A Resolution?

Not a New Year's Resolution but a resolution for life now.  You will recall the link to a video explaining how you can protect the waters you visit from infestation brought in on your clothing and gear. 

Just have a look at this blogpost from derwent~keeper.  It will make your hair curl!  http://derwentkeeper.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/coming-to-river-near-you.html

This was the state of one Grafham angler's leg after stepping out of the famous reservoir's now, killer shrimp infested water.

If you are a traveling angler, please do take those simple but vital precautions before visiting each water.  Make it a serious resolution so to do.

Thank you.



Regular Rod

Pre-Season Peeping!

Or if we are allowed to be fancy, Reconnaissance?

Always worthwhile and anyway whilst out with Henry how could either of us stay away from the waterside?  It's in our DNA.  Henry to investigate and your faithful blogger has always been drawn to water, so it was inevitable on Monday that on our return home from a walk by the river our eyes caught sight of a splendid brown trout already on station. 

What was on the menu?  Damned if I could tell, but there it was, perfectly poised, ready for anything that drifted over and took its fancy.  A very encouraging sight.

More encouragement came again today, Wednesday, when wandering down the river Henry and I disturbed a Heron, which was standing well out from the opposite bank on some nice gravelly shallows.  What was Nog after?  An easy meal methinks!  The wild rainbow trout are on their redds now and there on the other side of the river, just where we had seen Nog, was a distinctive, cleanly-scraped patch of gravel.  All Nog had to do was wait until the rainbow trout were very preoccupied by each other and throwing a little of their usual caution to the winds.  Much easier to spear.  Nog has to eat.  The more cautious fish will avoid the Heron's spear of a beak and that is Nature's way...



Regular Rod

Opening Day...

...opening cast?  Yes I've even decided where I will try to make my first cast to my first rising fish of the season in 16 days time.  Here is the very place, from a snap taken last July with a home-made camera.

Of course there will be nothing like the number of leaves on the trees this coming All Fools' Day and there will be barely anything on the banks to hide behind.  Sitting low and moving slowly will be the order of the day.  Nature gives us a nice example of perfect handicapping.  In our favour, the fish are easier to catch early on and the casting is easier with fewer things to snag up on.  In the fishes' favour, hiding ourselves is much harder at this time and so we are easier to detect by the fish.

Here is another spot that in summer was easy to hide within but in April demands an approach that would not be out of place in the Special Forces...

Be Stealthy!



Have you decided on your first foray yet?





Regular Rod

A Thousand again...

Hoping you like it.  I couldn't resist the gestures these alders dead and alive seemed to be making in the misty morning.

Click the pic for a closer look.

Only 30 days to go now.



Regular Rod