Week 98

A bit of a gap, caused by Thunder and Lightning visiting the parish. A huge ball of sheet lightning bowled up the valley hitting the power lines and cooking our computer and skybox. Several TVs in the vicinity were fried and up at our neighbouring put and take trout fishery many fish in the lakes turned turtle and one fisherman was left a quivering wreck after discarding his carbon fishing rod seconds before the lightning struck. The computer has been replaced, along with skybox and normal service has resumed.

During the last week of the Coarse fishing season my son and his mate had some spectacular pike fishing, often at this time of the year, with the fish moving into spawning mode, males will congregate around the females who are making their way to backwaters to spawn. It is an easy time of the year to locate pike, and if you catch one small jack it is worth chucking your spinner in the same spot a few times more as invariably there will be several other jacks in the same hole, along with a much larger female, all of whom are high on hormones and will slash at anything shiny dragged past their nose. The two boys landed six and lost four from the mouths of two spring ditches.

The bridge has gone up, a telegraph pole split down the middle and fitted with a green oak deck, with luck it should last a few years. The battle with the willows is nearly won, for now. A little open, the gaps will be replaced by phragmites and sedge within months. The four month old Brown Trout in the hatchery are feeding well and are now around an inch long, they are getting a little tight for space but it may be worth holding off putting them out into the pond for a few weeks as there is still a little colour in the river water, the clearer the water, the fewer the problems with gill infections.

The Goose came back, exhausted after a fortnight roistering with Greylags, Canadas and Pink foots up and down the valley and beyond. Sightings were made half a mile upstream, and eventually she was recaptured a mile downstream shaking her tail feathers at gaggle of lusty Canadians. Dad’s admonishment was fleeting on her return and he has returned to his dotage, tending to her every need.

The first Swallow turned up, and feasts on a midday hatch of Olives that hints at warmer days. The Cettis Warbler is back and the Mallards pair and unpair, the Drakes ultimately rodgering anything that moves. No Ducks are yet sitting, probably a little sore, judging by the carnality of recent weeks.