I thought I'd chance a quick session down at Grassy Bend, even though the canal at my end was frozen over, because I'd noticed that the bend was actually one of the warmest places on the canal. Ice forms there reluctantly, the water being a degree or two warmer perhaps, and I hoped that there might be a clearing in to which I could cast a line
. On route I was not so sure, as the whole length seemed iced over, but as I approached the spot I saw that indeed, Grassy Bend was miraculously clear.
Snowfall at Grassy Bend
There was ice at the near bank and at the far, but there was more than enough clear water to play with,and a stretch with clear water in the margins where any fish might be landed, so I set up, cast my lobworms to the very edge of the far bank ice sheet, and set back to enjoy the surprisingly warm winter sun on my back. I got a small knock after five minutes on the smallest worm, and later the same rod knocked again. I concentrated hard, and then a nice old gent with an equally ancient terrier, stopped for a chat. As we were talking the rod top began to tremble more positively and I struck into, what at first felt to be a really solid fish. It soon became apparent that it was less of a specimen than I had imagined, but, on the up side, it was a stripey! A perch, at long last. A small perch perhaps, but a perch nevertheless. Cute little thing it was, with its humped back and big bulbous eyes. The old gentleman remarked that it was the only fish he'd ever seen an angler catch on the entire canal in all the years he'd walked it.
Lovely fish, the perch
I was hoping for more, and bigger, but ten minutes in I heard, by the distant sound of splintering ice, a boat coming. Unfortunately after I had reeled in my rods, let it pass, and recast, the huge sheets of broken ice, now unmoored, began to drift around the swim making it impossible to fish. I packed up and went home, thwarted by Icebergs, but perch duck broken.
. On route I was not so sure, as the whole length seemed iced over, but as I approached the spot I saw that indeed, Grassy Bend was miraculously clear.
Snowfall at Grassy Bend
There was ice at the near bank and at the far, but there was more than enough clear water to play with,and a stretch with clear water in the margins where any fish might be landed, so I set up, cast my lobworms to the very edge of the far bank ice sheet, and set back to enjoy the surprisingly warm winter sun on my back. I got a small knock after five minutes on the smallest worm, and later the same rod knocked again. I concentrated hard, and then a nice old gent with an equally ancient terrier, stopped for a chat. As we were talking the rod top began to tremble more positively and I struck into, what at first felt to be a really solid fish. It soon became apparent that it was less of a specimen than I had imagined, but, on the up side, it was a stripey! A perch, at long last. A small perch perhaps, but a perch nevertheless. Cute little thing it was, with its humped back and big bulbous eyes. The old gentleman remarked that it was the only fish he'd ever seen an angler catch on the entire canal in all the years he'd walked it.
Lovely fish, the perch
I was hoping for more, and bigger, but ten minutes in I heard, by the distant sound of splintering ice, a boat coming. Unfortunately after I had reeled in my rods, let it pass, and recast, the huge sheets of broken ice, now unmoored, began to drift around the swim making it impossible to fish. I packed up and went home, thwarted by Icebergs, but perch duck broken.
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