Blow

Thursday Dec 5^th 2019. Llangollen Canal.

A quick after work session this afternoon. 

King

This place is 10 minutes more driving than the closest canal venue, about a 20 minute drive and a 300 yard walk to the pegs. Not far in the grand scheme of things, but at this time of year with the light closing in earlier each day I had to be Johnny on the spot with my organisation.

The word in the ‘hood was that a few roach had shown before the cold snap the previous weekend. The original trip should have been Tuesday, but given that today (Thursday) was forecast to be far warmer, I stalled for 48 hours.

First cast @ 15.25 and a small block end containing chopped worm and lobworm on the hook is flicked towards a small boat. The idea was to fish 2 rods, with the other rod straightforward ‘bread on the lead’ but it was really blowy and very exposed. Two rods would have been a right pain in the hoop so I put my eggs in one basket.

Second cast I scaled down a little, smaller hook, 0.10 hooklength, the wind was playing hell with the tip and it would have been impossible to see small indications. Then out of the blue at 15.45 the tip flew round, strike, miss, bait gone. That was unexpected.

Next cast, another big pull round and another missed bite. This was getting interesting. Back out, half a lob this time, another fast pull round which I left, but a minute later a slower deliberate pull and I’m into a fish. No drama, into the net and it’s a roach, only about 6oz, but that’s why we’re here.

I quickly flicked a new bait back across, then 5 minutes later, a slower bite, leading to a proper pull and it’s fish on, and, it actually pulled back. Easy does it, no dramas please, it’s under my feet, I reach for the net, out pops the hook.. oh you **** ******. Didn’t see it, so no point speculating.

One more cast, the light was all but gone and, sadly, so where the fish. All told it was an interesting 75 minutes.