Dabbling

Over the past few weeks I've spent several evenings in pursuit of eels. It shouldn't be too much of a surprise, due to my lack of blogging, to learn that I've not been particularly successful. Just thirteen fish, thus far, the best weighing 2 lbs 10 oz although I did get bitten off, something I've never experienced before, by an eel around 4 lbs. In an effort to avoid a repeat experience I trawled the internet and stumbled across a Youtube offering by Duncan Charman and acquainted myself with the "twig rig". 

Surely it was a wind-up? But no, it really does work. The main purpose being to prevent deep hooking and, therefore, avoid getting bitten off. I had to give it a try and, sure enough, it works a treat. My only problem being that the first three bites I had, using this latest presentation, all came from small jack pike and not the target species. 

Sunset, as seen from the road near Saltwood, on my drive to the RMC

Not being able to rock up, on a whim, to the syndicate fishery during the weekend I took a drive down to the Royal Military Canal for a very spur of the moment session. I went to a section that I knew held good numbers of eels, due to their antics during our pike fishing exploits. I missed a bite within ten minutes of casting out and had to wait another hour before finally catching my first eel on the new rig. Exactly as Duncan had demonstrated, the hook was in the scissors and easily removed with no damage to the eel or the rig. Excellent!

Self takes are always a bit hit or miss. With eels they're bloody impossible!

Whilst waiting for the alarms to do their stuff I played around with my bat detector but was to be disappointed by the paucity of bats present along this particular section of the canal. I did, however, manage to hear three owl species, Tawny, Little and Barn, then add Long-eared as I drove back home, just after midnight; one perched on a roadside fence post.