Canal Fishing

[Roland]

I'm off to fish a canal for the first time tomorrow Plan for the day is to have a carp rod setup and then just float fish in the margins with another. The place im fishing has "moderate boat traffic" and I wanted to know what I could do to avoid my carp rod being disturbed by a boat? I don't really want to hook one!

[JV44]

I'm off to fish a canal for the first time tomorrow Plan for the day is to have a carp rod setup and then just float fish in the margins with another. The place im fishing has "moderate boat traffic" and I wanted to know what I could do to avoid my carp rod being disturbed by a boat? I don't really want to hook one!

Backlead dropped into the margin is the way forward Steve

[davedave]

I love canal fishing, one of my favourite places. They are underestimated and in my region rarely fished, i get a whole section of canal to myself with big carp, large perch and lots of roach and bream. I don't see why more people don't fish canals but hey, better for the rest of us

 

The canal i fish isn't used anymore so i get no boat traffic whatsoever, surely if your ledger for carp is in the water you should be fine, i can't see a small canal boat causing too much disturbance and unless you make a very unlucky cast i highly doubt you will hook the boat!

 

But if you are concerned just fish in the margins

[*Ant*]

There are some great fish surprisingly big fish in canals, enjoy.

As JV44, i'd recommend back leads, or if you are just getting the odd boat say every half hour, just grab your rod and put the tip under the water near the bottom of the near shelf until the boat passes.

[Dick Dastardly]

I used to carp fish a navigable river regularly and back leading is definately the way.Saves a lot of grief.

[Hopinc]

As a mostly fly and lure fisherman, pursuing predatory fish, I hate barges. It usually takes hours for the silt they stir up to settle. If I can I prefer to be on the water long before they start up, and have been known to "run" in front of them, driving from one spot to another, in order to fish in clearer water.

 

I have often wondering how long it took match/coarse fisherman's pegs to come back on line after one of these things has gone through the swim?

 

They certainly don't improve my style of fishing and are particularly bad in autumn when the dropped leaves have not had chance to sink and stick to the bottom.

 

Good luck with your outing Roland. I hope you get some decent fish. Post some pictures if you do.

[Dick Dastardly]

I have often wondering how long it took match/coarse fisherman's pegs to come back on line after one of these things has gone through the swim?

 

It can vary a lot dependant on where you are fishing in the canal and what your bait is.Sometimes it just washes your bait away and you have to start building the swim again other times it stirs the bait up and switches then back on!

 

When a boat comes through a large shoal of bait fish when your piking (with bait) you get a pretty instant take after!

[davedave]

I'm just going to go ahead and ask this....What the hell is a back-lead? I keep hearing the word pop up but i've never used one when carp fishing.

 

What are they for and what are their advantages?

[Dick Dastardly]

Here is a simple diagram showing two different ways of using back leads.

 

[Dick Dastardly]

Whether you use method 2 or 3 really depends on the contours of the water your fishing. The idea being to keep the line pinned to the bottom so that boats or fish cant bang in to it.Simple really. You can use any ledger weight you've already got and just add a snap link or even a paper clip to attach it to the main line after you have cast out.