Canal carping

I was reading an excellent article by Ashley Burton in the April edition of CF about canal carp fishing the area's mentioned where on the Ashby Canal around the Hinckley area.
As a follow up to this article I visited Andy a friend of mine who resides in nearby Market Bosworth. I had the pleasure of gazing admirably at some photographs of an excellent haul of canal carp taken one late autumn evening. This bag of I think it was 11 fish was taken from the Shackerstone controlled stretch of the Ashby canal and included carp over 16lb. The total weight was around the 100lb mark.
Not monsters by gravel pit standards but still an excellent haul for a canal.
I was just curious if anyone else has had similar experiences with canal carping.

Paul

I think the potential of our canal systems for all species are one of the last untapped resources of british coarse angling, miles of unexplored waterways with boundless potential. All the canals in the midlands have good heads of carp, mostly uncaught, and all superb looking fish, combinations of deep browns, russets and golds ,unlike the fast growing versions you get in modern stillwaters that look pasty and washed out. The best looking carp I have ever caught have come from canals.

Finding them is the only problem. Its hard work, not for the faint hearted but very rewarding nevertheless.

Hello Paul, Yes that article was very good in C.F and one that i read with great interest, I fish occasionaly on the grand union canal for carp not too far from where the article was on about and have had carp upto 18lb, They really are very good conditioned fish and scrap very hard pound for pound, No need for all the fancy rigs e.t.c to catch either location is the keyword as is always.
I've found picking a nice warm day and just walking a couple of lengths looking for carp activity is a great way of locating your fish.
It really is worthwhile when you do get one, Very rewarding and you hardly see another person apart from dogwalkers e.t.c

Just a quick one are you the Paul Hayes who posts as tigersman on BFW?
If so you might remember me on asking about barbs on the upper soar?

All the best,
Steve Hall.

Yes Steve the very same person alive and kicking living in Broughton Astley and working very hard for Leicester Tigers.
The reason I mentioned the article and followed up with my mate Andy's canal bag is that I was brought up at Shackerstone and learned all my basic skills on the Ashby canal. I cut my match fishing teeth there before graduating to the fenland rivers then the Upper Trent.
There is also some excellent pike fishing on the Ashby to be had with fish in excess of 20lb caught regularly. As most things location is the key. Regarding Andy's carp haul it was also published in the Merc one Friday in Roy Jeffrey's column it came from the Montell fields stretch opposite the boats. Which boat I don't know as there are about 100 moored there.

Paul

Hi Paul, I thought it was you!
I've never fished the bit at Shackerstone but had numerous walks along there, I normally go around Kilby bridge area and travel light dropping in likely looking spots.
Best of luck if you decide to have a crack for the carp im sure you wouldn't be dissapointed.
All the best and up the tiger's!!

hi have spotted what i think is carp on a local canal. they are surface feeding and look just over a foot in length but that might be inaccurate. what bs line should i use and what baits. also how should i target them: they're to high in the water normally for a float
thanks henryk

Could be chub, they're in some canals.

how would i target chub