Late Session

Decided to start a bit later tonight , so left about 9.30 pm, to an open swim I hadn't fished before. Warm night, slight breeze, great panoramic view and midges everywhere! Shipped out my rig and whilst doing so saw a good few rises that looked promising. Twenty minutes in I landed my first Roach. The fish were feeding just below the surface and had more than one try to catch my bait as I was lifting off. Just after ten my float started to move opposite the drift, I thought maybe a bigger fish dragging line but no it was a small Perch taking my maggot for a walk. Landed and put back, I shipped out again and almost immediately caught a very splashy Roach who leapt from my hand once I was putting it back. Called it a night as the swans and thier families were coming along.

Bigger Fish?

Well I decided to aim for bigger specimens tonight so went out a bit later, around nine, to an area I got my best Perch previously. Shipped out larger rig, hook and bait and waited. Not surprisingly there were small Roach leaping at flies occasionally but sure of my no small fish setup I carried on. Twenty minutes in I get a positively aggressive take and I'm sadly disappointed to lift my quarry straight from the water when setting the hook. Yes all three inches of Perch shot straight up in the air, till I settled and released it. What shouldn't have been even capable of getting the size 16 hook and two maggots in its mouth proved me wrong. Well and hour and a half later the same had happened another three times, all four fish under four inches and each sank the float as if it were some leviathan. Oh well so much for the bigger fish :)

Flying Perch

Been a late one again tonight. Started raining as I left my house and kept going on and off all night, but not too cold and little wind. Hooked my first Perch under a bridge I was using for cover. Bolted off then started tail dancing! Long story short I lost it, to make matters worse lost another two in the following hour. Each a little better in size than recent Perch but so lively and jumping like salmon.
Confidence knocked I carried on. All of a sudden I was in to a Perch and landed this one. No sign of Roach tonight, I carried on till nearly 10pm when I got a lovely 7-8oz Roach matching my previous best. Packed up around 10.30pm after I caught one more Roach, sated for the evening :)

Unplanned late night

Went out around 8pm, not far as weather didn't look too promising. Anyway thought my luck had finally run out, after seven days and thirty one fish, nothing was moving tonight. No twitches, splashes or interest of any kind. Until about pack up time, 9.30pm I noticed further down the stretch some movement at last. Pole down, box up I was on the unsuspecting as fast as was possible. Reward? my best Roach to date, around 8 ounces and very healthy specimen. Follow up was a nice wee Perch at 10pm. Well you know how it goes, hard to pack up when things get going. Hooked another Perch around 10.30 but lost it, took the hint and went home happy after another enjoyable day.

Short Session

Well another great evening on the canal. Didn't get started till after 8pm tonight but weather was pleasant if not a bit chilly. Not much in the way of movement, plenty of natural flies emerging but nights have been getting colder the last three days.
All was not lost though, first fish was an energetic Perch, small but determined and a joy to see and put back. Things went a bit slow for a while, plenty of twitching float but nothing really hungry till after nine. Then three Roach one after another. The last one, pictured, around 9.45pm was nice size, condition and lively.
Nice end to a short evening session.