Bream on the Lure??!!...

Bream turning up here and there!!

Over the years me and my Brother have caught the odd bream on lures in our local canal! some of them nearly double figures..... but recently we hav had loads, im not on about foul hooking the Bream, actually catching them on lures!

in late spring most coarse fish go a bit crazy and chase lures and other fish due to spawning etc.

We cant pin point a style of lure or time of day but recently we have caught loads.... it makes a nice change from the usuall Pike/Perch. and even though pike tackle is a bit powerfull for these fish, they actually do give a wicked fight!! anyone else catching other unusuall fish recently??

April Hols....

First week in April, Bring it on!!

Every year me and Terry take the the first week in april off for some well earned after spawning preditor action!!

This year being one of the best, we did'nt catch any reall donkeys but had more than our share of decent doubles..... we mostly fished the Exeter canal, from start to finish! This canal is a real killer at times! you can fish it one day and rip the place apart then on the other hand some missions can see only a few chases!! but we have always done very well!! my biggest fish in recent april sessions being a cracking 30lb 4oz!! with plenty of big teen's and the odd twenty showing its croc head! fishing this water needs to be approached with a very open mind!! most anglers turn there noses up at exeter canal due to its frustrating ability to make ever angler think he/she must have forgot to put the hooks on there tackle.... these pike are mean and very aggressive, and will smash you very close in and chase like a cat with a toy!!

Lure choice is a very personal thing, but we have caught on most stlyes and patterns!! but anything that has a bait fish profile will do the trick!! just keep working them fast/slow, deep/shallow..... think like a fish ha ha.

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Through the week.

We caught plenty of fish all through the day, between us we averaged 7-8 pike each day. most fish bein around 7lb to 9lb with fish that size chasing all day long!! if we caught every pike that chased of hit out lures we would of bagged 20-25 fish every day..... we fished exeter basin at the quay, on the wednesday fishing some of the shallow stretches finding our way to a mooring bay that is allot deeper than the previous stretch, we have caught well here before and strate away Terry hits into a fish that storms off going crazy! i crack open the net, expecting a beast to be shocked by a fish of 10lb 2oz!! what a fight!! After seing that i was ready for action, but struggled to get a fish! with only one strike!! while ill entertained the tackers Terry was in AGAIN with another good fish this time it stormed for the weeds and roots, tailwalking head shaking making a good show for its self..... it took some power to stop and once tamed it was in the net! another double this time dead on 11lb. Then very next cast he wacked on a FISH-TECH pike 9inch, i then realised that i was in trouble as i didnt have this beast of a lure!! and on this very next cast his rod smashed over, line peeled off the baitcaster then i saw this massive head shaking! this pike was very pissed off! it bolted off to the left where a lovely bush waited to snag the braid! so it was action time i got the net ready and only had a couple chances to net this fish as this was a horrible swim..... Terry put the brakes on and got the pike to the surface and i managed to get the net in place, we got her on the first attempt "few!"

once we got the weigh sling out and scales ready we new it was going to be the biggest of the week, it was'nt the 20+ but i knew we had a 15lber in my arms and yes, it was 14lb 12oz..... once the pictures had been taken it was slipped back! i kid you not i had not even managed to sort the net out when Terry shouted again!!....... the sod! this time blagging a 10lber again! all from one swim..... hat off to you Tezo, you done us proud and really showed me i cant always get all the luck!! ha ha

Beast from the Gutter!!

A Nice surprise!!

well my good mate Terry told me of the Taunton canal was fishing well just after new year, so needing no arm twisting i jumped at the idea of fishing this very VERY shallow canal in the middle of the town!! god i wasnt ready for the state of the place!! shopping trolleys, prams, bikes...... it was a bit of a gutter ha ha BUT!! i could not believe the small jacks that happily terrorise these waters!!

I done some investigating for this water, and Knowing that this water held only small jack's (5-6lb being a monster!!) only took a light rod, and 101 baitcaster!! we caught jacks almost intsantly, lots of 1-2 jacks everywhere! BUT saw some good fish moving around with some 2-3lb perch which opened my eyes!! then Terry managed to sneak in a pike around 5lb behind my back, giving me that extra push to pull a right monster out!! (6lb ha ha)

Soooo i whipped out a secret weapon, a 7cm RAPALA countdown in Clown. . . i actually got this lure free from a "how to fish" Rapala vid aound 15years ago!! it is battered and broozed. we got to a really deep corner, which Terry said the week before that looked really fishy! i was minding my own business when Tezo said he had a chase by a tacker!! so i looked over while still reeling in my lure, when all of a sudden it went solid!! thinking i'd hooked a bike or shopping trolley i said a few chosen words!! then saw this monster of a pike charging off with my little plug wedged into its mouth! after about 5mins we netted the monster. i was comlpetely shocked as this water "only has tackers"

Ill leave you guys to enjoy the perfect end to a good day tacker bashing!!.......

People and Places

Fishing Friends.

Im lucky enough to have some really good friends who all have the fishing bug like i do!! I have fished since the age of 4-5 and living right next to the Grand Western canal has helped me meet lots of very interesting people...

My Dad and Brother have always been keen to join me on our missions, either Piking or sea fishing we have done it all..... with soooo many funny memories and heart break when real monsters of the deep got away, or landed fish of a life time!! Still every time i go fishing with my close friend Terry ratigan, i still get the buzz that i got when i was young both of us pushing the others limits..... Fishing partners-- friends for life!! also meeting other Anglers who share my passion is always a joy to see what every one is doing and seing them catch well!! its all part of Fishing, you may not catch all the time but who cares!! its all about getting out with friends......