Well I've had better days on the river!
No sleep all night due to excitement of getting back on the river and trying out my new birthday present to myself(my birthday is the first day of the season)a centrepin.
Went on the Bristol Avon at Christian Malfordand started off in fine shape, forgetting my net handle and having to fish in only swims where my long rod rest could be used instead!
Anyway not put off by my own stupidity, I clambered through the jungle of grass, nettles and cow parsley getting wet though from all the dew in the process to a swim where I could manage with my short, makshift net handle.
Typically the river was in less than perfect condition and I struggled with my lack of trotting skill to do anything more than hug the bank I was sat on!
Moved to some other swims that required a great deal more hacking through of nettles, surely all this effort was going to justify I hook the fish of me dreams?
Ended up being tormented by shoals of small bleak and gnats, but still spent over 15 hours fishing solidly at a rate of about 1lb of fish per hour, for about 15lbs in total.
So why is it that I get so excited about the above, to a non-fisherman would sound like some kind of bad dream but to me............ it was an amazing location and a perfect day, with or without fish.
Plus by the laws of probability I must be closer to that dream fishing day, mustn't I???
Simon