Fishing
Flyfisherman. Richard.17 May 2015 at 17:38
Nice to see you getting out again Fred, missed you.
I've been down in the valley since, in fact the day after my last blog, but in my haste to get out of the house, I left the hemp at home.
I didn't feel comfortable with just a fresh loaf for the roach, so I ended up, after attempting to catch a few, taking carp of 8/10lb off the surface.
Good fun for a while on relatively light tackle, but far too easy.
I've since been down two nights on the trot , but I decided on Wednesday evening to go back to the first lake.
There's been a lot of rain and I steered clear of a potential bog on the approaches to the second lake.
On my approach to the water I was met by two families of greylag goose there are probably 50 pairs down there, and these two families had more than a dozen goslings between them.
There are also a dozen or so pairs of Canada's and an odd couple,at least it looks like it,of a Canada and a greylag, I'll keep an eye on those two.
So as you may have guessed, there will be(and is)shit everywhere!!
Anyway, fishing with worms and hempseed I settled in my usual swim, my first bite and fish was a chub of a couple of pounds, at first I thought good roach ,but then it showed itself.
A good few smallish roach were caught then all went quiet, and I got myself a perch of about a pound and a half.
The roach continued with the occasional interruption from a carp, but all in all, an enjoyable session.
I'm determined to get a good head of roach, hence the keepnet, not usually a part of my armoury.
During my stay on the bank I was alerted to the shrill peep peep of a kingfisher,the vivid blue and orange flashed up and down the pond most of the evening.
It must have a nest somewhere on the pond but, it never settled on the bank, certainly not in my field of view.
It also never came close enough to me to get a decent photograph,as can be seen.
The end product makes me even more eager to get myself a better camera.
It was back to the second lake last night, again using the same method, but it was unusually quiet, with only carp around the same size as my last visit driving me mad.
I did see George though, the farmer owner and had a chat with him, rather than the wave I usually get when he rumbles past in his tractor.
He tells me that all the big tench that were in this lake had "perished", I knew it had some a few years ago when the pub club fished it, but hadn't seen any for a while.
He said he had restocked with some smaller tench and some crucian's at around the pound mark, we shall see what I can find..
He tells me that all the big tench that were in this lake had "perished", I knew it had some a few years ago when the pub club fished it, but hadn't seen any for a while.
He said he had restocked with some smaller tench and some crucian's at around the pound mark, we shall see what I can find..
Back to the garden
I've found the goldfinch nest, it's just about ten feet from the back of the house, in a hawthorn bush which is part of the natural hedge I planted a couple of years back.The first nest in this now maturing hedge and it has four eggs!
Also a first, is a flower on our tree peony one of two planted about 3 years ago, the red one should produce open flowers in the next day or so.One of Pauline's favourite plants...big and blousy!
Our great tit pair haven't returned to the nest, and we haven't seen of heard from them for some time now, perhaps the hoards of sparra's around the feeders put them off?.
It was a day in the garden today,whilst the sun shines, but by lunchtime The Boss was asking if it was Pimms o'clock, and so it was. Followed later on the patio by a nice piece of grilled salmon, broccoli ,some Jersey Royal's, and a shared bottle of Muscadet......no fishing tonight!
Our great tit pair haven't returned to the nest, and we haven't seen of heard from them for some time now, perhaps the hoards of sparra's around the feeders put them off?.
Just today, my first spotting of the house martin's this year, a pair were around most of today. I wonder if there is a problem we usually have a good flock above us.
It was a day in the garden today,whilst the sun shines, but by lunchtime The Boss was asking if it was Pimms o'clock, and so it was. Followed later on the patio by a nice piece of grilled salmon, broccoli ,some Jersey Royal's, and a shared bottle of Muscadet......no fishing tonight!
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| The view from our lunch station |
Oz family
I had picked up family messages via facebook telling that my brother Ted was in hospital.
I 'phoned his home yesterday to be advised that he had an emergency operation for what turned out to be a gangrenous appendix.
I 'phoned his home yesterday to be advised that he had an emergency operation for what turned out to be a gangrenous appendix.
Being up in the sticks in Exmouth the North of Western Australia with no decent hospital facilities meant a Flying Doctor was needed to take him the 750 odd kilometers to Port Hedland, about 9 hours by road.
Fortunately all went well and he is now home.
Some sad news for him though. Mollie his early morning and evening walking companion for the last nine years or so, had died whilst he was away.A big part of the family, as can be seen and is being missed.
She didn't walk around you!
She didn't walk around you!
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| Ted's best mate |
