Snapped off

Drove past Captains yesterday, the last vesitiges of ice were still valiantly hanging on in the shade of the conifer belt on the Norwich bank. Bure had been up again  and was chocolate brown.. 

Just had to get out today despite the rain. No one in the car park at Captains and there would be some shelter under the rhodos so that's where I stopped .

Still some weed but too shallow to pop up a bait. halved sardines as per usual,oily slicks calming the occasional chop. Rain petered out. Patches of wraith like misting off the surface. Pair of buzzards in the wood opposite. 

Got to Big Gap before the recently moved closer in poly moved sharply away. No fight at all unfortunately but  blank broken. 9 ish? perhaps a bit more. Note the new net. Wasn't til I got it out of the holdall today that I noticed that Angling Direct (we'll get you one out of the stock room Sir) had swapped the 42 incher for a 36.. Bastards. 

Farting about with the phone and What's App and the baitrunner on the further out (technical stuff) rod was ticking away. Much more spirited this one and  certainly worth a weigh. It went 15.5 which needed a re-check but it was solid rather than plump which is where the weight came from.

Was a bit lively so got it back in quickly. In doing so slipped and stood on the ferrules of my remaining North Western.  2.25tc but very fast taper  so no good for keeping hooks in carp at the net

but ideal for firing out small deads  and big bombs but equally good down the edge. I got the pair 2nd hand from sometime Layer legend in his  lunch box Zenon "Cliff Richard lookalikee" Boyko via Radcliffes. This was about 1983 and the £250 I shelled out was the best part of a months wages. The first one is about 4 inches shorter, and waiting  for a new tip ring and the one below moving down. Don't think I can salvage the one broken today but best get Len Head's Rod Building out of the Library before Cameron closes it down to resurrect it's twin that has sat waiting for me to act for 5 years....

Frost

Tuesday morming saw a really heavy frost which meant several stops on the way through the Bure and Wensum valleys to work.

Captains still has a skim of ice  but 12C is forecast for tomorrow, River is full and brown again after Friday's rain.  Either way it's pike time. Again. Will have to get some night time chubbing in. Norfolk's Mafia are descending which means the chub must be serious.

A bit flat, Norfolk

Norfok may be flat(ish) but when you live at the edge of the world you get this to look at. In my case often trough a car window as I ferry the little'uns round. Morston, a week apart

And Blakeney too

More of that than this.....

After Saturday's blizzard I had to get on the water somehow. First time I have needed thermals for ages. Even packed a flask. The river had been pushing through so opted on the lower beat with more slacks to fish to.

Hard going, needed 2oz plus in the slower bits to keep the bait still and it wasn't till about swim 5 that I had my first take,  but as the sardine was also attached to a large twig  didn't hang on long. Had then got to my next banker bush, first down then up into it before the really close in float began to bob, bob, bob. Love the fight of river fish and this was a very plump one of 12.08.

Couple of mat shots then into the net to rest whilst I found a few inches of bank to set up for  a grin and hold shot, only to find that pikey had made a fruitful surge for freedom and snapped the arm on my net in the process. Never mind, I'll have the mat piccies any way.  Computer said no and refused to recognise the two frames so this is all your are getting.. don't know if it was spawny or well fed.

Now the river has been in the field and the world  and it's dog have been trudging up  and down it  is a bit muddy.

Had a prolonged discussion with a person who thought it OK to neatly scoop up the afore mentioned world's dog's steaming shit into a bag, tie with a flourish and then hang on a fence post,  tried in vain to capture a kingfisher on a post shot, had my regular run in with Caleb and son who seem to think that permits and rod licences are for schmucks and oh yes, had another game scrapper of about 6lb before heading back through the mud.

A splendid day out.

Real deal

Following brief interlude normal service returns. Probably the last trip of the year on the Syndicate middle beat. Long straight, Bungalow bend,  Church straight or Beck bends? Up to the Beck. Red kite shows itself, confirmed by walker with bins.

Light going quickly as the spinney shades the low sun, think I will just move the bottom rod a shade down to that spot that has been calling for the last ten minutes. Snagged? No, fish on! It's taken a shine to half a sardine and makes several surges before burying itself in the net . Strange lack of flesh, healed over round the left eye. Hooked just in scissors again. Goes  14.02. Job done and off  the water by 4.15

s

taster

?

Norfolkcestertshire Police today took their usual hamfisted approach in lukewarmly releasing this photophat image of a local pike botherer who they wish to interview regarding a recent rash of large headed gentlemen appearing on MOTD. They warned dog walkers, geo-cachers and Hoorrays back down from Oxbridge for vacs only to approach him with large quantiities of salt in case he regale them with sightngs of red kites at Oxnead and daffodils flowering in December in Sheringham (everyone knows they are at Beeston Regis).

Bureboy, 79 and father of 27 retorted "I have not got a large forehead and busted nose like that dyke jumper Van de Gaal, or two huge wasp chewing bulldog jowls like Big Sam Liqorice Allsorts..." He denied owning every known release of The Man Whose Head Expanded by those Mancunian tosspots The Fall. . And that he ever wore Derriboots or has the same hairline as Steve Pastie Faced McDonald from Coronation Chicken Street.

"In my weak, non existent defence", he mumbled,"..,you try keeping still for a 20 second self timer release. I have never before, and will never be photographed again with two eyes open simultaneously."

Quick sticks

Not quite shirtsleeves but certainly no thermals or coat needed for a quick afternoon on the Bure. Steady push, slight tinge, looking spot on. Classic stalemate as member below wanting to fish up back  to the car, me wanting to fish down.  We politely ignored each other in the end..

These are my favourite poplars and a lovely near solstice sky.

Only one show of interest on a halved sardine on the far margin and this little un was the result.

Fiery glow to round off the afternoon as I made the short trip back to the car. Liverpool the latest names to feel the winds of change round the Premier League. Topsy turvy times to be sure.

The postman always knocks

The postman can knock as many times as she/he wants as long as these offerings are coming my way....

A stunning print from Two Terriers  up there in Zanderland, thanks John and Sue. Tangles with Pike and Crooked Lines by Dominic Garrett which deserve a sit down with a lovely Adnams Single Malt No 1 (or three). And some Essex Scribbler soundage to brighten up my journeys in my new Bureboy charabanc. No listing so a little mix of delights to discover.

The envelope from the Scribbler is addressed to Strange man with fat heeed. Which the postie unerringly sent my way. Strange that. Think we should all send all letters addressed with such minimal postal clues.

Storm force

Wind lashed Norfolk living up to the shepherd's warning red dawn. Glass reads 29 and 3/4. Weather App says 47 mph. Dodgy car temp reads 11 C. Been given a pass out so too good to  miss. One problem. Inner turmoil meant that replicating Lineker's shameless arse wiping along the centre circle turf, or Radcliffe's disgraceful mid marathon street shite was a distinct and present danger.

Not one for quackery usually I readily reached out for the Commander in Chief's little helpers and skipped lunch.

Suitably reassured set off for the syndicate stretch, slid down  the track and found the least tree lined spot to park. Short battle across the furrows against Storm Desmond's fury.

First put in with a sardine head right at my feet and the wind rattled tip  gave two distinct pulls down. Bait runner ticking and wind into a long, primrose flank twisting right under the tip.  Out into the main push and high hand hold required.
Up on the grass, leeches on the flanks. Hooked in the scissors.  No need for the tripod and grin for this one.

Reggie Cray showing some interest in the downstream sardine tail so
time to move in to the next glide. Gathering gloom, not even 3pm.

Twich the close in sardine tail into the slack and instant response. Again twisting, turning flash. Smaller this time round and a little less clean, but again scissor hooked.

That was it. Sorry Wak, no pictorial evidence of deep personal shame to share....I will however reveal that I have finally bought some Power Gum for stop knots. Only about 40 years behind the curve. It will be braid next.

 

Hook, line and sinker

Wak, nothing more depressing than the photo album of a single species angler....(who was that by? )