Gareth can do one

Zanderland called for a last hurrah but so did the impending Apocalypse. Being the bugger he is Storm Gareth didn't decide to dump its payload until after TT and I had had coffee. The drain was being driven backwards with vertical rain and banshee winds and fishing was most definitely off. I bartered two fine Brays Cottage pork pies for a good quantity of redundant Fenland maggots and made my rain and wind battered way back home.

Yesterday promised even higher winds but less rain so headed off to the irrigation pond and into Newbies swim. I couldn't buy a bite on maggot but a jumbo smelt proved attractive  though the hooks didn't hold.  The sun broke out and the wind seemed to be more steady though still strong so I moved down the noddy train bank and out with a scaled down rig  with these lovely small sardines from an obviously over fished Adriatic. 

In short order the 10gm float was away and with a dashy rather than strong resistance I wondered  perch then under the wind raked surface a broad silvery looking flank. Bream? No. a jack I let unhook itself from the 1/0 Aberdeen. Newbie had related  a similar tale  though he momentarily thought a big roach had taken his pole fished fluoro maggot. It must be the blue dye administered to retard weed growth altering the light signatures bouncing back off the fish 

I do like a macerated lamprey, and so did 3 more pike but for what ever reason the hooks never  held home. 

You don't need to go a long way out...I snapped off on the perch gear  to the right hand rod just after taking this but got everything back bar what took the micro sardine.

Beers and food with a goodly proportion of the Bure Bois as it was the Metropolitan Elite's 29th birthday. Most excellent.

Off then to watch Farke's Naaarich boys overcome Hull with a fine 3-2 win under the lights. They  seem to be able to turn over possession and with short, neat touches take it away and break with unerring regularity. Back to the top of the table  and maintaining the 2 point advantage over Leeds.

I sneaked  a look at the Wensum on the way back to the car, it looked fishable but no free parking  slot until about 2pm so not sure where my last river hurrah may be?