two. At the next spot I was trying to be a bit of a smart ass and began targeting a large half sunken branch which I thought might be a good holding area. First cast and my jig found a hold of the snag! Turns out my outfit and knots were capable of a bit more than I thought. The 8lb braid and 6lb fluro leader all held firm under pressure and just as I thought the line would give, the snag slowly moved towards me. With gentle pressure and my braid bedding down badly into the spool, I managed to drag that dammed snag all the way across the canal and right to the edge under me feet. The moment I grabbed hold of the stinking silt covered branch I wondered if there might be a lure or two hooked on it, and there was. Along with a few manky rubber lures was a shiny gem!

Whoever threw this into the Coventry cut needs their head looking at! From the shape of it I had an inkling of what it was, but if that wasn't enough it had the manufacturer printed on its back. It was Yo-zuri floating minnow which retails for around ten quid in the shops and it didn't look like it had been in the water long either. 


Finding that made a bad session a little easier to take, I can tell you. The rubbish/snag infested nature of the Coventry especially is the reason why I find myself reluctant to cast expensive lures into it. I myself have had days when I will lose three to five jig heads plus the accompanying rubber lures and losing them can total up to £10. Lose five top of the range hard lures and you could be looking at more like £50 or more.

In the end though the session came to naught really and even though it was interesting grubbing along the tow path and retrieving that lure was a plus point, I really should have followed my instincts and gone somewhere else on this occasion.


10 comments:

  1. A quick google says there are no clam like molluscs in the uk

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  2. I've struggled to try and find out what they might be Ian.

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  3. Try looking up Orb Mussels. Several species in UK. From memory, biggest is Sphaerium rivicola. Up to a couple of centimetres across. Cheers, Ian.

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    1. The oblong orb mussel found in canals and slow moving waterways,got it.

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  4. Hi Dan, I've really gotten into the ultralight jigging this year. Had my longest go at it yet today at a mere 2 and a half hours; it fits in brilliantly around work. Anyway, I was having a few sneaky casts the other day and must've landed the jig head right on an open mussel, as I retrieved one which had totally clamped around my entire lure! Bizarre. Not really touched any pike yet but was bitten off twice today as I haven't been using wire. Thing is the Jighead is only 2g so I'm not sure whether wire would totally ruin the action of the lure. Any thoughts? I think the pike will lose the hook easy enough but it bothered me that it happened twice today. All the best, Russ

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    1. Obviously, I'm solely interested in perch!

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    2. You know I once cast a method feeder into a pool I used to fished for tench. After a bite less hour I reeled in to find my two fake casters inside a swan mussel, and a PB one to boot ;)
      Using wire as you suspected Russell totally changes your presentation. It will also reduce the amount of perch you catch I should think as well because of it's viability. I generally use 6lb fluro carbon for most of my light jigging, but have used 8lb and 10lb if I am worried about Jacks. There is loads of fluorocarbon around, but a mate of mine who does loads of trout fishing recommended Drennan flurocarbon fly leader as it's designed especially for trout and they have teeth. Its been pretty good stuff to me so far and I have landed plenty of pike on it. But I can't say it will stop you getting bitten of as there's always a spot of luck involved.

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    3. Indeed, I had a pike of around 7lb the other day on 6lb flouro, after having been bitten off by one about half a pound earlier on. I was surprised to land it after a proper scrap and then find the lure well inside the mouth. Very lucky.

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  5. Great find Dan. I love finding lures always improves a slow session no end. We lose enough over tine so it's nice to get a few back now and again.

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