WHERE TO FISH
Stacks of bites to be had in the South West’s biggest city
THE URBAN waters of Bristol’s Central Canal may be murky, but they’re heaving with fish – everything from big shoals of roach, to chunky chub or even a double-figure carp! To capitalise fully, it pays to travel light, especially if you opt for public transport to avoid the dreaded Bristol Clean Air Zone charge (don’t forget to pay online if you drive to the venue). You could pack anything from pole tackle to drop shot or carp kit, but we’d recommend a simple feeder set-up, with maggots, casters or worms.
TIDE AND TOW
The straight length along Feeder Road responds well to match-style tactics, with plenty of dace, bream, perch and roach on offer – but also some surprise chub and even the odd ruffe!
Pole anglers require quite heavy rigs to tackle water that can be over 10ft deep, with sudden changes and tow coming into play as tides turn and lock gates are opened. The canal’s connection to the tidal Bristol Avon makes it an ever-changing challenge. Look for pegs with a little extra width or a far-bank feature. A helping of groundbait is a great opening bet, but pick a fairly heavy, sticky mix so it gets to the bottom fast.
Feeder anglers should use a quick-change system so they can swap end tackle, if needed. You could start on a 20g feeder, but end up casting a couple of ounces!
A long rod rest is also useful to help you to keep the line off the water and beat the flow. Maggots will attract all species, but be sure to include worms to single out the better bream and perch.
PROSPECTS FOR BIGGER FISH
You won’t smash any records in central Bristol, but there are some excellent individual fish to be had, as well as bags of smaller samples.
If it’s quality rather than quantity you want, head to the basins. Bathurst and Totterdown Basins have larger bream, 1lb-plus roach and the odd carp.
