Variety pack

Headed for sort of running water for a short session this afternoon on our only local canal, which is slowly being reopened and the large lagoon above the lock, overlooked by gentrification writ large. Quite what the loft livers think of us hoi-poloi cavorting about in front of their very expensive windows I don't know. And the hoi-poloi today included me with my fishing tackle, paddle boarders, organised wild swimmers, a large and raucous hen party and yoots jumping in. 

Despite the din, fish were topping in the choppy water in that rudd like fashion and the reeded margins were alive with spawning roach or rudd.

Given the bright sun and strong wind and the majority of my maggots being casters I went spray wag (a puddle chucker with an option of slipping a float rubber on the insert tip to fish the upside down float if they wanted it on the top). In truth the wind just pulled the float and the floating casters through too fast but I didn't do too badly. None of the lumps but enough to keep me busy. Some lovely big swirls at the floating casters.

Rudd are the fish of the moment and our prettiest fish I think and this was the first of the short session.

 

This roach was very plump and I wonder if it was them spawning though it seems very late.

The only dace of the session (I have heard some chublets have got on via livebait buckets as well) and a few are to be se n in the streamier reaches near bridges

.

In the end ii came in a bit closer as the float drifted through a bit slower and the bites were far more positive. The inevitable perch (this one has had a lucky escape from teeth or claws) if the bait got down the layers. 

And several hybrids close in too so there must be some bream somewhere.

And this rudd and the roach were my parting shot as the bait had gone,