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Fly fishing on canals


embis

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I saw someone who seemed to be using a fly rod and floating fly line on the canal, but he seemed to have some rather significant bait on the line rather than a fly... Anyone any idea what he was after?

 

Anyone had a go at fly fishing on canals? I'm pretty new to fly fishing but I quite fancy having a go at it next time I'm on the boat.... Any (sensible and polite) suggestions for fly's, leader etc? Would quite like to go after zander.

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I saw someone who seemed to be using a fly rod and floating fly line on the canal, but he seemed to have some rather significant bait on the line rather than a fly... Anyone any idea what he was after?

 

Anyone had a go at fly fishing on canals? I'm pretty new to fly fishing but I quite fancy having a go at it next time I'm on the boat.... Any (sensible and polite) suggestions for fly's, leader etc? Would quite like to go after zander.

 

 

If he was actually fishing and not practicing then it is likely he was after Pike or perch. Most fish can be caught on the Fly though. I have seen some great Roach caught on the fly in the past..

 

Sorry i cant advise on what tackle to use though.

 

I fancy a go some time, i have said it for years but a soon as I am back afloat i think i will have a dabble ;)

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I know the topic is about fly fishing on canals, and generally you can fish on still waters, like canals, in England, all year round, unless there are local bylaws.

 

 

Then I went to the .Gov site..

 

"Game fishing during the coarse fish close season

You can fish for salmon, trout and other game fish during the coarse fish close season. You have to use certain types of lures and baits in some areas however.

Midlands, Yorkshire, and the north-east and north-west of England

You can only use natural or artificial fly, minnow, worm, shrimp, prawn, sand eel or artificial lures during close season.

South-east of England

You can only use artificial fly. In the Thames area, you can apply for permission from the Environment Agency to also use minnow caught in a minnow trap if used on the same waters."

 

 

So this got me thinking... if you fish for say trout on the river using the appropriate equipment during the closed season 15th March to 15th June, then what happens if you catch either a perch, pike or roach that may take flies, then are you not coarse fishing out of season?

I know putting coarse fish out of season into a keepnet would be a no no, but the pleasure of fishing is about landing the biggest fish of a certain species, or catching any fish at all in challenging circumstances.

 

When I have fished, I have always used catch and release, I don't believe that the released fish will advise his buddies about a particular bait on the end of a hook lol.

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The back cast could be an issue - a bit restricting.

 

Prob a wet fly. Chub and dace are free takers. Roach, rudd too. Perch and Pike for the bigger fly.

Nb see the odd fly fishermen on the urban London Wandle in close season. Some are genuine some are p!sstakers.

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If they are anything like the ones round Nantwich, then the fishermen are usually in pairs casting with a short rod with a fixed spool reel and a spinner or small plug. The only other kit they have is a bag over their shoulder. They are after their dinner and probably have no rod licence and don't belong to the club that has the rights.

 

Also a noticeable decrease in the number of mallards around as well.

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I fly fish canals using a Tenkara fly rod, it's a light telescopic whip rod. No reel, fixed line to a very light top section. Have caught various species. It's a full method that needs nothing more than a landing net and rod.

Ian.

I never heard of those, so a quick look on ebay, complete kit, £50 ish, just add fish lol. I just looked at the rod weight, approx 250 grams, I have a pencil in my workshop that nearly weighs that lol...

 

Well big question... How often do you catch anything, is it your daily rod now, or do you use it when the main rod is waiting for a bite?

 

According to ebay, the max line length is 2 rod lengths, I guess this is to allow you to bring the fish in to a standard landing net, since there is no reel to winch the fish in.

 

I like the idea of this. Also gives you some exercise, helps to strengthen your right wrist lol assuming you are right handed.

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If they are anything like the ones round Nantwich, then the fishermen are usually in pairs casting with a short rod with a fixed spool reel and a spinner or small plug. The only other kit they have is a bag over their shoulder. They are after their dinner and probably have no rod licence and don't belong to the club that has the rights.

 

Also a noticeable decrease in the number of mallards around as well.

I thought the Eastern Europeans would be pole fishing lol.

A few weeks ago I was talking to an angler on the Thames, I asked about the fishing, he said not as good as it used to be, he reckoned that some "Eastern Europeans have the taste for fresh water fish, and catch and take them. In fact at a local market he saw a huge mirror carp on ice, the vendor said that will be sold soon, it makes an ideal Christmas lunch for our European folk.

 

I still question if this is legal.

Eating fish dragged out of the Thames does not inspire me after more than a century of waste and chemical dumping.

 

In the USA I have dined on fresh water fish, a species similar to our pike, but can't remember the name, but not zander. I will say, I prefer cod lol.

Well we are quite happy to eat trout or salmon, caught from fast flowing clear streams, but not from the Thames lol Mind you, I have heard that they have returned to the Thames in the last 15-20 years I guess. So some might end up on the dinner table.

Edited by RD1
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I never heard of those, so a quick look on ebay, complete kit, £50 ish, just add fish lol. I just looked at the rod weight, approx 250 grams, I have a pencil in my workshop that nearly weighs that lol...

Well big question... How often do you catch anything, is it your daily rod now, or do you use it when the main rod is waiting for a bite?

According to ebay, the max line length is 2 rod lengths, I guess this is to allow you to bring the fish in to a standard landing net, since there is no reel to winch the fish in.

I like the idea of this. Also gives you some exercise, helps to strengthen your right wrist lol assuming you are right handed.

I fish this method mainly when I have just an odd hour spare. As it's telescopic and always made up its just seconds between mooring up and casting. It is also good when weather's a little cool as it keeps you moving and warmer. You can have a few blank sessions but also have had a fair few busy catching periods. Had Car p to around 6 pound and also decent other species.

 

Ian.

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hi embis .my other half is a keen fisherman ...and he informs me he has catched most species out of the cut. roach pearch rudd carp pike tench bream gudgeon daddy rough kray fish .and most on the pole ...he said you will catch fish useing the fly fishing method ..but more on the pole method ...but then he also told me about the one that got away

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I've toyed with the idea of fly fishing for perch for some time. I fish for them a lot with 3 to 4 inch rubber lures. The biggest problem is that the perch in my canal (Macc) rarely come up much off the bottom to take a lure. If you were to fly fish with a weighted fly it would be very difficult to keep it in the 'killer zone', the bottom 6 inches of water, without continually hanging up on the bottom.

 

I reckon this might do it: fast sinking fly line with a leader 6 to 8 inches long. If you use a very buoyant fly it should be possible to hop it along in the zone without snagging up too much.

 

A backcast would be impossible in most places but a roll cast, or series of them should see you reaching the middle which, in my experience, is far enough.

 

Must get round to trying it sometime.

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I've toyed with the idea of fly fishing for perch for some time. I fish for them a lot with 3 to 4 inch rubber lures. The biggest problem is that the perch in my canal (Macc) rarely come up much off the bottom to take a lure. If you were to fly fish with a weighted fly it would be very difficult to keep it in the 'killer zone', the bottom 6 inches of water, without continually hanging up on the bottom.

 

Just a suggestion, use two flies, the dropper would be a lightly weighted nymph, and the tails a booby which would keep it off the bottom. Works for me, and the perch nail both ?

Also roll cast or an adapted Spey work well

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That's a good idea! Do you use a sinking line? Do the perch respond well to these flies, compared to lures?

I use a floating line with a sink tip (slow or medium) I change up the nymph for a lure at times, also try a dry fly rig in the evenings, especially hot summer nights

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I've toyed with the idea of fly fishing for perch for some time. I fish for them a lot with 3 to 4 inch rubber lures. The biggest problem is that the perch in my canal (Macc) rarely come up much off the bottom to take a lure. If you were to fly fish with a weighted fly it would be very difficult to keep it in the 'killer zone', the bottom 6 inches of water, without continually hanging up on the bottom.

 

I reckon this might do it: fast sinking fly line with a leader 6 to 8 inches long. If you use a very buoyant fly it should be possible to hop it along in the zone without snagging up too much.

 

A backcast would be impossible in most places but a roll cast, or series of them should see you reaching the middle which, in my experience, is far enough.

 

Must get round to trying it sometime.

 

Thanks for all your replies, a couple of suggestions that I might attempt. I wasn't expecting to back cast, the river I fish is in a heavily wooded gorge so roll casting is the only way to go and I imagine this wouldn't be too tricky on a canal.. like the tenkara idea as well... Thanks again.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

I fly fish on rivers and lakes for salmon and trout.

I also fly fish on canals for pike - I use a speyside salmon rod (beefy two handed thing) and a very large "bait" or fly - that looks like a mouse or a frog. If you're interested, this is the guy who taught me to fish this way: http://www.nickhartflyfishing.com/pike_article/

It's good sport. Back cast tends to be OK, as you fish along the canal, not across it. Usual precautions with other canal users etc.. need to be taken. I don't fish navigable canals though (well, the canal I fish between Taunton and Bridgewater has a few boats, but it is very few).

 

Rob

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On 15 March 2017 at 08:34, Robster said:

I fly fish on rivers and lakes for salmon and trout.

I also fly fish on canals for pike - I use a speyside salmon rod (beefy two handed thing) and a very large "bait" or fly - that looks like a mouse or a frog. If you're interested, this is the guy who taught me to fish this way: http://www.nickhartflyfishing.com/pike_article/

It's good sport. Back cast tends to be OK, as you fish along the canal, not across it. Usual precautions with other canal users etc.. need to be taken. I don't fish navigable canals though (well, the canal I fish between Taunton and Bridgewater has a few boats, but it is very few).

 

Rob

very few boats on here move.

Cant remember the last time i saw one go by.

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