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Fishing on canal around the West Midlands
| A guide to fishing on canals |
CANALS: ARE MAN MADE WATERWAYS. THESE WATERWAYS CAME AS THE MAIN MODE OF TRANSPORTATION DURING THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AROUND THE 1790s AND ARE NOW BEING RESTORED AT THE SAME RATE THEY WERE ORIGINALLY BUILT. BACK THEN IT WAS SEEN AS A FANTASTIC WAY OF GETTING GOODS AROUND THE COUNTRY WITH SOME 2000 MILES OF CANAL BEING BUILT.
AS OUR CANALS ARE BEING RESTORED MORE AND MORE FISHERMEN ARE REEPING THE REWARDS OF HAVING SUCH A FISHERY JUST AROUND THE CORNER. AS CANALS HOLD FISH INCLUDING; ROACH, PERCH, GUDGEON.CHUB, CARP, TENCH, PIKE AND NOW ZANDER.
MOST OF OUR CANAL NETWORK IS EASILY ACCESSABLE AND FREE TO FISH BUT GREAT CARE IS NEEDED WHEN FISHING ON CANALS, AS THE BANKS OFTEN DROP STEEPLY AND THE BOTTOM OF A CANAL IS OFTEN VERY SILTY.
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| For the next subject we will talk about the canals around the West Midlands |
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Canals come in all sizes, this depends on the boat traffic that they were designed for. The Manchester shipping canal (the ditch) is 31 miles long at some points 200mtrs wide and with an average depth of 10mtrs, this was built for ocean going gargo boats to transport their wears into the heart of the country.
The canals around the West Midlands are much smaller than this, with an avarage width of about 13 mtrs and depths of about 1.5 mtrs. For this reason We will be talk about fishing on the canals around the West Midlands.
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| How do we fish canals? |
Canals in general are seen to hold mainly small fish, such as Roach, Perch and Gudgeon. These fish can be quite easy to catch, with a short pole/whip or basic fishing rod set ups. Their are plenty of larger fish to be caught if you know what to look for. Features come in all shapes and sizes, these range from a variation in depth to an over hanging tree or even blade of grass. A feature is a natural hold for fish, some were fish can get a natural food supply or hide from predators.
The main thing that we have to remember is canals can become very clear during winter months, when there is very little boat traffic to stir up the bottom of the canal. This calls for very fine lines and a verity of smaller baits. This does not mean that we have to stop fishing. We just need to adjust our approach to fishing in these conditions.
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| Choice of fishing tackle for canals. |
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I started fishing canals with my father as a 4 year old, with a 12 foot split cane fishing rod, fixed spool reel and a small waggler float, (we caught Roach and Gudgeon in numbers). The basics of fishing never change, (it is just the more we fish the more tackle we want). There is not much fishing tackle on the market that will improve your fishing over night.(the only thing that will improve you fsihing is watercraft).
My choice of fishing tackle for fishing on canals would be a 13 metre roach pole, with a light elastic fitted (4-6 rating). A range of wire stemmed thin bodied pole floats, a range of micro shots toweight them with. Two spools of fishing line 1x 2lb and 1x 1bl for hook lengths. A range of fine wire hooks depending on baits used but varying in size between 16 and 24.
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| Baits for canals |
We can still use the basic maggots, but it is advisable to use Pinkies and Squatts, Casters as these can attract larger fish.
Bread punch! This can be a magical bait if fished over liquidized bread for both very small (blade Roach) and skimmers.
Worms, Again this can be fantastic bait on its day, feed small quantities of finely chopped worm with either a few squats or casters mixed in, (caster and/or squatts are used to bulk out the worm as a cheaper alternative). This will be a good tactic if either fishing close to surface weed cover or if it is known that there are plenty of perch in the area. (There is not a fish swimming that will ignore a worm of the right size put in front of it).
Blood worm and Joker! (A mythical tactic used by only the top flight match anglers) WHY? Blood worm and Joker, Once a very expensive way of fishing what with different ground baits and Leams.
As a pleasure angler we do not need to go to all the expense of ground baits and leams, we can get good results by using neat joker for feed and bloodworm on the hook. (match packs can be bought for as little as £8.50 per pack. (bloodworm and joker will get bites when all else fails, as it attracts all sizes of fish)
Main problem with this style of fishing, is that bloodworm and joker need to be fresh and do not live for long.
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| What do i need to set up for fishing on a canal? |
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As mentioned before canal fishing can be simple if we follow a few rules.
a) Keep our lines thin, most fish in our canals are going to be small species like roach, perch and gudgeon, maybe a bigger specimen will be about 1/2 lbs. This allows us to fish with lighter hook lengths and smaller hooks. For this size of fish we would use 1.1lbs breaking strain line and a size 20 or 22 hook. We are allowed to use barbed hooks on a canal but i advise using barbless hooks all the time for fish welfare.
b) Try to match the size of your hook to the bait you are using, IE, a normal maggot = size18 -20. A pinkie size 20 - 22. The idea is to try and disguise your hook in the bait you are using.
c) Float choice! This is very important because the fish you intend to catch are small so the floats we use have to be sensitive, to allow use to so a bite register before the fish feels any reistance and spits out our bait. If we are using a rod and reel, their are small canal waggler floats or darts that can be purchased at any fishing tackle shop. If using a whip or pole try choosing the thinest bodied float you can but make sure that it hold enough weight to keep it still once in the water. Again ask at your local fishing tackle shop about this
d) When attaching shot / weights to set your float. It is advised that you place the smallest weight about 15cm from your hook.
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| This is a typical canal fishing set up |
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