Pike Fishing On The Manchester Ship Canal

The blogs been quiet for the last couple of weeks – Ryan Airs measly 15kg luggage allowance meant that the housekeepers eyebrows were raised to the highest levels when i attempted to pack a travel rod and some odds and ends of tackle.

I got back on Thursday so by the time I’d waded through my inbox, post and facebook messages it was Friday afternoon before i could even think about wetting a line. With only a couple of hours spare, i headed off down to into Manchester City Centre, parked up at the Casino on Regent Road and instead of working my way upstream into the city centre i turned left and worked my way downstream into the Ship Canal.
Alternating between my favourite 5 or 6 lures, all i could manage was a solitary 4oz perch.
I made my way down as far as Trafford Road Bridge, and didnt even have any follows from pike.
I’m getting a little disillusioned with lure fishing on the lower river and Ship Canal, other than a few fish from the weir, action has been very very slow. I’m packing away my lure gear now for the rest of the year – if i go again I will target roach and maybe use one as a dead or livebait on a sleeper rod.