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Tips to catch bigger canal fish – Jason Cunningham
by Angling Times |
Published on2nd May 2023 at 4.34pm
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Our canals get a bit of a bad press among anglers, not only for their appearance above the surface but also for what’s going on under the water.
It’s true that some can be real gruellers and not worth the effort, but on a canal with established form for steady catches, you’ll discover that these narrow waterways hold far more than just a few gudgeon and tiny roach.
Chub, bream, perch, tench and even carp can be found, fish that’ll properly stretch the elastic, giving you a right old battle.
Here's how I catch them...
There are loads of big fish in UK canals
Go big with baits
With a lobworm tail on the hook for big fish, if you’re missing bites, a section of dendrobaena worm or double red maggot makes a good back-up bait.
Big baits mean big fish
Mince the worms
It’s easy to overfeed with roughly chopped worms, so mine end up finely minced, with a few casters added. This ‘soup’ keeps fish feeding in the swim for longer.
Chopped worms work wonders on canals
Ping in a few casters
Although I want to keep my feeding accurate, firing a few casters in over the top can pull in any nearby fish that might not have already found the worm on the hook.
Casters are a great canal bait
Bulk down the rigs
Almost all your bites will come firmly on the bottom, so rigs need to be positive, with 0.3g and 0.4g floats shotted with a simple bulk and two droppers.
Fish positive rigs on canals
Big hooks for perch
Having hard, bony mouths, perch need a proper hook for a good hold. My pick is a Kamasan B611 in size 14. For skimmers and bream, I’ll use a slightly smaller size 16.
You need bigger hooks for species like perch
Judge the top-up
Rather than feed again when bites fade, I like to put more worm in when I’m thinking about changing lines. Some fish will then be waiting for me when I change back.
It's important to top up at the right times
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