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Lure Fishing my Local Canal. Hard graft !


Robertt
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10 years ago catching a Pike, in the canal on my doorstep was no big deal and I caught many just messing about with a lure, whilst taking the kids for a walk or testing a new lure.

Now is different.  Floating pallets with numerous dead baits attached., night lines and other clandestine methods have eventually taken their toll.

I used to catch 200 ish, a year in the cut on lures, from 2003 - 2013. 

2017 and 2018, I struggle not to blank.

Anyway, was out today after a seroius run of blanks and after walking for several miles caught an 8 on the last lure in the box, a big  jerkbait.

Was delighted to catch but not time effective, which makes you wonder is ot worth bothering ?

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Robertt
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Sad news to see enjoyable pike fishing ruined. Things are hard enough everywhere with otters and cormorants let alone set lines and the like.

I presume you have reported this illegal fishing activity to the Environment Agency ?

When I found a similar thing happening on the River Wye in Hereford they were down there very quickly.

That was not Eastern Europeans but a couple of local numpties.

 

 

 

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Now the numbers are down I haven't seen many folk at it.

As you say it wasn't just Euro's but our travellers as well.

The EA were told but I havent heard of any positive action taken. 

The match anglers are secretly pleased with the situation.

God knows how many have gone but about 4 years ago a dog walker ( who I know to be truthful ) witnessed18 Pike going into the back of a van. A crew of 5 overnight fishing !

The overall attitude towards Pike is negative, in some quarters, so I can understand the lack of enthusiasm by the powers that be.

I will carry on till the shooting season starts and perhaps switch to Perch.

 

 

 

Edited by Robertt
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hello, the main reason on the decline of fish stocks in our waters for the last 20 years is poaching by foreigners, i have seen this first hand on the Thames here and a small river in the vale full of brook trout, with the thames was a dad/mum and 3 children take 2 shopping bags full not one could speak english, the other a bag of nice brook trout taken by a polish yobbo of about 20 so i informed local river looker after and guess what sod all done, Hungerford on the Kennet had this happen but hey soon stopped by locals who take pride in their love of this river, and still happens now , Wallingford to Henley river Thames i know people who row and every sunday its like a flotiller of boats, ps maybe spelt wrong :rolleyes:

Edited by oldypigeonpopper
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4 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, the main reason on the decline of fish stocks in our waters for the last 20 years is poaching by foreigners, i have seen this first hand on the Thames here and a small river in the vale full of brook trout, with the thames was a dad/mum and 3 children take 2 shopping bags full not one could speak english, the other a bag of nice brook trout taken by a polish yobbo of about 20 so i informed local river looker after and guess what sod all done, Hungerford on the Kennet had this happen but hey soon stopped by locals who take pride in their love of this river, and still happens now , Wallingford to Henley river Thames i know people who row and every sunday its like a flotiller of boats, ps maybe spelt wrong

hello, IF YOU GO ON BBC 1 AND PRESS THE RED BUTTON, THEN ON THE INDEX GO ON THE UK NEWS ON PAGE 3     FISH THEFTS IN UK ???

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On 17/08/2018 at 23:28, Robertt said:

10 years ago catching a Pike, in the canal on my doorstep was no big deal and I caught many just messing about with a lure, whilst taking the kids for a walk or testing a new lure.

Now is different.  Floating pallets with numerous dead baits attached., night lines and other clandestine methods have eventually taken their toll.

I used to catch 200 ish, a year in the cut on lures, from 2003 - 2013. 

2017 and 2018, I struggle not to blank.

Anyway, was out today after a seroius run of blanks and after walking for several miles caught an 8 on the last lure in the box, a big  jerkbait.

Was delighted to catch but not time effective, which makes you wonder is ot worth bothering ?

 

 

 

 

 

it's not just the polish on our waters who take the pike the match anglers don't think twice of banging them on the head, just a shame

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56 minutes ago, davewh100 said:

it's not just the polish on our waters who take the pike the match anglers don't think twice of banging them on the head, just a shame

hello, i very much agree Dave, i did not do any piking last year and into this and not many were fishing for pike either, see how this coming winter goes, 

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  • 4 months later...

First day for a while without commitments. 11C in December !

Been taking a friend out on the cut who wants to learn lure fishing but the lack of Pike has been embarrassing with not even any

 ' easy ' jacks.

Anyway out with him for about 3 hours today. Nothing !

Towards finish time I walk trolled a stretch, which was good for 3 Pike a couple of years ago but nowt !

Then fished it back towards the car.

Cast a spinnerbait tight against an overhanging elderberry bush and about 3 rod lengths out saw the spinnerbait go sideways and..... fish on !

Knew straight it wasn't a jack as stayed deep. Took line on a tight clutch and then tail walked,which revealed a fish of about 10lb.

Cut still hard work and the absence of Jacks is troubling but its great to have a half decent fish on the line.

It's a shame my mate didn't  catch it though.

 

 

 

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5 hours ago, Robertt said:

First day for a while without commitments. 11C in December !

Been taking a friend out on the cut who wants to learn lure fishing but the lack of Pike has been embarrassing with not even any

 ' easy ' jacks.

Anyway out with him for about 3 hours today. Nothing !

Towards finish time I walk trolled a stretch, which was good for 3 Pike a couple of years ago but nowt !

Then fished it back towards the car.

Cast a spinnerbait tight against an overhanging elderberry bush and about 3 rod lengths out saw the spinnerbait go sideways and..... fish on !

Knew straight it wasn't a jack as stayed deep. Took line on a tight clutch and then tail walked,which revealed a fish of about 10lb.

Cut still hard work and the absence of Jacks is troubling but its great to have a half decent fish on the line.

It's a shame my mate didn't  catch it though.

 

 

 

Persistence pays off, I’m moving closer to our canal so hopefully follow in your footsteps! 

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That is a grand fish Robert by any accounts. I have not fished for pike for many, many years and would spend many happy hours after them when i was a kid. Used to fish the local cut which had some king fish in it. I was never fortunate enough getting any of significant size, probably me best just over the 10-12 lb mark, had some great perch over the years spinning. Been plenty of 20 pound plus fish from our cut over the years I have heard of from credible sources.

Worrying you not seeing the numbers of Jacks, can you think of any reason for the apparent low numbers?

atb

7diaw

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On ‎29‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 11:00, 7daysinaweek said:

Worrying you not seeing the numbers of Jacks, can you think of any reason for the apparent low numbers?

 

They are being taken out to introduce into private waters according to the local bailiff who patrols the canal along side our sailing lake. On the stretch of the Grand Union Canal between Rickmansworth and Uxbridge there are dozens of flooded gravel pits adjacent to the canal and all are in the hands of expensive clubs.

Edited by Vince Green
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Course fisheries wont want pike in their ponds, enough predators with Cormorants & **** to name a few.Many Course fisheries will ban you if you try and introduce any Pike into their ponds.

Why did the filter blank out the bird that looks like a cormorant lol 

Edited by Davyo
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On 31 December 2018 at 10:20, Davyo said:

Course fisheries wont want pike in their ponds, enough predators with Cormorants & **** to name a few.Many Course fisheries will ban you if you try and introduce any Pike into their ponds.

Why did the filter blank out the bird that looks like a cormorant lol 

 

On 30 December 2018 at 18:34, Vince Green said:

Fishing is big money 

As a teenage fisherman in the late 50's early 60's it was folklore that pike fisherman would fish the Somerset Levels and on the way back to Bristol deliberately introduce pike in to Chew Valley Lake. The Chew 2019 pike fishing dates and prices have been announced. £55 bank day ticket: £160 per boat (two anglers)!!! 

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3 hours ago, Bobba said:

 

As a teenage fisherman in the late 50's early 60's it was folklore that pike fisherman would fish the Somerset Levels and on the way back to Bristol deliberately introduce pike in to Chew Valley Lake. The Chew 2019 pike fishing dates and prices have been announced. £55 bank day ticket: £160 per boat (two anglers)!!! 

Chew is truly an amazing place though. Too expensive for me now, more's the pity.

 

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32 minutes ago, oowee said:

I live next to Chew lake and have often fancied a spot of fly fishing, with my neighbour offering to take me. Still not managed it as always something else to do.  He tells me that the Pike fishing on Chew is some of the best in the country?

Quite possibly the best given the numbers of big fish the venue holds. A pity that demand has driven the prices up; I regularly used to have 3 or 4 days, sometimes more, over the course of a winter on there between October and February.

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2 hours ago, Penelope said:

Quite possibly the best given the numbers of big fish the venue holds. A pity that demand has driven the prices up; I regularly used to have 3 or 4 days, sometimes more, over the course of a winter on there between October and February.

If it's £55 for a ticket that does not sound that much to me for a day?

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