Monday 27th May

Back on the Island View swim today, managed a total of 9 fish with the best going 22lbs. Today marks the end of fishing on my own as Mr David Wass arrives from the UK tomorrrow for a week so I will be off the Montreal airport tomorrow to pick him up.

Thursday

Due to the poor weather forecast for today I decided to fish from the bank and fish the bridge swim on the Parkway,  I didn't really know what to expect as the water here is much deeper than where I have been fishing and as a result the water temperature might be lower, however this was not the case, all in all it wasn't a bad morning as I had six fish including a 22 and 29-10 , I also lost a fish which felt like a monster and at one point I thought it was actually going to spool me, however the moment I started to get line on the fish it threw the hook. It's funny how the ones that get away always feel like

the big ones and it has happened a few times already this holiday but in this case I genuinely feel sure it may have been that special fish however we will never know. Around lunchtime we had a massive thunderstorm and this killed the fishing stone dead for the day, I did continue until around 4pm with no more fish to show so I packed up and came home, I am not fishing on Friday due to the temperature dropping and the weather is crap I am hoping to go back out again on Saturday

Sunday/Monday

Sunday saw an early start and I was down at the marina for 5.30am, in my swim for 6a.m. and fishing around 6:45. I had decided that if it fished well then I would bivvy up for the night and by the end of the day having had 16 fish to 20 lbs 6oz, up went the bivvy, on went the cooker and shortly afterwards I was sitting down to chicken curry. I had an early night and set the alarm for 5am, the weather on Monday was perfect with a west wind blowing in and it wasn't long before I had

my first fish. However it was a slow day by this swims standards and by the end of the day I had managed 12 fish but with a best of 29 lbs 12 oz, during the day I saw some absolute monsters out in the bay and may have to change tactics to see if I can get a better stamp of fish. I seem to be catching males on the whole and the females seem very scarce, however they are there because they keep showing themselves so all I can do is persevere and wait for them to get their heads down. It looks like bad weather for the next couple of days so the next session may be on Thursday.

Friday

Fished on Friday, managed ten fish with the best running 23-4, a lovely fish which, like most we catch have never been hooked before, whilst there I received a call from one of the guides who was surprised to hear I was catching as it was very very slow elsewhere.
Time now to introduce my neighbours, these furry little people reside behind me when I am in my swim, I think they tolerate me which is probably stretching it a little, not sure whether the occasional tail slap is directed at me or the bloody canadian geese

Tuesday

With an overnight low of only 1°,  I decided not to make an early start and to go around lunchtime. When I arrived at the swim the water level had rose significantly due to the high winds the previous day. I was fishing by 1.30 and it was an hour before I got my first fish which was the first 20 of the holiday at 20 lbs 2 oz,  I then had a small one around 10 and then another one at 20 lbs 8 oz I also lost 2 fish, one was a good one which came to the net but then made another run and threw the hook. I  finished the session at 6:30 so not a bad short spell of 3 fish and 2 lost, the water temperature is creeping up now and has reached 56° it won't be long before the place really kicks off

Back out with a blank

Went out fishing Sunday, feeling much better thankfully,  fished the swim that I had been pre-baiting at the beginning of the week, however low temperatures and very strong winds made it hard going, I packed up at 4pm without so much as a bleep. The temperatures are set to rise on Tuesday onwards so I intend to be out again then. Work around the house on Monday to earn some bownie points

Off to a decent start

6am Monday, boat loaded and off to the swim visited yesterday, gear out of the boat and a bit of trimming to the foliage and we were all set. The water here is only 4ft max but very coloured and I have seen fish swim past my legs in the margins previously. Tactics were to fish the polaris float combined with 2 grains of corn and one artifical piece, feeding corn with the catapult. 5 minutes after casting in the reel screamed off and after a brutal fight a 19lb common was in the net. By the end of the session I had caught 12 fish best going 23-4, the weather had been hot and looking down at my feet I realised just how hot, they were well and truly toasted ( will I ever learn).

Upon reaching the marina things really went belly up as I had one of my bad neuralgia attacks, this has ensured that I have been pretty much house bound since although I am feeling slightly better now, eating is still a problem but must be patient. I am hoping to be out again maybe sunday when the winds are forecast to be from the West. Here's hoping.

I love this swim, nice and cosy