How not to fish a canal

1. You need complicated rigs: wrong!

Often canal carp are relatively unpressured and simple rigs will put plenty on the bank. A straight Knotless Knot or basic blowback rig will be perfect for the job. More important is the choice of hookbait due to the silty nature of the canal, especially if there is a lot of boat traffic stirring up the silt. There are two ways to ensure that your hookbait remains conspicuous to the carp. First, use a critically-balanced bait such as a trimmed-down pop-up or a snowman set-up. These presentations won’t sink into silt or become covered by the sediment stirred up by passing boats.

A simple lead clip set-up with a light lead

It can be worth scaling down slightly to a size 10 hook and using a slightly smaller bait where there are no nuisance species present as the average size of canal fish tends to be a bit smaller. Where the bottom is particularly soft then a longer hooklink will ensure presentation is still good. Avoid in-line lead set-ups in this situation as they will potentially compromise the presentation if they sink into the silt. It is better to use a helicopter or lead clip set-up that is less likely to drag the hooklink into the silt and to use a slightly longer hooklink than normal.

Use critically-balanced or snowman set-ups to keep the hookbait from being covered by silt

Summary
Keep your rigs simple; use a critically balanced hookbait; avoid in-line lead set-ups; and use slightly longer than normal hooklinks.

2. You need loads of bait: Codswallop!

The best way to fish any canal is to fish for a bite at a time and that means going easy on the bait. Remember, you may only be actually fishing for a handful of fish in some stretches so filling it in with bait will mean it takes longer to get a bite. Small traps incorporating PVA bags and Sticks are a winner. A handful of pellet or a small scattering of boilies is all you really need when you are actually fishing. Pre-baiting, however can be a real edge. By trickling in a little bit of bait prior to your session you can improve the likelihood that there will be carp hanging around in the area. This doesn’t have to be kilos and kilos either, just a couple of handfuls in each spot is enough.

Pre-baiting can be advantageous

Bait choice is less important. Canal carp are used to finding all sorts of scraps and will usually eat just about anything. Picking a hi-viz, hi-attract bait definitely helps to get quicker bites as the carp find the bait easier to locate. Where the water is really coloured try a white bait.

Summary
You don’t need to use a lot of bait and pre-baiting can be a big edge. Opt for hi-viz hookbaits - they can be deadly.

3. Canal carp are impossible to find: Nonsense!

If anything, canal carp are easier to locate than their lake-dwelling relatives. Because of the barren nature of vast stretches of canal, it is best to target areas that offer the carp shelter and food, as invariably this is where the fish will be drawn to. A quick walk along your chosen stretch will help you rule out large areas quickly so you can concentrate your efforts on the following likely features:

Moored boats and marinas are carp magnets, as the sheltered water will be slightly warmer than the surrounding stretches and there is a ready supply of food – carp soon home in to a food source and a steady trickle of scraps provided by the boat dwellers will not be ignored! Many marinas do not allow fishing in the marina itself, so try setting traps at the entrance to ambush carp coming in and out. Where boats are moored on the canal itself, fishing up to and between them is well worth a go. Remember, be courteous to the boaters – you wouldn’t be very pleased if someone was bouncing leads off your house so cast carefully!

Bridges, locks and boats are a good bet. This spot has all three!

Any feature along the canal itself is worth investigating too. Overhanging bushes, reedbeds and far-margin snags may well hold fish and fishing tight to them is a great tactic. Remember to treat it like any form of snag fishing and fish locked-up – it’s not worth hooking a fish if you are going to lose it.

Locks, bridges and turning bays are favourite areas for fish to hold up and anywhere where streams flow in or canals meet can be productive areas. And lastly, don’t neglect the margins, both near and far, as often the fish will be found tight to the bank where the bottom shelves up in shallow water.

Cast tight to the boats but be careful not to hit them!

Summary
Head for moored boats and marinas; any marginal feature – overhanging bushes, reeds, etc., - are well worth investigating.

4. It's not worth it if you are after big carp, you only catch small carp from canals: Not true!

Carp over 40lbs have been caught from canals such as the Grand Union, and although they are not common, fish in excess of 30lb can be caught. It is true that the average size to be caught tends to be double-figures but there is a real possibility of a surprise. Often the larger carp tend to favour or live in a certain area so doing a bit of homework can boost your chances of a whacker!

A stunning mid-twenty canal mirror caught when everywhere else was frozen solid

Summary
Big carp do live in canals! Fact.

5. You need specialist tacke: Not true!

Your normal rods and reels will be perfectly fine for fishing on the canal, although a shorter rod can be an advantage in some situations. As the towpaths are often quite narrow, simply put your rods parallel to the bank to allow other users room to pass. Often it is easier to have the rods placed on single banksticks and spread out rather than to use buzzer bars or a pod. You just need to approach it as you would any other short-range fishing situation.

Treat obstacles such as boats the same way you would when snag fishing

Although the fishing tends to be close range, often there will be snags and obstacles involved due to the nature of the canal so it is important that the tackle you use is strong enough to guide an angry carp to safety. Use a length of leadcore or tubing to provide protection to the last section, and use at least 12lb breaking strain main line.

Fish your rods singly rather than on buzzer bars

Summary
Shorter rods are better suited; use single banksticks; and make sure you use strong, seriously reliable tackle.

6. You need to be really stealthy: Not necessarily!

Because canals are often busy places, the fish become used to human activity and can be drawn to it rather than repelled. Although it isn’t wise to jump up and down and shout, you can certainly get away with being more conspicuous than you would if you were fishing a quiet lake.

Summary
Sometimes it’s best to head to areas of human activity as the carp are drawn there rather than repelled.

7. They don't take mixers in here mate: Er, yes they do!

Floater fishing can be a deadly method on the canal! Locks and marinas are ideal spots to flick in a few Mixers. Alternatively look for areas where the public feed the birds with bread as there will invariably be carp lurking and taking advantage of the free meal. Bread can be a great bait because the fish are so used to coming across it. Keep your rigs simple and straight-forward and try free-lining where possible to avoid disturbance.

Summary
Floater fishing does work on canals! Head to where the public feed the birds with bread.

8. Canals are all polluted and full of shopping trolleys: Not any more!

Even our urban canals have gone through a resurgence in recent years. Clean up operations have seen them returned to health and it is possible to catch carp right in the middle of all our major cities making them accessible to anglers who would otherwise have to travel to go fishing. Once you leave the major towns canal fishing becomes one of the most peaceful and idyllic, especially in isolated rural spots and all sorts of wildlife can be seen.

Summary
Canals are now clean, peaceful and idyllic, so get out there and start fishing them!

9. The boats are a nightmare: Not at all!

The boats can be inconvenient but they are part of canal life and offer the angler loads in the way of features. Remember, the canals were built for the boats and not the carp so getting frustrated is not only pointless, it’s downright silly! Use them to your advantage. It might seem a pain to reel in when one passes, but the boats stir up the bottom and stimulate the carp into feeding. Use the opportunity to reposition your hookbait with a fresh bag.

Summary
Respect canal life and use the boats to your advantage - don’t get frustrated - it’s pointless.

10. You need to sit and wait patiently in one spot: Bull!

Canal fishing lends itself perfectly to a more mobile approach. It’s great if you have limited time, as a session of just a couple of hours can be enough to bank a fish or two. Travel light and try a few different spots so as to cover as much ground as possible. When you get on fish, often bites come very quickly so maximise your chances by putting a hookbait in front of the maximum amount of carp. Ambush tactics can and do work if you are fishing the night where allowed, but don’t think you have to set up camp in order to catch them.

Travel light so you can cover plenty of water

Summary
Travel light so you can cover plenty of water and look to use ambush tactics.