Sight Fishing along the Crystal Clear Canal with Worm hook bait [Short Stops at Different Spots]

Welcome to another video where I grab some light gear and go fishing for the afternoon into the late evening along the local canal.
Time since last sesh - 3 to 4 weeks [tench session videos] so no blank to report :D
Fishing hours: 1pm till dusk. Short stops at different spots.
Weather: Warm Spells, Chilly Spells, Sunny Spells, very light wind, Rain, Sleet, and Thunder...thankfully no lightning.
I always find the canal hard to fish especially when fish numbers are low like my local canal. I dread a blank every time I go to the canal fishing it's a bit hit or miss here.
As I arrive at my chosen spot, to cast a line to bottom fish on a ledger, I pre-bait the swim as usual with a small scattering of 1 & 2mm and 4mm pellets to hopefully hold some small fish to begin with. While pulling line through the rod eyes I notice small Pike checking out the area so I decided to try a freeline but with a small anchor shot as the wind was very light but the threat of fishing over brambles kind of needed an anchor , something to tighten up to, to hold the line from being blown into the brambles.
I fished here for a couple / few hours being tormented by the Pike swimming back and forth but not taking the bait. Some were interested but turned their nose up at it and others were simply not phased.
As time passed with no bites and only sighting one other species, which was a very small Perch, the whole time, it was time to move along where I see a small Pike out by the lily pads. I immediately decided to cast a worm to the Pike. I cast 2ft past and brought the fresh worm back to about 1ft in front of the Pike. With the help of very small twitches the Pike took interest. Slowly turning to face the worm, then very slowly glides closer, tilts, pause then BOOM! One final dash closer to the worm and the Pike had Picked up the worm. Due to the clarity of the water I could see the Pike didn't have the whole worn in it's mouth, so I paused, the Pike chomped and the worm then sat fully in the fishes mouth...So I struck! It was like having a mini torpedo on the hook the way it darted around in front of me looking to escape my size 14, micro-barbed, wide gape hook. After a little scrap and safely landing the fish, a quick visual revealed a top lip hook hold with only a few small spots around the body that needed attention and also the fishes gill arch and filaments had some how detached on one end. didn't seem to bother the fish as it was acting as normal both in and out of the water.
I fished a few spots between here and Pontnewydd with no bites. Slowly making my way along the canal I spotted another small Pike in the near margin in about 1ft of water at Pontnewydd. That fish spooked and I spotted the dark stripes of a Perch swimming past which may have been spooked by the spooking of the Pike. I watch the Perch tuck under a leaf so I begin casting to it. Small movements again encouraged the Perch to take the worm and again I strike! A surprisingly beautiful small Perch. Some kids by were thrilled to see the fish as they didn't know that they were even there. I showed them the Pike in the water and tried to catch it to show them but after snapping up in a overhanging tree on the opposite bank I decided it was time to move further up.
I arrive at Bridge 46, Bevans Lane with what seemed like a small knock the second I put the bait in the water. I struck, feeling nothing but the water itself. I fished high and low, near and far, Up and Down, Under the bridge but not over the bridge. I really struggled to get a bite here today as the darkness falls upon me. Maybe ill have to spend the day here and a take different approach.
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed my time out fishing on the canal today.
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Take Care, Stay Safe, See ya soon!
Peace!
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Music Artist - NEFFEX
Song Title - How's It Supposed To Feel
YT-AL
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[@dj-fattman]

Love it. Last year I made a single hook wire trace leader to fish those Jack's. Using double worm, make them look like an X with a stick float so I could quickly change the depth. Chuck it to the side of the jack and bang on it. Had 4 of them competing for the bait, lol. Yet to catch the jack with the white tail though. He gives you the look of 'yeah right, seen those numpties fall for it, not me' lol

[@tonyhannibal1580]

I think Bevans lane is still recovering, from the works, hopefully we'll see some good tench in there again, there was a couple of lady pike around twenty in there when I fished the pike before the works 🙂

[@laketrotterfishing]

Hi Tony! Do you know roughly how long it takes for a water to recover after works? I may not have fished it if I had known that. I did see people catching some small perch about 6 months ago so thought I'd have a bash as they were catching and it wasn't too far from where I caught that perch. I hear there's big girls in there. I did see quite a few spots with feeding bubbles rushing up in front of me as they sweep the bottom and I immediately thought of the tench. It was great to see. I had my worm on the bottom but not a tap.

[@tonyhannibal1580]

@@laketrotterfishing it may take years for recovery, take the boating lake for example, for a good few years it was tough fishing after the paths where widened and the decking installed, we lost a huge amount of fish after some spillage by the contractors, it's fishing well and has done for a good while, I haven't fished it for a couple of years u find it to busy for my liking now, but wish the guys running it all the best, I've fished with most of them over the years and hope all goes well with the club 🙂

[@laketrotterfishing]

@@tonyhannibal1580 yes that's true. I think the new owners will do a good job there and manage it properly. It does get busy which is off putting but I can't complain as its a lake with fish close to my home. May do a day down there this week if i can. I can't night fish as not a member. Still hurting from this canal sesh but I'll do my best to get there next. Its just a case of when 😆

[@tonyhannibal1580]

I did a night a couple of weeks ago down there, there's a fair bit of weed in there now, it's put a lot of guys off fishing, great I say your carp do like a bit of weed see🙂 had to make a few moves but found a couple of spots and took a couple of mid doubles 🙂