Birmingham Anglers Association

I tend to only fish the canal in winter and usually catch just past the middle with the odd fish over the far side, this applies whether fishing from the west or east bank towpath. Recent visits have been when the weather has been overcast anyway. I have on a couple of occasions bagged up fishing punch at just 3 metres (once in a snowstorm !)

However the canal has been very unproductive ! the last four trips have been:

St John's Lane, late afternoon, caster, two bites, one decent roach landed one lost;
Ditto - no bites or any sign of fish whatever;
Wolverley downstream of locks - late afternoon, 1 perch 5 oz on chopped worm
Kidderminster, barges upstream of A 451, morning, punch and pinkie, no bites, no fish.

Until recently I used to boast that this canal was the go-to venue when you were struggling anywhere else, you could sit down almost anywhere and fish either punch, caster, chopped worm, and catch - even when ice on the canal. Nearly always catch a pound or so even in short two hour sessions (best ever was 24lbs. in 2.5 hours). But this last four years (since COVID actually) the canal has been very, very different with lots of blanks. Something has certainly happened to the venue. But I'm curious so I will probably keep trying !