[Archived] Lancaster Canal Pike Fishing

[benhben]

Hey. Just wondering if anybody has been pike fishing along the Lancaster Canal or anywhere in Lancashire for that matter. Any reccomended places to fish?

Also been looking at these licences to fish. The canal website says to fish you need an annual canal fishing licence, which allows you to fish a load of UK canals. Think this is about 15 quid per year. The Environment Agency however say that you need a rod licence which costs 20 odd quid a year and allows you to legally fish for any freshwater species in the uk apart from migratory Salmon and Sea trout. If I got the EA licence would I still need a canal licence?

[Friarsnig]

Yes, you need both.

An EA rod licence is a bit like a TV licence, if you're going to use one, you need to have a licence. Then you have to buy a permit from the owners or controlling club of the particular water you intend to fish on - in your case the annual canal licence you mentioned.

There are loads of small pike in the Lancaster Canal, and the odd big one. It's the same on the Leeds/Liverpool. They are everywhere. Travel light with some spinning gear and keep on the move and you'll soon catch something.

[1864roverite]

Get youself down to Town Lane, Whittle le Woods on the stretch of old canal. Its got some big pike in a small area of canal wher eit joins the main canal from the locks.

Another good place on the cut is the bridge at Livesey Branch Road just up from the Fielding Arms or Riley Green at Hoghton.

Have a good one

[SAS]

i once caught a pike, about 10lbs, took ages to get, the owners wanted it out, so we killed it, they are evil fish

once caught a carp on a spinner too :s

[benhben]

Has anybody got one of these Waterways Wanderes Permits then? It says you need one but doenst tell how to get one. Ive ordered my EA licence online but for the canal licence all that is given is an address. Do you just post some money with a note asking for a licence? Sounds abit stupid, isnt there an online form anywhere?

[matt65]

my kids have decided they want to go fishing so i had to go out

and buy junior licences for em,the nearest place for em to fish is

the canal so i asked at the post office if the ea licence covers canals,

they said yes it does,so as far as the post office are concerned you only

need the rod licence.

[Friarsnig]

No Matt, that's not right. Your Post Office person is wrong. If you buy an EA rod licence then yes, you can use a rod anywhere in the UK, providing you have the permission of the people who own the fishing rights to the water you want to fish on. That's the important bit.

You could fish on the Tweed or the Test as long as you had the (very expensive) permission to do so. If you didn't have that permission, you could expect to get thrown off by a bunch of angry bailiffs and probably prosecuted for poaching.

On the other hand, on the local canal you'll probably get away with fishing there for nothing. You might get challenged by a local club bailiff, but the chances of that are slim.

But if you get rumbled for fishing without an EA licence by an EA bailiff, no matter where you're fishing or regardless of who's permission you have, then you could get fined a hefty wedge. Up to two grand apparently.

[matt65]

think thats what i meant,an ea rod licence covers canals,thats all

hes asking about,i think.

[benhben]

Yeah Ive already ordered my EA rod licence. £25 for a full season isnt too bad. But the Lancaster Canal website says you need a Waterways Wanderes permit which coveres all north west canals. Think this is about 15 quid. Dont really want this though as Ill probably only be fishing the lancaster canal, and my Rod licence says it covers all freshwater fish species, so was just wondering if id get away with just an EA licence.

Ill go ask in a tackle shop somewhere they will probably have an idea.

On another note has anybody been sea fishing along morecambe bay? Any good spots?

[matt65]

just phoned the enviroments agency up about what licence covers

canals and they say that canals are covered by the normal ea licence,

apart from the odd stretch that clubs own,they hadnt heard of

the wanderers permit,well confusing,dont think i will be going

again though,went saturday and they where bored after an hour,

kids.

[benhben]

Hey thanks mate. Thats good news. Hope you didnt ring up just for me though!!

Here is the link that says that you need a seperate licence for canals.

http://www.waterscape.com/Lancaster_Canal/...0224;maxn485425.

Given that you rang the EA and they say its fine im just going to stick with that licence and argue my case if i get shouted at!

[Gouldy]

Get youself down to Town Lane, Whittle le Woods on the stretch of old canal. Its got some big pike in a small area of canal wher eit joins the main canal from the locks.

Your pretty lucky if youve ever caught a big pike on there. Im not a fisherman but a couple of my mates are and ive been there a few times with them. Only ever caught 1 pike between us and that was a small one

[benhben]

Went down the canal near BnQ in Lancaster to do some spinning with a mate today. Within about 5 minutes hooked a nice pike on a silver spinner only for it to come off right at the bank! Then didnt have anything in about 2 hours after! Gutted. So yeah if anybody fancies some pike spinning Lancaster canal is a decent spot.

Also, nobody has ever asked for a canal license so I wouldnt worry about it!

[Billy Castell]

Has anyone been down Lancaster Canal for some pikey fishing?

All you do is put a sovereign ring or can of Carling on the end of your line and wait. The baseball caps and slamin' basslines make distinctive patterns in the water.

[Rovers Air Force]

Be carefull fella! If you need to have a seperate licence to fish on canals up round black burn (north west) GET ONE!!! If not you could be risking a water baliff taking your rods! And before any one says that they cannot... a lad lost his last saturday fishing on the nene without a licence! Cirtainly round 'ere you simply need your rod licence but some waters are privately owned (by water boards etc...) and you have to buy day tickets or become members to use their stretches... This sounds like the case with yourself! £15 is cheap as chips of a years fishing... especially when it could cost you your rods!

My records so far this year (I only use rods):

11lb Pike - Dead bait - on the drains around peterborough

9lb Common - bolt rig - Northy Bank Lakes (Peterborough/Whittlesea)

7.5lb Ghostie - Double red maggot on size 14 hook - Kingsland Reservoir (Whittlesea)

11lb Mirror - Dog Biscuit (Hair rigged) - Kingsland Reservoir (same day as the ghostie! but they were the only two in 8 hours! Thats why they call it fishing!).

1lb Chub - single red on size 18 - Railway lakes (Whittlesea)

3lb Bream - Sweetcorn and red maggot on a size 16 hook - River Nene.

You guys?

P.S. Any of you guys thinking of heading down my way? The Bluebell and Decoy lakes are only round the proverbial corner (10-20 minutes) and they both can result in bagging between 100 and 200lb! Including the UK's current largest carp!

PM if you would like to meet up and 'ave a crack, a bedroom/living room floor would probably be available for those interested!

[benhben]

Yeah, there is apparently a licence called a Waterways Wanderers Permit that is needed to fish the lancaster canal. However I cant find anywhere to actually buy this licence and most the people I ask say you dont really need it. The fishing tackle shop in Morecambe say that my EA licence is enough and if you get asked just give em a couple of quid and theyl let you carry on. There are loads of people that fish down the canal and doubt they have both licences.

[Rovers Air Force]

Yeah, there is apparently a licence called a Waterways Wanderers Permit that is needed to fish the lancaster canal. However I cant find anywhere to actually buy this licence and most the people I ask say you dont really need it. The fishing tackle shop in Morecambe say that my EA licence is enough and if you get asked just give em a couple of quid and theyl let you carry on. There are loads of people that fish down the canal and doubt they have both licences.

No worries then dude! I'd have £15 in cash just in case and fein ignorance just in case you get pingged... Good hunting! let us know how you got on!

[1864roverite]

Just for gouldy

fished Town Lane extension on Saturday morning for 2 hours and caught a 16 pound pike after 10 mins on a dead roach bait, swiftly followed by 2 smaller pike at 6 and 9 pound.

Not bad for 2 hours

[benhben]

I had a small jack or baby pike on the canal at Hest Bank last night. Must have only been 2 pounds max. Took my lure right under my feet on the last cast before I went home.

On a bum note, Ive had 2 rods break in as many weeks!!! Im sooo pi""ed off its untrue!!

[Rovers Air Force]

I had a small jack or baby pike on the canal at Hest Bank last night. Must have only been 2 pounds max. Took my lure right under my feet on the last cast before I went home.

On a bum note, Ive had 2 rods break in as many weeks!!! Im sooo pi""ed off its untrue!!

WTF!!! what kind of rods were they! Please dont say you were using match rods with a test curve (TC) of less than 1.5lb to try and catch big fish?

If looking for big pike etc I'd recommend a carp rod with a TC of 2.25 to 2.5lb you should be able to bully them quite easily with those... if targeting carp I'd and you want to play with 'em I' recommend a Barbel rod with a TC of 1.75lb and an 8lb line, lots of fun and hard work but you should be able to turn any fish's head with such a set up.

If the rods were not the wrong ones for the job, then possibly you could be trying to lift the fish to far out the water and too close to the bank when netting them? Don't want to teach you to suck eggs but try taking a knee, pulling the rod behind you shoulder and netting the fish as far out and as possible with only its mouth out the water.

There seems to be a lot of talk of pike fishing... My memories of 'back home' seemed to recall plenty of all round fishing opportunities, what is wrong with silver fish, carp, barbel etc? or is it a trend at the mo' with Pike?

P.S. SAS... How the hell did you catch a Carp on a spinner? Unless you foul hooked him I personally can't see it! What with their not being a predator fish! Not questioning the validity of your claim mate but a little surprised! Please elucidate!

[benhben]

Im the most jinxed fisherman out there, im sure! My first rod was something that you would never expect to happen again. It was a shakespeare Ugly Stick Travel rod, with 4 sections. I was spinning on the canal, got my spinner caught in some brambles on the far bank, tried to free it as you do, only for the final tip piece of my rod to come loose, slide down the line, then the line snapped, thus I lost my spinner and the tip of my rod in the middle of the canal. I couldnt believe it!

Second rod, was a Daiwa spin Rod off ebay, 6ft 6 as I like the smaller rods for casting. I only wanted it for Canal Jack pike anyway. Paid £45 quid for 2 off ebay, advertised as strong and powerful yet light and sensitive, perfect for pike. However when using it, just went to pull some weed off my lure. Hardly any pressure on the rod at all, only for again the tip to snap off in my hands. Was so pi''ed off again! Surely it must have been faulty. I sent the seller a message asking for a refund, but he says that he checked them and they were in perfect condition. Even if they werent faulty surely it was false advertising as there wouldnt have been a chance of landing any fish on that!

However undeterred im going up to Glasson Dock basin later for some more piking. Gonna take a more substantial rod though.

Also I dont know about any pike trends. I prefer sea fishing and spinning however Spinning doesnt seem that prolific in morecambe bay so canal is a good alternative.

[Rovers Air Force]

So the 1st one you could have rescued? (it was not broken, you failed to put it together properly?)

The second sounds like bad luck! The tip of rods are fragile, they rely on the rest of the rod for their strength, so the utmost care is required when handling them!

Sea fishing has never really interested me, but what ever floats you boat as they say!

[1864roverite]

Behben get yourself onto the Preston car boot on Thursdays. There is a fella there who has odd bits for rods that have been snaped or lost and is very very reasonable. He also has a selection of good carp rods ranging from 15-60 quid which are top value. He wont rip you off so pay him a visit and tell him what you want. He will sort it out for you.

The other place to visit for odd bits and pieces for rods is Lostock Tackle Box, they also have the odd rod end as replacements at very cheap prices.