A Sense of Mystery: W//Wayne Hockley

Where it began

On a wet Wednesday evening is where my journey started. With little to do on this particular evening, I found myself scouring the internet and stumbled across a few videos of a deep Devon canal. After watching several clips, doing lots of research, and even managing to get in contact with an angler who has had a few results on the canal, catching a few of the special ones, the adventure was beginning to come together in my head. I decided to put my plan into action and booked a few days on a local caravan site to start my epic canal journey.

This canal has become a firm favorite of mine. In some sense, it offers peaceful fishing, but at the same time, it can be buzzing with activity on the towpath and the water surface. The canal can offer a sense of mystery and exploration. Stocks are often unknown, which makes it a buzz and a surprise to see what turns up.

Tackle & Bait

With the towpath being narrow, my choice of rods was the 6ft Nash Sawn Off's, and my choice of rigs for the Canal was a high pop-up rig, which worked very well. This is largely because the canal has a very silty and muddy bottom, so presenting a bait above the silt is key. My choice of rig was a fluorocarbon Ronnie, but a chod or hinge would be good alternatives, and back leads are essential to keep the line pinned down, out of the way for any passing boat traffic. Now, 'the bait,' it was always going to be the Bancho Nut, it's one I've had success with over countless years of use, and I think, given the silty, muddy bottom type, this bait gives me a massive advantage, as I know from experience, this bait won't take on the aromas of the silt and mud and will carry on leaking attraction around my swim. My chosen hook bait was Bancho Nut Pop-Ups fished over a boilie and bread crumb using PVA mesh bags and, my third arm, the Bushwhacker baiting pole to get into those tight snaggy spots, where most of the canal carp like to hide. Also added to my boilie crumb was the Bancho Nut oil and the Bancho S.L.A.B liquid, which really gets the carp down on the feed.

Pre-Baiting

When pre-baiting, I like to find snaggy areas, and it's also worth paying attention to natural feeding zones too. You will find that bird feeding areas can be good spots, and anywhere boats are present, I find them real hotspots. I tend to pre-bait with just 15mm and 18mm boilies and tend to stay away from particles, as they attract nuisance species like tench, bream, and roach. I don't put loads of bait in, just a couple of handfuls or scoops are normally enough, as you don't know how many fish will visit your spots.

Finding the Fish

The first task of the day is to locate the carp. They usually aren't as visible as their lake cousins. I usually start at the basin end and work my way down the canal. I try and stay away from the basin as this is busy in the day with tourists, so I concentrate further down the stretch. I try and focus on the tail-end of the canal as these are safe zones for the carp.

The Battle

After day 1 blanking, the next day the wait was over. My heart was beating incredibly fast and the adrenaline Set in, all for the fish to get snagged. With a tiny bit of pressure, I was back in the battle, freeing the fish, which then led to an epic battle that took over 10 minutes. When I slipped the fish over the net cord, I was very emotional, as I felt it was mission complete catching my first-ever urban canal carp. From that moment on, it was a way of Fishing I completely fell in love with – it was simply you versus the carp. I couldn't wait for my next sessions at the canal.

Next Time

On this next session, I couldn't wait to get back down to the canal. The 1hr and 20-minute drive from my house seemed never-ending. I rolled up in the car park, loaded up the barrow, and I was off, chasing more canal carp. On this occasion, I set up in an area where I saw the lads from Nash catch a few, as this spot last time was taken. After half an hour, I had 3 canal carp to my name, I was absolutely over the moon with this result. I now felt like I was unlocking the key to fishing the canal, and I just had to share my news with my fellow anglers. I find that most of the takes are one-toners, and the fight is epic. These canal carp know where to go in the heat of the battle. I've caught fish all over England and in France but never experienced a battle like this.

3rd Time Lucky

With work commitments and a busy few months, I was eager to get back down the canal. After filling in the holiday sheet and I found myself back in the van driving down the motorway, with cans of energy drinks fuelling myself for the day ahead. With the barrow quickly loaded, I was on my way. After finding a few fish in the snaggy area, I decided to stop and get a rod on them. It was a little slow to start off with, but once the fish got their heads down and on the bait, I was away. Another Bude banger on the board! After catching another one half an hour later, it was time to wind the rods in and time to celebrate at the Brendon Arms with a ploughman's and a pint, only had one – had the drive home!

My forward journey

After clocking up many miles in the van and unfortunately getting a speeding ticket, my canal journey carried on. This next catch proved more challenging as more people were out using the canal and enjoying the weather. There also appeared to be more anglers competing for the same spots. After an hour or so of walking the canal, I stumbled across a few feeding carp, I sat and observed for 20 minutes before I got a single rod out, as I felt if I was in for a bite, it was going to happen quick. I have found with the canal, once you catch a couple they move off pretty quick, so once the spots are blown, it's up and away and on the move again. 

Last chance of the day

Not being able to fish my banker spot on the canal, the sun started to set and I made my way towards the car park. I noticed on the way back an area that I have caught fish in before, there was clearly fish feeding as the area was like a Jacuzzi. So, I quickly removed a rod from the barrow, hooked a PVA mesh Bancho bag and under armed it to the spot. Within 2 minutes the rod absolutely melted off. Fish in the net, job done!

A few more sessions

My sessions carried on throughout the year, moving up and down the towpath and enjoying the serenity, chatting to people on the canal and catching more fish and sharing the excitement with passersby – even the dogs try and nick your bait it smells that good! On a few occasions being there on my own I have asked a few people to take pictures of my catch and enjoyed having a chat with them. I have found everyone who uses the towpath to be so friendly, it's an environment for everyone, but one thing I would say is that the canal is one place carp anglers should be visiting more, as it has so much to offer.

My Last Session This Year

Having some days of holiday to take, I booked a few days in the Brendon Arms so I could get a session in. This probably being my last canal session of the year before a trip to France and other opportunities await. I wanted to go out with a bang. The first night I spent up at the basin until around midnight before winding the rods in, getting showered, and waking up to a full English before making my way down the towpath to try and put a good year on the canal to bed. The day was very slow, nothing to go by, and the water was really busy with school canoe trips and people enjoying the sunshine. So, I decided to stop and fish a spot, what I call the banker swim. I put 2 rods on their spots and waited very patiently for a take, but something in my head was telling me that I wasn't happy with the right-hand rod's position. I needed to be a little closer to the overhanging trees. After winding the rod in and putting a fresh PVA mesh bag on and putting it back out, within 20 minutes the rod was away, and after moving again, I only had the 1 that day. 

Little did I know that this carp was one of the original stock, and there were not many left which made this catch even more special. Not the best-looking carp in the world but very special to me. 

The next day was a slightly later start as I went out for a meal at the Deck the night before, which I highly recommend, and obviously a few pints of fruit cider. I got up and went to a new spot that I've not fished before, as there was someone in the spot I had planned to fish, I was left with no option but to go find another area. It was proving very hard to find them but walking down the towpath I saw a fish roll tight to the bank. So, after not seeing anything, I jumped on the spot I saw the fish roll. I took a single rod off my barrow and put the rig on the spot using the ever-reliable bushwhacker baiting pole, a must-have bit of kit for waters like canals. Once I clipped up the bobbin, it only took 10 minutes to rip off, and I was holding another Bude canal scaly mirror that proved to be the last fish on the canal this trip.

Future Campaign

This canal has become a firm favourite of mine. In some sense, it offers peaceful fishing, but at the same time, it can be buzzing with activity on the towpath and the water surface. The sense of mystery I feel and the exploration of the unknown stocks are but a few things that make it a buzz and a surprise to see what turns up. I have so much love and good memories down on this canal, and going forward I plan to do a winter campaign and carry on enjoying this special piece of water. I have met some really nice people on my canal journey, and I hope you've enjoyed my little insight into fishing at Bude canal. It's been a blast, and I can't wait to do it all again! 

Speak soon! 

‘TIGHT LINES’

“Hocks x"