We discussed options and finally decided over a McDonalds coffee on the morning that we would have a look at Rea down.
The Car Park at Rea Bridge was closed for some reason but we parked easily enough across the far side.
As we walked down the nice tarmac path along the canal a couple of anglers were fishing the early pegs by the bridge on the pole. The angler on the short line swung in a small roach as we approached him. We only took our feeder rods so kit was minimum and we were soon in the area we wanted to fish. Mike settled in on permanent peg 177 and I went in on 175.
The pegs do have a little bit of form but this spring the canal has fished hard so we weer not expecting big weights.
I intended to start off on the bread and then go on fishmeal later. Mike went straight for a ground bait mix and I think it consisted of multiple ingredients.
After putting the bread through a riddle and mixing up some fishmeal it didn't take long to get the 2 feeder rods set up. The acolyte (1 oz tip) rod had a 20 gram cage feeder and a wide gape 16 to 0.11 power. My pro match feeder rod (2 oz tip) or as Mike would call it ''the barbel rod'' had a 25 gram cage and the same hook and line.
Before I started I took a walk down to Mike who already begun and had an early perch, he said he was getting a few liners as well. He also said there had been a couple of bream following in front of me, I didn't see them as I was probably mixing up the GB with the drill.
Back I went and put a 6mm double punch on the 20 gram set up and lightly squeezed in the liquidised bread. I was about 2 metres out from the far side bushes. Third cast in and 15 minutes later I had a small indication followed by a wrap around, struck, nothing. When I brought it in the bread pellet was still on the hook, so a liner. A couple more knocks in successive casts but nothing positive.
It must have been about 40 minutes in when I had another little knock but the 1 oz tip stayed slightly bent and I mean slightly. I picked the rod up and sure enough thud thud bream on. Played very slowly and netted just as the hook came out. 2.5 lb ish.
In the next 20 minutes I added a small skimmer and nothing else on the bread.
Out on the fishmeal with dead reds on the hook and dead pinkie and a small amount of chopped worm in the feeder gave me some indications straight away. I tried to hit a few of the bites but nothing. A walk down to Mike who was having a few eels suggested that this might be the problem.
Back on the box and head down I managed to get an eel, only a boot lace but they all count. The canal was quite dirty at times as they were dredging further upstream as apparently the Tall Ships are in Gloucester Dock next Sunday so we are in for a bit of boat traffic.
I kept putting the bait in changing rods depending on the tow as well as changing hook baits. I managed to snare 3 more bream, a perch, a hybrid and a daddy ruffe.
There was a boat to my left a peg away and the guy saw me catch a couple of the fish and was asking me about fishing on the Glossy. He was an angler himself but it was unclear want his style was. He asked if I went boat fishing. I said only when fly fishing and then asked me if I wanted a boat net as he was only going to bin it. I said I'll have it and he said he would leave it behind my van parked up at the bridge and walked off, it must have been in his car. I thanked him and fished on for another 15 minutes or so until 15:15 ish.
Mike didn't have any bream although we were certain there was a few in both our pegs but not really feeding, 2 of mine were still rough. Mike had a few small skimmers, perch and eels and a really nice hybrid.
When we packed up and got back to the vehicles sure enough there was the net as promised.
Now..... if a Nomads anglers wins his section or wins a match as a reward you get a prize i.e. riddle, stink bag, hat, ground bait etc.
I showed the net to Mike and it gave him an idea......... any Nomad who wins his section on the K & A Canal will get one of these as a prize and should come in very useful in next years Spring League and this years Commercial House League. I'm sure this will provide a real incentive....
other nets are available
Mikes best fish a nice hybrid
My catch, the best I have had on the Glossy this year
A very pleasant day and got my legs out again.
Back on the Bristol Feeder Canal this Wednesday with team mate Leigh Wakefield while Mike is down at Tamar most of the week fishing the festival.
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