I do love a bit of sexy rubber.

From the moment I first clapped eyes on the Fox rage spikey shad I knew it would be good lure for me. In my mind, all those nobbly spikes that make it look like a bedroom novelty set it apart from the other shad-type lures on the market. The spikes are designed to create extra disturbance as it wobbles through the water and attract more fish. Whether that is actually the case or not is by the by, as its the fact that I think it will catch fish and therefore use it more that actually makes it work.

There was one fly in the ointment with this pattern for me, and that was the size of it. At 9cm in the smallest size it might not seem a massive lure, but straight away when using them I always felt a smaller version would be deadly on the canals. In fact I can even remember saying as much to Andy when we were using them at first. But beyond cutting them down and using a modified one (which never worked) they have found themselves resigned to the lure box until the other day.

Whilst rummaging my way around the lure section in Lanes, I looked down at the bottom shelf and straight into a box load of the new 6cm versions in one of my all time favourite patterns. I had totally forgotten the Youtube video I'd seen about them a while ago and now here they were, all shiny and chrome at my feet. A quick Gollum moment crouching over them muttering something about them being 'precious' and I was taking a hand full to the till and thrusting my debit card to big Wayne behind the counter. 

Side by side they look even more a perfect lure and my reason for thinking this is simple... Perch! The 9cm version is just a little too big for the average canal perch to get in its greedy mouth. You see I am of the opinion that for every zander in the canal there is a hundred or more perch, therefore whilst you are trying to catch one zander you can send your confidence soaring by catching a load of aggressive perch. But if the lure you're using is too big then these little confidence builders won't attack. So if you use a lure which should catch both then god damn it you should be on for a good session, right!

And I was correct... I went down the Coventry and for the first time this year I left the small storage box of alternatives in my back pack. Bold as brass, I fished with just the new 6cm spikey shad red head and perch of all shapes and sizes loved them.

Small but aggressive.

In just about every spot I fished that morning I caught perch on the spikey and it soon just became a matter of time before the zander turned up, which they did. Casting tight into the cover routed out a couple of micro zeds before I hooked a slightly bigger one of about a pound. 

Though on this occasion there didn't seem to be any bigger zander around, I did finish off this first outing with some sexy new rubber by catching a very cute, but very angry micro jack pike.

All in all it was a great first trip out using a great new lure; I have to say it is kind of validating to know that I can see a lure and think, yes, that is going to work in this situation and turn out to be right. In fact I am so happy with them I have already asked when some other colour patterns in the new size will be coming in the tackle shop, because I can't wait to get out and use them again on the canals and the rivers.

From the ridiculous to the sublime ending up at the inane

What the hell is going on with the weather! I mean honestly, if a polar bear walked past my front window I don't think I would be that shocked, it is that bad. Since my last canal trip where it first began snowing, it has snowed on and off all week and I now wonder as does everyone else in the UK, if this may actually be a new ice age.

I did nab what could only be described as a changeable session early in the week to have a go at a commercial after perch. Sun, rain, snow and wind all made an appearance throughout the day and this had no good effects on the fishing. Bites came in waves in differing conditions and left me probably as confused as the fish seemed to be feeding.

One decent perch found my worm fished tight against the still rotting reeds and although still slightly the wrong side of two pounds it did confirm recruitment to the giants ranks.

That changeable day though chilly in places, did show hints of spring. After that though the weather just went south, or should I say north. But as I always, I remained confident that by Sunday morning the snow would be melted and yet another wet March fishing trip would be on the cards.  Looking out the front window in the wee small hours Sunday morning the road was powder white and Coventry had a hint of Arctic tundra about it again.

 I wasn't about to give up and instead of getting back into my very tempting warm bed I loaded up on porridge and went out anyway. The thought crossed my mind that driving all the way to where I was going to go may be a foolhardy idea, especially as I was a little concerned the canal may have a slightly solid nature about it this morning, so instead I opted for a slight change and headed for my friends little lake not too far out into the Warwickshire wilderness instead, where I knew if it was frozen I could at least cadge a brew before driving back.

After crawling along the winding country road I traversed what I believed to be the drive which was covered in virgin snow, and stepped out into the silent frozen woodland.  Normally at this time of year the wildlife is going insane; every bird is busying themselves ready for new arrivals, the rabbits bolt through the undergrowth and the fields on the east side of the lake are normally fll of hilarious spring lambs. This year though the whole coppice that shelters the lake seems dead as a door nail.

The arable fields too are by now normally verdant and green but instead they look more like the back drop for the siege of Stalingrad. This really has been, and still is, a horrid winter of which no steel could strike a generous fire. Hard and sharp as flint the cold could freeze your features and stiff your gate from within, making your lips blue and nipping at your nose. It is the sort of ungenerous cold only scrooge could conceive.

Amazingly I did fish and by some miracle did beat the blank by snagging two half frozen roach before I myself nearly froze. The highlight of this insane trip had to be my encounter with the ubiquitous robin.

My bait box had barely made an imprint in the snow before this cheeky fellow appeared in a flash. He was so tame that he waited no more than a foot away whilst I opened the bait box up. I adore feeding robins at the best of times but I especially make the effort when times are hard as  they are now, and in return this one had no objections to having his picture taken a few times.

If I keep still, you can't see me...

Ok you can see me. But I am pretty cute, so can I have a go on your magics mate?

mmm decisions decisions! They all look similar...

That one will do!

Right I'm off. Thanks for the free grub, sucker!

Strangely only this one would venture right onto the box. All his friends, or should I say competitors, stayed well back. As I was not sticking round and as I felt sorry for the local bird population, I deposited the whole pint of maggots onto the frozen ground just as I left. From nowhere, robins and all sorts of other birds fell onto the free offerings and a riot almost ensued. That was it for me, I was off and hopefully I had a bit of Karma in the bag now to use up when the weather gets better.