You nasty little fecker.

Well, Jasper Farquhar has let some pesky little oiks muscle in on his turf since the spring. This absolutely vile thing actually stuck its great red signal claw right in my finger. Good job it wasn't one of the big ole daddy craws that are like lobsters. Drew blood and everything. Look at it's left tiny claw.

Fish wise perch, dace and roach kept me busy, particularly as the light levels dropped once evensong bells had called in the faithful and the dog fox began his barking behind me. Nothing knee shaking but a few did need the net. Most came on the drop so little need to feed as they kept coming. 

This triploid really did go well on the end of my line, a  bit skinny though. 200 of these pellet guzzlers will help keep a few pike in good trim though.

Something else went well on the end of my line, so well it went right down to the spool knot, I couldn't get the rod up, and over the big reeds to my right to follow it and could not turn it, even with everything locked up and the cork groaning under the reel seat.  I have only felt such inexorable power once before on the river, that time it was a mid -20's pike on meat that I did eventually get to the net twice, in heavy flow on 6lb line, only for it to shake it's head and bite me off. I didn't see this fish but it only could have been a big pike, carp or barbel I suppose.