Shad's your lot

Took the new drop shot rod out today for an hour or so leaving the deadbaits behind with the intention of trying it round some of the lock structures at Horstead. It is an 8' 5 to 15grm rod and I have yet to get a smaller reel and braid to go with it so teamed it up  with a medium Shimano and good old fashioned mono.

The water round the lock and mill races was being whipped to a foam by every man and his dog so back up to just below the bridge at Buxton.  Only had a  trio of ready tied  starter rigs and in truth the 5grm pencil leads were not quite man enough but interesting watching how the orange minnow was working. Not really enough structure  to work to and if I could see the bait any fish could see me.

Off with the drop shot rig  and a few exploratory casts with this nice shad to check out the weed situation and cover a bit more water. Has a lovely head down flutter  and also looks good  just bumped back across the bottom. Wind a nightmare but milder again.

The weed has had a good flush out so back next time with the bait rods but the drop shot and jig rod is going to be in  the back in the car for a couple of lunch time forays round  New Mills.

Why do we do it?

First away trip of the year. Meet the boys in an archetypal London boozer for a couple of pints and then a brisk walk  to savour the delights of The New Den. 442 of us hardy souls were penned in to the North Stand to see Col U's defence put up the most inept defensive display I have ever seen. We were tonked  4-1. The  ref must have taken pity cos at about 89 minutes our keeper seemed to clean out the forward who had again mugged the last man. Pen and red? No, just a telling off to the forward and shortly after our misery was over.

Back on to the sardine crush nightmare of Transport for London's  canning factory and the human zoo of the Weatherspoons at Liverpool Steet. Eldest son buys old man a meal and a pint..my role as head of the pack petering out. On to the train back to Norwich and beyond. Things going well until somewhere before Shenfield. Driver had lost communication with the tractor unit pushing the train. Took 35 minutes to fix. Diss,  snow settling. Head count of passengers with onward connection to Sheringham and a decision to hold the connection. A little ray of light in the stygian gloom.

One of those days

The rented Transit drew to a halt at the gates, still locked. Opened a few minutes late(er) and along the slab road into the car park. The reservoir ruffled by the steady sou'wester masking any moving roach. Open the big back doors, kit and boots on: left first (always) and then right. That's funny, won't go on. Because it's a size 6. Not a 10. Fortunately had my canvas Vans type thingies on. Not my work shoes. Grass damp but not wet. Far bank not showing  much gravel bank though, water well up. Nice. Ho hum.

Wak Lite arrives bearing many gifts. Buzz bars. Books. CD's. A Turnbull print. We set up on the car park bank waiting for the arrival of Zanderland's Norfolk bog door blue enthusiast  Two Terriers. Little to report save the delivery of sage roaching advice about groundbait colour, one fruitless drop back on a joey and the strange disappearance of a vital part from both Gardner run clips, the brass tightening nut. That has never happened in thirty plus years.

Squeezing out every last second before the belated arrival of TT who had endured several hours of road hell. Certainly 3 hours more than his sat nav calculated e.t.a.

We took  the longish trudge round to the favoured area, probably and crucially 3 hours past the hot feeding spell. First job was to get the kettle on, always a welcome addition for longer stay fishing.

Swim a little tight for 3 of us but needs must and just enough room to keep my feet dry.

TT more used to the rod hopping approach in the wild fens flicking out a bait into the hot area found like the rest of us that today it was barely warm.

One definite tug on a joey again for me and that was it. Wak, Essex Scribbler that he is will no doubt have a comprehensive  list of topics discussed to share but certainly the delights or otherwise of Wisbech figured heavily  and class war was heartily declared. Oh, and another failed Gardener tensioning nut.

On the way home, driving past a funky new web based wine distribution corporate hub in the fine city of Naarich I saw a group of hipniks brazenly cavorting in the brightly lit foyer or blue sky thinking place, playing wiff waf whilst we proles  trudged back to our Orwellian alcohol and pornography and there in plain site was a hideous chute, of the water slide type to enable these hipsters to come downstairs ...wait for it, without having to use using the stairs! How wacky and zany.

They will be first up against the wall.

Weather warning

Glorious day, ended up in Sheringham.  4 pm, sea flat calm, shirtsleeves and car display says 17C.