If canals themselves present a huge variety of settings and species, the same is true of the equipment found on towpaths nationwide. You could spend a small fortune and still not cover every base. That said, it is also possible to target a range of canal fish at a very modest cost.
My own exploits on the local Cut began with a four-metre fibreglass whip. It was hardly state-of-the-art, even in the Eighties. It featured pointless yellow markings on the handle, and a decent perch or surprise eel would cause the whole thing to plunge over, to my great excitement. I was immensely proud of this telescopic weapon, which in terms of sheer numbers of fish caught would probably be the best value item of tackle I have ever owned.
These days the boot of my car might contain anything from overnight carping supplies to a fly rod. These are at the far ends of the spectrum however and for much of the time, a canal angler’s staple would be a pole or light match rod.
Other sundries and items for the canal angler are many – and we’ll dip into a few of these shortly. Beyond a rod, something to sit on and a landing net, the rest can be accumulated at your leisure.
Whips
Shorter poles, or ‘whips’ are an ideal tool for catching fish at short range on any canal. Most are telescopic and tend to be cheap, although you could fork out many times the cash for a beautifully light, top class model. Used with a simple float rig the same length as the pole itself, they represent true simplicity. With no reel to tangle, they are also ideal for youngsters and novices. That said, some of our finest anglers also use whips to fish with total control at close quarters, catching fish like roach, perch, gudgeon and bleak at incredible speed.
Dominic’s Tip
Cheaper whips are a great starting point for the canal, but many have pretty dodgy tips. If this is the case, an excellent solution is to carefully remove the very end of the tip and glue on a stonfo-style sliding connector; these are reliable and a really easy way to attach your rigs via a loop knot.
Most fish are swung to hand with the whip. Larger samples require a landing net. These short poles will handle fish like bream, but bigger surprises can lead to problems. Whip fishing is fun, light-line fishing. With a few rigs set up on winders, you can be fishing within seconds. Lines are seldom greater than 3lb breaking strain, often lighter.
Poles
If ever a piece of fishing equipment was tailor-made for canal fishing, it must be the long pole. The advantages they offer in terms of accuracy, control and finesse are huge. Nor are they just for small fish or match anglers – these days, poles are cheaper and stronger than ever. A model of 11-13 metres will hit the far bank of most canals with deadly precision. For the lowdown on pole choices, rigs and techniques, see the dedicated chapter on p127.
A multi-section carbon pole is the perfect weapon for canal fishing.
Towpath Etiquette
KEEPING TIDY
ON THE TOWPATH
With cyclists, dog walkers and joggers, canals can be hazardous places for delicate items of tackle. Always keep your kit tidy and lay items such as pole sections parallel to the bank, rather than sticking out onto the towpath. Another good trick to make passers-by wary of your kit is to place a tougher, less valuable item, such as a net bag, sticking out slightly behind you, so bikes and boots take a wider berth.
Float Rods
Often known as ‘match’ rods, the ideal blank to float fish on canals is something well-balanced, light and fine in the tip. A fairly fine model will cast small floats with ease and allow the use of light hooklengths. Just as importantly, such a tool will give you a great deal of pleasure even if the fish are modest-sized.
Although many float rods come in a length of 12-13ft, canal anglers often drop down to a shorter model of eleven or even ten feet – a slightly more compact rod is great fun and well-suited to smaller canals. Nor does such a weapon always come second best to the pole; in the winter, for example, when waters go very clear and fish are wary, a light waggler can be preferable to a pole tip waving over their heads.
Rods vary greatly on towpaths, but for canal fishing, shorter, lighter tools are often more suitable – and fun – to use.
Feeder Rods
It is perhaps only on the bigger, deeper canals, or on wide sections such as turning bays and boat yards where a feeder rod becomes a popular tool for the Cut angler. That said, a tip rod can be a useful plan B when the elements make float fishing impractical, and the feeder is an excellent tactic for bream and tench.
As with float rods, the 12ft-plus models tend to be a little overgunned for all but the widest expanses of water. A more appropriate tool would often be a little wand of a rod, sometimes called a ‘picker’, measuring 8-10ft. These offer terrific accuracy for casting little feeders and bombs, as well as lot of fun playing small-to-medium-sized fish. Look for a light model with a choice of push-in tips – a delicate option is a must for roach and skimmers.
Specimen & Carp Rods
An increasingly common sight on towpaths are specialist rods for fish like carp and pike, as more anglers seem to have cottoned on to the fact that canals contain some excellent-sized fish. Where carp are concerned, your usual tackle for the species will suffice. Rods of 3lb test curve are rather heavy, however, so I often prefer a more forgiving blank of around 2lb test. Long-distance casting is seldom an issue; even a 3oz lead and solid PVA bag can be swung accurately to the far bank with such a tool on most canals. A more forgiving action also makes for less risk of breakages and hook pulls with hard-fighting fish at close quarters. Another development has been the introduction of shorter blanks of just 10ft or so – and these can be handy in cramped swims.
Where pike are concerned, you can also go for blanks a little lighter than the standard 3lb test curve rod for bait fishing, which won’t provide much fight from the average jack. A 2-2½lb test blank is more fun – or you could even try a spinning rod. I would always keep mainlines and traces heavy, however. Anything less than 15lb mono or braid is irresponsible and won’t buy you any extra bites.
Less numerous in the pages of tackle catalogues are those lighter specimen rods of 1-1½lb and a half test curve. These are superb for fish like zander, bream and perch, which are easily bumped off the hook with overly powerful rods.
Finally, you will also find a wide range of rods for fishing with lures on canals. These are covered in my chapter on lure fishing, along with the different types of artificial baits for canal predators.
Balanced Tackle
Whichever species you target, the golden rule is to use balanced tackle. Often this will mean kit which is rather lighter than standard gear. Canal fishing is often about finesse, and finer rods allow the use of lighter tackle with less risk of breakages.
Fly Tackle
The fly angler is an increasingly common sight on the local Cut. In fact I kick myself these days whenever I find a clear canal and have no fly rod in the car. Two favourite set-ups come out to play time and again in my case: a 10ft 3-4 weight rod and reel is delightful for targeting roach, rudd and chub. Such a blank allows beautifully delicate presentation with a floating line. Shorter rods are also fun, but I find the ten footer gives much better control around bankside growth and snags.
Pike are perhaps the most popular fly quarry of all on canals but here you’ll need a rod with some backbone. Huge flies and heavy rods are in most cases totally unnecessary however and I find an eight weight set-up perfect; very sporty for jacks, but strong enough to land a surprise double. A floating line is often all that is required, although I will use a sink tip or switch to a fast intermediate on deep ship canals.
Other options also make for exciting adventures and I’ve even had tench and bream on nymphs. It is a fascinating challenge and one that cannot be conveyed fully in the limited space of these pages; for further reading, my book Flyfishing for Coarse Fish has a great deal of useful information.
Reels
The rule of balanced tackle is your major consideration when picking reels to match your rods. A dinky little fixed spool, capable of holding a hundred yards of 2-3lb line is perfect for a light match or feeder rod. Even for larger canal specimens such as carp and pike, however, reels needn’t be huge, and a mid-sized bait-runner capable of holding a hundred yards of 15lb mono or 30lb braid is about the biggest I use.
As with all tackle, it pays to get the best quality reel you can afford. A reliable drag is a must and it never ceases to amaze me how few anglers seem to spend a minute or two setting this to perfection before they fish. The drag should give line well before the line breaks. You can always tighten up during the fight, whereas it’s far more difficult to slacken off on a hard-running fish without getting smashed up.
Lines
A great range of fishing lines are involved in canal fishing. Each species chapter will deal with recommended strengths and types. Quality is essential where any lines are concerned. Once you have hooked a good fish, it is too late to do anything about weak or suspect line.
Different lines have very different qualities: floating lines are perfect for waggler fishing, for example, while sinking lines are better for legering. Treating agents such as sprays can also be useful to make your line perform properly, whether you want it to stick crisply to the surface when float fishing, or sink your main line beneath a ripple.
Lines for canals range from tough braids to the finest of monofilaments.
Monofilament lines should be changed at least once each season and regularly inspected. A common fault is to load the reel spool improperly. The line should come only slightly shy (to within 2-3mm) of the edge or ‘lip’ of the spool. Not only does this aid casting, it also allows you to discard a little line as required while still leaving plenty on the spool. I like to do this on a fairly regular basis, removing the last 3-4ft that have suffered the most wear and tear so I am always using fresh, undamaged line.
Hooklengths Tip
Tying a selection of spare hooklengths is an excellent idea and by keeping a few in identical lengths, you can be back in business quickly after a break, without altering the depth of your float rigs. For newcomers, or those pressed for time, ready-tied hooklengths are another convenient solution.
Rig Lines and Hooklengths
For much canal fishing, sensitive presentation is important and a hooklength (a final, short section of finer line) is important. This not only presents your bait in a subtle manner but prevents tackle loss or, worse still, a tethered fish, should you suffer a break. Modern low diameter lines are perfect for this role. Pre-stretched and electronically tested, these high tech lines are incredibly fine for their high strength. They can be brittle so are unsuitable as reel lines in really fine diameters. Pole rigs are another matter, however, since the elastic provides the stretch to cushion the fight of a larger fish.
The rule of balanced tackle comes into play once again when selecting a hooklength material. A loop-to-loop connection is a strong, simple way to connect hooklengths and the breaking strain of the finer line should be lower, but not vastly different to your main line (for example a 3lb hooklength would be perfect for 4lb reel line). How long should your hooklength be? This also varies. Some match anglers employ tiny hooklengths of 6in or less. But these can be fiddly and somewhere in the region of 10in is more common for float methods, or anything up to 3ft for feeder fishing.
Shots and Smaller Weights
It goes without saying that you require weights to cock your floats. A selection of smaller shot can be vital where canals are concerned, especially where finicky, shy-biting species such as roach and skimmers are concerned. A selection of shot from AAs and BBs will be required for wagglers and larger floats, while tiny shot right down to size 10 and 11s are needed to correctly dot down a fine-bristled pole float.
A range of split shot. For really small sizes, styls or ‘stotz’ can be a superb alternative.
Olivettes are also worth mentioning for pole fishing. These make a tidy, tangle-proof weight for fishing on or near the bottom.
Another good alternative is the use of styls or ‘stotz’. These are cylindrical rather than round, and seem to stay put much better than smaller round shot, which can ping off light lines during use.
Old or poor quality weights can damage your line, tend to come off easily and should be avoided at all costs. Go for a reputable make such as Anchor or Dinsmores.
Depth Plumbs
Accurately gauging the depth is an essential part of canal fishing. There is a world of difference between having it ‘about right’ and absolutely spot-on. A thorough job with a suitable plummet also gives you an impression of the bottom and whether it is silty, hard or weedy.
The problem with many of these weights is that they will plunge into the silt, giving you a measurement that is slightly out. For a more accurate result, go for the lightest depth plumb you can find, or just use a split shot such as an AA pinched next to the hook.
For an accurate reading of depth, opt for the smallest depth plumb you can find – or try a larger split shot.
Dominic’s Tip
Once you have the exact depth, a little marker can be added to your rod or pole. A correction fluid pen is ideal for this and means that, should you need to tackle up again, you will still have the correct depth.
Floats
Various floats are used for canal fishing, but by far the most common are pole floats and wagglers. Much larger floats are also used for pike fishing. I discuss all of these in the chapters on specialist methods and species.
A good selection of floats for your chosen method is highly recommended – but you needn’t always stick to concrete rules: a sensitive pole float can be used with a long match rod for fishing the near side, for example, while tiny wagglers are also useful for whip fishing.
Bombs, Leads and Swim Feeders
Legering on canals is less popular than float fishing, but when big fish or bigger distances are present, a selection of these items is useful. Feeders of several kinds are an excellent way to deliver bait accurately and regularly into the swim.
Cage feeders leak groundbait fast, making them ideal for shallow waters up to six feet. For deeper water where you want bait only to disperse nearer the bottom, standard groundbait feeders are more suitable. Last but not least, method feeders can also be useful on occasion. These are used with very short hooklengths and sticky groundbait, to encourage a self-hooking effect with fish like bream and carp.
Sizes of feeders can vary, from tiny models to deliver small amounts of feed in winter, to ounce plus models that would suit a wide canal basin on a windy day.
Bombs and leads have their uses too, usually for specimen-style tactics. Carp weights in particular can be confusing, but for most of the time, simple leads are all that are required. The only specialist lead I might be tempted to use for carp would be a slightly flattened design for really silty canals, where you don’t want the weight to bury into the bottom too far.
Hooks
A great range of hooks can be applied to canal fishing, with fine wired patterns down to a size 24 at one end, a size 4 treble at the other. I deal with hook sizes in the sections on baits and fish species.
A wide range of hooks are required for canal fishing, from fine-wired mag got versions to forged specimen models.
The same rule applies to hooks as other tackle: buy the best quality you can afford. You can have the best rod in the world, but the hook is your most vital connection.
Eyed hooks are easiest to use, but in smaller sizes many canal anglers prefer spade ends, which sit beautifully straight on the line and arguably have a slight edge in terms of presentation. The best modern hooks are needle sharp but have a high strength even in lighter gauges.
Change hooks
Often overlooked, the hook is the most vital component in any rig. Smaller hooks should be replaced every session. On a hectic day’s fishing, match anglers will even freshen up by changing to a new hook part way through the session. Larger hooks, such as those on lures, are well worth running a hook sharpener over when they start to lose their edge.
The choice of whether to go barbed or barbless is yours. I have no aversion to barbless, especially for smaller fish species, although a microbarb helps when pole fishing, as a barbless one can slip out in that momentary loss of tension as you unhook sections.
Disgorgers
An absolute essential for most general canal fishing, the disgorger is the only reliable way to remove the hook safely from a fish that has taken the bait deeper. Easy to use with practice, you simply keep the line tight, slide the little notch down to the hook and push down.
Regular, micro and large disgorgers are all available, with the smaller heads useful for dainty fish and tiny hooks. I usually buy several at a time because I am excellent at losing the damned things. On the bank, tuck yours in a place it can easily be found, such as in your groundbait or behind the ear.
Forceps / Long-nosed Pliers
For big hooks and larger species, especially those with teeth such as pike and zander, forceps or pliers are a must. Opt for quality, purpose-made tools – that set in the garage won’t do, so invest in a dedicated, foot-long pair.
Landing Nets
A decent quality landing net is not just a means to an end, but a vital aid in landing the better fish you hook. A lightweight ‘pan’ style net is ideal for small-to-medium-sized fish, in conjunction with a decent length handle.
For the specimen angler, carp or pike demand something larger. To go undergunned is to risk losing a season’s best catch. As a general rule, be optimistic when picking your net; it is much better to have a net which is a little too big than too small. Large triangular specimen nets are ideal for static methods, but are not great for very weedy swims or roving sessions. A generous, solid-framed, collapsible net is preferable for roaming the banks in search of bigger fish.
Keepnets
While not absolutely necessary for the pleasure angler, there is something pleasant about seeing what you’ve caught at the end of a session. A few sensible guidelines apply however. A decent keepnet should be made of soft, fish-friendly material and not be less than 2.5 metres in length. Fish come to little harm provided you extend the net fully (you can do this by stretching the end out with a net handle or pole sections). If there is regular boat traffic it is also much safer to use a long bank stick to stake out the bottom end to prevent collapsing.
Fish should always be lowered, not dropped or thrown, into a keepnet. Responsible anglers also ensure that fish have ample space and, in warm conditions when oxygen levels are low, keepnets should be used only for shorter periods, or not at all. Some species, such as pike and large carp, should never be retained in a keepnet – and indeed many fishing clubs ban this practice.
Unhooking Mats
These are an essential purchase for the specimen angler. They should be wetted when a big fish is placed on one, and a large mat is sensible for long or bulky species like carp and pike. They also come in handy when photographing your catch; placed beneath your prized fish they could make the difference between a soft landing and a fatal drop.
I also like a foldable mat for roving sessions, as they are lighter than a seat but still protect the backside. Last but not least, a damp mat is also a much kinder way to lay out a catch of fish such as bream or tench with no risk of damage.
Seats and Seat Boxes
Without going into vast detail, somewhere to sit comfortably is another requisite fishing item. Collapsible seats come in many guises. Some of the purpose-made fishing chairs are excellent; they should be portable as well as comfy though, so do test these for lightness. A comfortable shoulder strap is another must if you walk any distance to reach your swim.
For long pole fishing there is only one serious choice for the towpath and that is the seat box. These provide not only useful storage, but keep the angler in a comfortable, raised position to handle several metres of pole. The best have legs that adjust to uneven banks, and a wealth of compartments and add-ons. The options are many, but bait waiters and side trays are especially useful to keep you from continually stooping or straining as you reach for your essentials.
Your choice of seat may not be as exciting as the latest rod, but no angler wants back-ache so do pick wisely. Online ordering can be cheap, but nothing beats trying out and buying items at your local tackle shop, whose local advice and personal service can’t be matched by any website.
Polarising Glasses
Brilliant for spotting fish and features, polarising glasses are essential for any angler who likes to stalk, lure or fly fish. I simply wouldn’t leave home without mine, for any style of fishing. Even when float fishing on a muddy canal, a decent pair will spare you a headache watching for bites in sunny conditions.
Weed Rake
This item of kit is not so common, but highly valued by those in the know. They are usually home-made by fastening two garden rake heads back to back, before attaching a length of chain or strong rope. Thrown and dragged through the swim, this not only clears an area to fish but will also stir up the bottom a treat. Tench fishers find this especially beneficial.
It may be an item you must make yourself, but a weed rake is well worth the effort on weedy canals.