Even my mojo has lost its mojo

Ive trotted three times on the Bure. Once on the Wensum. One seen  bite and one shredded maggot.  I've piked two stretches of the Bure. 3 runs. All missed. I've piked on one pond twice. Two missed runs.. I've even found out some 3 year old cheesepaste for one brief tremble on the tip. That's 2020  so far in a post festivity nutshell.

I'm hoping for some mojo restoring inspiration from this little lot tonight.

Blueish moon

Headed off to the quacks for an ex-eray as they say round these parts. I had turned up a day early but they most graciously fitted me in. I presume I had a knee still, she didn't say. A bit parky for shorts but better than changing into a gown.

Chores done I had about 2 3/4 hours to try and get at least a bite under my 2020 belt. I knew where I was headed but not where I would stop. The Royal Ditch? Pampas Reach? Bungalow Bill's Bend or Cyanide Straight?

Some where in the middle it turned out. A fair bit of water in still and with a steady pull rather than silky glides. Down the edge with half blueys then.

Wasn't long before the upstream bluey tail began to make its way past me but only token resistance and slight scuffing on the bait. First move and the downstream bluey head (see how I roll?) began to set of for Yarmouth at a fair old lick. A few bangs then a sickening slackness. Deffo toothy action on that mother.

I moved down methodically but no more chances came my way. Instead I drank in the bucolic English Pastoral. Rooks cawing  their way to their flood plain rookery, barking farm dogs and the mournful wail of the toy town loco on it's narrow little line. Wood smoke from a good old boys garden. Already a tinge of pink in the sky.

Which turned in to a stunning show to light my way back to the car.

What does a fish look like?

2020 seems to be a bit of a fishless desert at the moment. 2 hours on a fast ebbing Wensum yesterday and a seemingly perfect Bure today without even a bust maggot. Did see a big roach roll today though.

Never mind. Another bash tomorrow once I've had my shockingly painful knee xrayed.  Pike or bust I think. Once I've made a few traces.

Some bright spark....

Old Years Day over, it took some decent pyrotechnics to shake off the dusty old cobwebs. Being Norfolk we du different and in Cromer at least leave the Old Years whizz bangs to the newcomers. Last year's display was wet, cold and very windy but with the omens set fair I headed down onto the stones tripod in hand. Didn't experiment much with ISO 200 and f18 being the main attack.

12 minutes of  light and fewer bangs this time ensued.

Person with big head steadfastly set up pitch right between the phalanx of eager lens people despite the self-imposed exclusion zone declared by more considerate spectagogggers. The only occasion when "Gotcha " (The Soaraway Sun) and "Rejoice, rejoice" (The Milk Snatcher  and bringer of misery to millions) would have been a nearly appropriate response to an illegal torpedo strike.



Lots had to be cropped but I quite like them so here goes:

Tidal roach tomorrow weather permitting. Might have to take a blunderbuss to deal with Sammy the Seal who has taken up residence.

There goes the sun.

I managed 3 three quarters of an hour on Sunday,  two bleeps on one half of the drowned bluey and no kingfisher to watch but I did get to see this (in common with most of the country if Insta is anything to go by). Spectacular.

Double bugger, double bubble.

Spent most of Saturday waiting in for the white goods delivery  and and it was gone three-fifteen before I could get out so just a scout round, no rods in the car. Big water coming through Buxton Mill with more forecast so no Bure trotting Sunday.

Had to make do with the next best thing from Woodforde's Brewery. How could I resist? Helped me through Naaarich's spineless performance on MOTD though.

Just a scant hour this afternoon as the winter solstice sun slipped behind the poplars up on the ridge.
Out with the current customary halved bluey and settle back to watch the kingfisher. As usual I'm tempted by the marginal cover but overcame the natural urge to drop shot and lobbed past the next drop-off into fairly firm ground left and right.  You would bet your house on just past those reeds wouldn't you?

Almost immediately the left hand float was tearing off and  after a firm resistance the fish was off with a decent swirl. No sure how it  didn't stay on.

Out it went and  again an almost instant  take, but no hook up. Bugger I thought. By now the kingfisher was just a noisy diver on the far bank and I thought I'd blown it.

Two more casts and the right hand hand bluey head was off. No  sooner than I'd set the hooks the left hand rod was off. I set the hooks on that and dealt with the first which thankfully was easy to unhook. Leaving it in the net I then made contact with the other which at first felt like the friendly 20 but it shrunk at the net and together they wouldn't have made a 20 but lovely clean and firm fish anyway and not at all leechy.

Most excellent. Again.

Product testing #2

Mr Porky seems to be the main man Scratchings wise. This is his premium fare and I think is in a bigger bag too at 90 grammes. Usually £1.40 in the land of the Discovery (Waitrose) but reduced to £1.05 with a bottle of Greene King IPA at £1.25 was soon being rung through the till with the free weekend lifestyle paper and free to loyalty card holder monthly mag which is cover priced at £3.00.

Longer strips, and as a result probably more surface area for the salt to stick to. A more refined mouth feel but less goo. I wouldn't pay full whack for them. The IPA is good though and more of  a session ABV than it's uncle Abbott.