Surrender monkey

Dontcha just love the give up and flop in the net surrender monkey snotters. Net is minging now. Lost a tench which are just as bad at snotting everything up but fight hard as feck.

Plenty of dragonflies and damselflies about.

Only had lunchtime yesterday which was madness but getting in to the river up to my danglies to trot the reverse eddy made it bearable till thirst got the better of me. The swifts were about too.

The river is full of fish right now and fingers crossed for the future 

Lovely watching this inevitable brown twist and turn in the clear water, the ratchet singing.

Corn or banded pellet next time to attempt to avoid the ravening hordes. Happy days.

Bell wars

Heat too much so wasn't till post tea chores done that I headed to the Soay meadow with  a few left over reds and the 15 footer. Funny how they won't fed past a certain point down the glide. Enough did  above the point of no bites to make it fun.

Competing sounds of the water rushing though the mill, Soay sheep, screaming swifts and the churches of Buxton and Lamas having a ring-off down the valley. Bliss.

 

And the cupboard was bare

 I went to the cupboard, and rather like Old Mawther Hubbard found that it was bare. Not a crumb of the Source left. Well, apart from a few hookers I' d been kept dampish in a tub. Off up the city then to use my Go Outdoors discount on a few bits. Dropped in on the top of the tidal fleshpot, just some hippos (sorry, wild swimmers) so went  above the weir to clear a couple of likely spots then back to the charabanc to head home to load up the tackle and a gaggle of kayakers had rocked up. Bugger

Got home and headed the short hop to Golden Pond instead. New Source on one rod and 3 grains of golden goodness on the other. Next to the baitrunner and method feeder the push stop must be the  most useful development for ages. Game changer.

If they stayed on better the Puddle Chucker would be up there too. Ideal for shallow work and cast well. This blew into my swim, I must have lost it last year as no one uses them on here.

Quite a strong (warm) facer so the  old premixed groundbait I'd got out of the freezer for the river came in handy to get some bait out. I'd only a shortish time and as ever it took a while to get the bubbles going, and two proper chances, this cormorant dodger

and a chunky one on the Source. Time up and the swim was a cauldron. Never mind.

I've been on the Occasional as well, the bag and wafter down the edge is still working and so much so I've just ordered a pair of 12 foot 2lb tc rods which I think will be perfect for the job. Used part of my retirement gifts to fund them.

Last trip saw 4 cracking tench hitting the net in two hours, lovely ole job.

1 river, 3 swims

Late Sunday pass out, bright but windy. Got the 15 footer tackled up for trotting. first swim above Noddy Train Bridge and the scum filled right hand feeder, alive with tiny but perfect roach, dace and chub. Shiny as new pins but but no sport. 

Crossed the footbridge and tried the line along the far bush below the scum filled feeder, better stamp of fish and even the odd gudgeon.

Thought I ought to check out the stretch below Noddy Train Bridge, as expected very neglected, most of the old favourite swims overgrown with streamer weed bank to bank. Some enterprising member had found  a longer long glide with less steamer weed and made a waders recommended gap. I don't  have waders (yet)/ so got as close as possible and used the extra length of the Greys to poke over the annoying vegetation.

Not easy to follow the progress of the float down the glide due to the view obscuring vegetation

but it was going down a long way which was encouraging. Dace, roach and several gudgeon, no chublets. 

Broke down the road and had a wander, made a gap 15 yards down the glide for a longer trot  and scoped out a few more for further work. Which meant I got caught 200 yards from the charabanc in an intense downpour which instantly soaked me and my gear. Spectacular fireworks from the power lines by the car park.

Two Rivers

1st day, plans to hit the fleshpots of the upper tidal before the circus descended, 3.30 wake up, bun dat. Chores then earn my corn "checking yer permit mister", just how many signs have you walked past before resting your rod bag on that sign? No, you can't carry on now you are here. Melts.

Which left me an hour or so to trot down the mill run off in the shade of the poplars. Simple, uncomplicated bliss. First trot a dace, one of many.

Chublets too, this greedy fecker stuffed to the gills with loose feed.

Black spot common here.

The standard few in a net, just enough for me to feel ok about when trolling the usual bream angler carnage shots. (yup, double standards but that's me folks).

Tuesday and the Wensum called, Chicken Bridge as usual. It's a bit over grown but found a few. I'll probably wait now till autumn to come back for the roach which do still lurk about but its brownie and dace city really.

Spot the Loafer chubber

  

Either way, there is always Spoons, can't beat this combo for under 7 quid in a hot day.

Pond dipping

Golden Pond has been good to me last couple of trips, the rhodos and flag iris are going over now but it is still a picture.

The usual barrys with a liking at present for corn/dendro kebabs  though they won't turn their snotty noses up at a Source mini either. I do like  a screaming baitrunner on the method or a bag  but the silt has given me an excuse to get back on the twizzled loop link ledger, hitting bites on the up. Might even press the swingtip rod in to action. Once anyway.

They are a bit spawn bumpy at present.

I did try a bag with a lighter lead and a Source wafter and this barry tripped up.

And the first Pond tench of the year. Angry little bugger. Rivers next.

Never trust a man with egg on his face

"She pulled out a gun, I saw the sparks, messed up the suit he'd bought from Marks."

It's a bit early in the year for countless 'my perfect cheese paste recipes' designed purely to wind up The Loafer so whilst house bound due to Cartrouble Part 2 and taking a decorating break lunch I was minded to share 'my perfect scrambled eggs method'. 3 eggs, milk or preferably cream, salt (pepper after as it makes them grey if added first) and a small frying pan with melted butter. Pour in whisked mixture and slow heat, whisk again gently, turn off pan and slide onto heavily buttered granary toast, two rounds, sliced in triangles. Maldon sea salt and pepper. If you can't simply wipe pan clean with a paper towel you've fecked it up. Absolutely no dried egg should be left in the pan. No sauce required and definitely no baked beans. Smoked bacon or sausages with brown sauce or smoked salmon are ok but really it's  a dish in its own right.

Car back, and teatime pass after the rain headed to The Occasional. I've found some tench, mostly on a Source wafter down an edge with a bag, this time fluffed one up on the drop first swing in, second fish came off after  a bit of a trundle down the lake then this high backed belter before the rain swept back down the valley.

I'd better not get egg on my face.

Cartrouble

So much for  a week and a bit of no work hedonism. Car MOT  early to be sure of having it for the river season. Failed, perhaps ready by the end of the week and not cheap. As Stuart Goddard wrote-Cartrouble. Saw this on Saturday whilst queuing for Lydon . What irony. Might go as its local and on the train again but it'll be all the post Dirk Wears White Sox crap so perhaps not .

 

So as the Loafer cruelly but accurately observed I've been pottering about.. Haven't joined Neighbourhood Watch yet but I've painted the 'Best' room. I did get on a train yesterday to get lunch as I'd got Wordle in 3, Connections in 4 and the Mini in under a minute.  

It's raining and I can't attack the hedges so I might don my galoshes, visit Mr Pharmacist  and go a bit further on the train for more lunch.

He's got the moves has the boy Lydon.

Up the City to see PIL play Epic Studio courtesy of eldest son Global Head. Getting on the train was a squeeze with standing room only all the way to Norwich. Must have been the heat bringing everyone out for an evening out. Lost count of  the pissed people at 7pm. Best was the bloke who walked face first into a pole, spinning round it in a daze. Met up briefly with the Global Head for a pint before the queue snaking down Magdalen Street.

Astounded as per usual with the price of pints in Epic Studios, nearly 8 quid for a Stella. Plus the preponderance of glasses wearing pensioners.  The four-eyed community of which I am firmly part of. Spot the obligatory aloof Indie guy, tall, skinny,  big hair, big nose, jacket and skinny black jeans, There is always one.

  

Lydon is a big bugger these days, probably surviving on mountains of Country Life butter. Got a big voice and stage presence to boot, a proper showman with a vicious turn of phrase. Told us his dad worked in Bacton. Yes those are people who have paid extra to sit down.

Didn't recognise all of the songs  but Poptones which Jah Wobble did here, Public Image of course and  Burn, Hollywood Burn stood out. He looked like he was enjoying it, as opposed to Peter Hook having to work hard to play bass and sing the Joy Division/New Order sets .

Back on The Vomit Comet to meet up with middle son Teacher Will who'd been out all day on a paddle board  visiting riverside pubs on a Stag with Daft Andy. The train fell ominously silent.. A man with a clipboard got on.  The train was going nowhere. Eventually taxis were found for a banter filled onward transfer to Bure Boy Villas. 

The first day of the rest of my life

I've done it. I've retired. Nearly 43 years of service and I'm taking my slice, having a long 'week' off and going back for 3 days a week for now to feed the hungry mouths at Bure Boy Villas. Buggered if I'm working till I'm 67 though. Took a slow drive home.