Targeting Tench on Royal Canal

Fionn1952

Hi all,

After about twenty years away from it, I've got back to coarse fishing. After growing up on the banks of the Erne in Enniskillen, it's certainly a lot different fishing the Royal Canal by Castleknock, but I've had a couple of really good days with decent catches of roach, perch and the occasional accidental pike.

I'm aware there are tench and bream in the canal, but I've tried various baits, and the roach seem to hit it before I see any sign of tench or bream.

I've done a bit of waggler fishing, plumbed to sit right at the bottom or around 6 inches overdepth, and I've tried getting a feeder in with a tench and bream targeting groundbait, I've tried bait directly on the hook, and with a hair rig, doesn't seem to matter, I've a roach on the hook pretty much every time (except using maggots, which tends to hit a 50/50 mix of perch and roach).

Any tips for a way of selectively targeting the tench or bream in the canal? I know the buggers are in there!

bigjohnnykeats

Hi Fionn

Ive fished the royal a good bit around Enfield and never had a tench, though I hear they are there. I usually use two rods one feeder one waggler and catch lots of roach. Recently I've been catching some nice big bream as well - all on the float.

I found exploring was the only way to find them - a lot of roaming and trying different spots required I think. Get the bike out and go for a cycle watching the water.

Loose feeding and making sure line was sunk on the waggler were the biggest improvements to my fishing.

Cheers

uch

I find Canal Tench only feed very early in the morning or at Dusk, double caster is my choice of bait, as Johnny says it might be a good idea to sacrifice a session and walk the Canal early in the morning looking for signs of Tench feeding