Shropshire union - ellesmere port to stoak

[Scouseflip]

Hi folks, I'm planning to take the father in laws boat out from the boat museum only about as far as stoak next weekend to do a bit of fishing. Only fished commercial waters previously so hoping someone can give me a bit of info on any decent spots, suggested tackle/bait and what kind of fish I might realistically expect to get at this time of year?

Cheers!

[fish41]

try this website
http://www.waterscape.com/canals-and-rivers/shropshire-union-canal/fishing.

You maybe limited with your boat as some of the better spots may have anglers on them and may not take to you mooring up near them.
Given the weather at present moor up and fish near any pub!
good luck captain
try a  size 2 mepps spinner for pike and perch

[Scouseflip]

Thanks for that, cracking link!

[NeilQ]

The short stretch by the motorway is quite good (If you were driving, you'd turn down the lane & go past the Bunbury Arms). There's a little bay halfway along & I had a couple of good sessions there a few years back. I fished right up to the reeds at the edge of the bay. Didn't put much groundbait in, just a couple of balls to start off with & then just loose fed squatts. I fished maggot & caster and had a bag of decent roach in about two hours. If it's cold, pinkies will work well. You don't need lots of bait, just a scoop of mixed maggots, some casters & squatts for your loose feed. Take a scoop of pinkies as well. Fish very light...1lb hooklength & No.3 elastic with a size 20 or 22 hook.

I'd start off with single maggot & if you're catching lots of small roach, loose feed some casters & stick a caster on to try & tempt some better ones. You might get some skimmers if you're lucky to sit on a shoal as well.

[Scouseflip]

Thanks for the tips! I'm not sure if the missus will let me take larvae onto the boat but I'll try my luck... if not would worms be a decent alternative?

Is the stretch you refer to the bit between the 2 sections of motorway? (i.e. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=stoak&hl=en&ll=53.248718,-2.868365&spn=0.002276,0.005681&t=h&z=18&vpsrc=6)

[NeilQ]

That's the one, mate.

Don't think you'll see that much action with worms though. Smack her in the nose.

[Scouseflip]

Lol cheers, I'll have to put my foot down! (translates as I'll sneak them onboard!)

That's me sorted for most the day then... I'll set up at stoak for a bit of fun with maggots on the float and I'll prob have a second rod on the feeder with meat or pellets - just in case something bigger passes by!

Also thinking about trying a spot of spinning for pike. Never tried that before but I've bought a small selection of mepps size 2 as per the earlier suggestion. I know I need wire trace and forceps and I'm borrowing a spinning rod from a mate, but is there anything else I might need? I had thought about trailing the bait behind the boat as I chug down to stoak and back... Is it worth trying or am I kidding myself!?

[fish41]

I am no expert on pike but john wilson uses a gardening glove and when you see the teeth on them (even a small jack) you understand why. I panicked with my pike as it had taken the spinner down and was trying to remember a video i had watched about unhooking them. you can go in through the gill flap if necessary. Good luck with the maggots.

[dan the man]

roach and hybrids have been the mainstay on the shroppy my m8 fished it monday at the enterence to the little boat yard at stoak picton .park by the bridge if in a car then walk down the canal towards chester youll see the little boat yard /moorings .
think its about 15 mtrs if ure pole fishing it .my mate was fishing dead bottom with pinkies and caster alternately,theres a bit of a pull but u can counter that by the use of an olivette 4 inches from the hook length keep it simple and light 3lb mainline 1lb bottom hook link size 20s hook .ok tight lines by the way he had nowt on feeder tip rig ,

[Scouseflip]

Thanks, I've Looked at a few vids online about handling pike... Looks interesting to say the least!

Appreciate all the advice, I've just been the shop for some light tackle and am ready to go - weather looks ok for Saturday so that's a bonus. Just hope I catch something now, and as long as it's fishy I don't really mind what I get!

Cheers!

[dan the man]

let us know how you get on m8,ill be there come february early march hopefully when its frosty ,some good shoals of roach in the boatyard entrance and lotsa sneeky pike ,i fishe p/sunlights carp lake today wasnt that great ,few bits and some stunning rudd ,some guy over the far end got a 11lb leather carp ,on the meat ,i of course didnt have any with me [great innit ] lol;still ill know for next time ,roadside ponds im told there still getting good F1s ,and decent perch on lobs so thats the next target ,tight lines all

[Scouseflip]

Sorry I never updated this, the trip was a disaster in fishIng terms!

What was going to be a group of 4 turned into 6 of us and only 2 being keen on fishing meant we barely got any time. I had hopes to stop up at backford but a lack of supplies being taken by certain members of our part meant we only got as far as stoak... No problem I though as this was on the hit list as well! But a quick bite to eat at the bunbury arms became an afternoon of food and drink so when we got back to the boat there was only an hour or so until we were due to start heading back to the boat museum. In th rush to set up we managed to snap 2 rods and only got an hour of fuitless fishing in ( both had a float rod out on size 16 hooks single maggot and tried with mepps spinners for pike on the 2nd rod).

Not surprising we had no joy in an hour and with several pints down!

But still eager to learn to fish the canal 2 mates and I drove back to stoak on Saturday to try again. Got there for 8am having popped down Friday lunchtime to get sone bait in, no rain but 23 mph winds and very cold. Didn't have maggots so went with double corn on method feeder over liquidisers corn and bread based groundbait. Not a sausage!

Also tried again for pike. Tried a few different lures, all floating ones with rattles but switched to spinners to try the deeper waters. Concentrated on the stretch between the motorway junctions, wandering up and down for about 3 hours. Not a sausage (but plenty of debris from the bottom! The wind made casting a nightmare and after losing several lures I packed it in and went home to get warm with a cuppa and a bacon buttie.

So another failure sadly but glad I at least got out for first time this year. Will try again but I reckon I'll do a bit more research first and probably wait for slightly warmer weather...

[DaveE]

An interesting report!

In the colder months stick to light gear and maggot/pinkie/caster/chopped worm and you will hopefully get a few roach and bream.

[Scouseflip]

Cheers Dave, I'll get properly equipped next time. I had been advised on this forum to go lighter than I actually did but foolishly allowed myself to be talked out of it in the tackle shop when I was stocking up before the first trip!

[NeilQ]

[Scouseflip]

I know sorry mate i practically had to force the guy to sell me the 16's he was adimant I shouldn't go smaller than 12 so 16 was a compromise!! I'll do it properly next time :)