What is it about canals and drains? Perhaps it’s because they are shallow – but ice doesn’t seem to affect the fish in the same way it does on stillwaters.

Witness the weekend’s 52-peg Winter League match on the Coventry Canal from canal basin to Foleshill Road, where they had to break three inches of ice, the winner had 38lb of bream and the top ten all had double figures.

Topping the pile was Mick Hatchard, who wasn’t even on a fancied peg (26). He fished pole and bloodworm or caster over joker for fish to 3lb, and the next two anglers also had over 20lb. Darren Bolton weighed in 23-5-0 and Rob Mallibone 20-5-14 – brilliant winter canal fishing.

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