Just the one...

Unable to join Lord Lite on his roker grounds tonight due to a general malaise that baulked at miles of shingle, Beach Gentlemen and a 2 hour each way drive. Made a rather shorter drive and the only bum barrel I saw was a single long tailed tit. What a lovely Norfolk name for this usually flock handed bird. Pair of buzzards over the copse, one doing a decent kestrel hover before the real thing showed  up as usual. Sadly don't see barn owls here anymore.

Pike fishing isn't rocket science. Put the bait in the right spot, and if nothing occurs twitch it or recast  a couple of times. Or both.

And this was the result. 12.10 and recently escaped form the death grip of an otter. I wouldn't have guessed it at half the size from the fight but perhaps it sharing my malaise. Short and plumped up. And yes it is lying on the thing of beauty on it's first outing. And I have found some replacement forceps

Now I did say piking isn't rocket science. So 5 swims and the Billingsgate approach for 1 fish is a good return? I have not been able to source any fresh sardine for ages and I wont buy them at  about £10 a kilo frozen. I do think they sit a bit higher on top of the silt and weed than the current alternative fresh frozen herring and give off a better slick of attraction.

Anyway a bird in the hand and all that....