Grand Union Canal

[peter crabtree]

I've not had trouble from signal crays at Marsworth. there probably are a few but not as bad as other places. Usually they fall off the bait as you bring them to the surface or occasionally the are hooked in the mouth, in which case I stamp on them and put them in a bin or chuck them in the bushes.

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

No, it was the red lion. They have both in Marsworth.

Know where you are now. Couldn't remember a red lion down there and never drove the bus that far down Vicarage Road

Hmmm, and that's more the place where we got plagued by the crays, north of the bridge, but it was quite some time ago, maybe 16 years back. Must have killed 15 or more that day.

 

[Chevin]

I never saw a signal when I lived in the UK but there were millions of the native ones. Friends of mine and I used to trap them for bait and for food. They really are delicious and I know that I would be eating a few of the signals if I still lived there.

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

Friends of mine and I used to trap them for bait

Ah, you could then, Ian. Peter Wheat recommended them for chub, but illegal now. I suppose because anglers will take them to other waters and even dead they may be carrying eggs and spreading the red little pests further. The white legged ones have all but died out around here now.

 

[Chevin]

Crayfish are a brilliant chub bait. The chub on the Upper Ouse were said to be so scared of cray fish it was impossible to catch them on a cray. That wasn't true, it was the way they were used that frightened the chub, I used to catch chub on them almost every time I used them. Soft crays were almost a guaranteed take from a chub and I discovered a way of trapping softies almost to the exclusion of others. I could never work out how the chub could tell a softie from other crays though. Another brilliant chub bait was a lamprey larvae. Not so easy to catch, but well worth the effort when you did get one or two. I believe that it is illegal to use these days too.

 

[Jeff Woodhouse]

I think lamprey is OK, they sell it in deadbait packs for pike in the shops.

Now this is top secret, Ian, not a word to anyone else, just you and me, right? I plan on using .....

..... anchovy fillets this year, very salty, very oily. I reckon they'll be a winner.

 

[Chevin]

I think lamprey is OK, they sell it in deadbait packs for pike in the shops.

Now this is top secret, Ian, not a word to anyone else, just you and me, right? I plan on using .....

..... anchovy fillets this year, very salty, very oily. I reckon they'll be a winner.

I won't tell any one about your secret anchovy baits - especially any of that sneaky lot at FM. I hope they work for you! :wh