Hi all,

I stay up in Leeds for a night or two every week on business. Rather than be bored as normal I'm going to try a few evenings after pike on the canal.

Does anyone have any local intel on this or fancy meeting up for a fish?

So far its looking like trying around the Royal Armouries but as I have no knowledge of the area I've just picked this as being within walking distance and with fishable bank.

Want to avoid fishing in any areas where I might get shot!

Cheers

David

Hi David, if I were you I would ring erics angling 0113 260 8345. Best tackle shop in Leeds and they would point you in the best direction. I work in leeds, never crossed my mindto actually fish there. Round by the armouries is very concrete. Holbeck and near the station looks more fishy..

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we've biked the canal from Bingley down to nearly Leeds. There wasn't a whole ton of water that screamed pike to me, though there are probably some there. Pretty path though.

Thanks
Rick

Good stuff thanks I'll definately give Eric a call and Google Earth those spots. I work near the PWC building and that stretch going through there looks really nice, lots of dace and small chub for them to chow. Just a shame the walls are so high. I'd need either a gaff or a drop net and would probably decapitate a jogger!

It wouldn't be my first choice of venue but rather than sit in my hotel room watching **** TV I might as well give it a go.. Will post results if there are any!

Plenty of pike in there. Lots of jacks and quite a few larger ones too. I used to live very close and fished it a lot when I lived in Leeds.
if you can get down to the weirpool on the Aire just past the armouries, there are pike in there although I've not caught any further upriver.

Re the canal, there are a few biggies in the Granary wharf basin but I don't know what access is like down there now they've put all those new blocks up.
Just wander up the canal casting, there are pike everywhere. Access is hard in places so roll or side casts will be in order. Around the locks are good spots, as are the weedy margins on both sides. If you can. cast to the weeds or under bushes on the far bank and retrieve. Poppers or surface flies should work well this time of year.

Appearences can be decieving - you'll catch them most places on the canal. Someone had a 30lb about a year ago and i've heard of a few 20s. Mostly jacks though, but lots of them due to the big head of roach and skimmers - big perch about too feeding on the roach.

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That's great, it does look pretty good to me. I fish the Thames a lot so I'm used to that "urban" look.

Tying up a load of flippers and a cool bass fly called a mississippi mudflap to pull some up through the weeds.

Do I need a day ticket or anything to fish there?

Mississippi Mudflap. Love it.

Technically, yes but I was never checked in nearly 12 years. Most of those that fish the canal don't have licences but somehow the EA never seems to check that kind of venue.
I think the canal is in the Leeds AA book - or it used to be - but if your conscience troubles you, tickets are available from Kirkgate angling in the city centre.
BTW don't ignore the Aire - it's 'free' all the way out past Rodley and is full of chub, trout and perch. I had my best ever brownie less than a mile upriver from the city centre.

I'm sure I can get over any issues of conscience!

The Aire sounds great, is it typical trout water or am I looking at streamers and bugging? Also would you need to wade? Hauling wet waders up on the train and into the office is something I'd like to avoid..

Having said that for some size trout I'd make that sacrifice..

Cheers for all this advice by the way, its going to make nights staying in Leeds a lot more tolerable.