Derek Gibson
Well-known member
Sixty three years ago my angling began on the Worsborough canal near Barnsley, where I enjoyed catching small Perch.
As my angling developed, my horizons widened as the passion increased. Over the years it took me the length and breadth of the country in search of various species. During that time canal's were ''never'' given a thought. That is until about six or seven years ago when an old injury began to make its presence felt. When negotiating those steep flood banks that were so often a feature of my regular haunts, often arriving home in agony. So as you can imagine I had no choice but to adapt to the circumstances. The logical solution seemed to be canal's with their manageable towpath's, which is where I came in so to speak, and very fortuitous that decision was.From my very first visit the particular canal in question has exceeded all my expectations, producing fish that would have been undreamed of for me sixty years ago. For many anglers canal's seem to be the cinderella's of our sport, as they were for me in my hayday, but not anymore.
I accept that not all canals offer the quality of sport of the canal I fish, but I am primarily seeking bigger fish. I hope that some reading this may have a similar situation within reach of them, and are not discouraged by the usual gossip, ''Nowt big in here mate'', as I was told.
Canals have been my salvation from an angling perspective, and kept me from retreating from angling.
As my angling developed, my horizons widened as the passion increased. Over the years it took me the length and breadth of the country in search of various species. During that time canal's were ''never'' given a thought. That is until about six or seven years ago when an old injury began to make its presence felt. When negotiating those steep flood banks that were so often a feature of my regular haunts, often arriving home in agony. So as you can imagine I had no choice but to adapt to the circumstances. The logical solution seemed to be canal's with their manageable towpath's, which is where I came in so to speak, and very fortuitous that decision was.From my very first visit the particular canal in question has exceeded all my expectations, producing fish that would have been undreamed of for me sixty years ago. For many anglers canal's seem to be the cinderella's of our sport, as they were for me in my hayday, but not anymore.
I accept that not all canals offer the quality of sport of the canal I fish, but I am primarily seeking bigger fish. I hope that some reading this may have a similar situation within reach of them, and are not discouraged by the usual gossip, ''Nowt big in here mate'', as I was told.
Canals have been my salvation from an angling perspective, and kept me from retreating from angling.