Simply Pole Fishing

 Van Echtenskanaal, Klazienaveen

25 November 2018  

All six of the Einfachstippen anglers met up today and we fished on the Van Echtenskanaal, in Klazienaveen. It was a long way for me (250 km)  so I was on the road at 5 am.

This is the part of the canal that we fished

I was very tired when I got there, and think I need to do more fishing in the winter closer to home, especially when I'm travelling for work during the week.

My peg for today. Marco to my right and everyone else to my left.

The canal here is about 15 metres wide and 2 metres deep in the middle. It shallows off close in and towards the far bank.

All the guys getting ready for the start. Bruno to my left.

I decided to keep it simple today and just fish one line at 10.5 metres with 2 different rigs. A Preston Innovations 4x16 Chianti and a 0.75 gram Drennan Carbo. I had just 2 metres depth and the water was clear down to about 1 metre. I would normally have fished further across, but in the very clear water the pole could spook them easier. With hindsight, I should have at least tried to fish at 13 metres just to check if the fish were over on the other bank. Perhaps a small sensitive Drennan Visi Wag 1 waggler on the match rod would have been the best option.

Now that's convenient - steps down to my peg. I cleared the leaves away first! Don't want to go for a tumble.

I had a 0.08 mm Reflo Power bottom and size 20 B512 hook on the Chianti rig, and a 0.08 mm Reflo Power bottom and size 18 B512 on the Carbo rig. Both connected to a Preston Slip No. 5 elastic threaded through just 1 section. The tip on the older model Carbo float is much harder to see than the new glow tip floats versions. I think the time has come to retire all of my Drennan Carbo - they have served me well.

A slightly older version of the Chianti - I just love these floats!

The Chianti rig was fished dead depth and the Carbo rig just 5 cm on the bottom. The Chianti rig I have drawn on other pages, but it has a bulk of 7 No. 9 shot and then 5 No. 11 droppers. The Carbo rig has a bulk and just 3 No. 9 droppers.

Before we started, Bruno brought some cake, so we all had a couple of pieces with some coffee before we started. I think some hot Goulash soup would have been better given the weather conditions. Next time Buno!

A few changes of bait - although all my fish fell to the worm.

At the start I fed a soft ball of Zammataro Turbo Cloud Roach & Skimmers Natur with some VDE Expo - mixed dry to break up very quickly. I didn't put any loose offerings in it at all. Then I cupped in a 250 ml cup of loose groundbait over the top to create a cloud in the water.

Bruno getting ready to fish. He brought some cake and cream. Top Man! He must have known it was going to be hard!

Maggot was the first bait I tried, and then pinkie, but nothing was interested. A was feeding a few grains of Hemp regularly over the top, but no maggots, pinkies or casters. Just the noise might get a few fish interested.

The water didn't have much colour in it so I switched to chopped worm after about 30 minutes. I had a tiny Perch and then the water stopped moving from left to right and stayed fairly still.

Swapping from the Chianti rig to the Carbo rig, four more slightly larger Perch took the head of a worm before I started to feel weary and decided to pack up - we'd fished for about 3 hours.

I had the 5 Perch, Theo had a Roach on one of his dips, and Bruno, Marco, Roger and Nico finished bite-less. A day to forget.

Five small Perch. It was hard fishing today in the very cold easterly wind.

Maybe when the fish get used to the cold weather, and we lose the cold easterly wind, things might pick up for us pole anglers. Let's hope so. Until next time.

Tight Lines,

Steve