It started with a.................................blank

Fished this morning 7am to 12 noon, only 1 run to me and lost it (on the right hand rod Dave), the temperature was just hitting 29 degrees when we packed up with the water not much colder. Fish were showing but not feeding and evidently it was the same all over, never mind tomorrow's another day so they say.

We've arrived.....well nearly

As I type we have just left Toronto Railway Station (wonders of wifi) on the last leg of our journey, only the small matter of a 4hr train ride and we will have arrived in Cornwall. Got to the station and called in at the baggage dept to enquire whether I could take my bivvy box on the train due to its size and there being no baggage car, no problem, a porter was called and not only did he take both bags on board early for us but reserved our seats as well......$10 tip well earned i'd say.

Counting down

Next Tuesday 20th sees me and Joe back over the pond for 5 weeks, can't wait to get back into the carp fishing and pottering about in the boat. Temps are going to be high but certain swims have the deep water and will produce. We are going to do a couple of overnighters this time which could be fun and it will be interesting to see how the area fishes in the dark....watch this space.

A proud day

Yesterday my youngest son Joe who is 15, told me that his mum was going to drop him off on the River Calder on Sunday so he could have a couple of hours fishing. I have been unable to do anything for a week as I have been laid out (literally) with a bad back, so I was quite pleased with his enthusiasm. I did think however that he may be wasting his time but never mind I thought at least he is showing willing. So off he went this morning and I awaited a call. About 10am he rang me and I asked how things were going...........I'm getting knocks on the pellet he says and I've been in the next swim down watching the chub taking pellets. Great I thought well at least it's not totally hopeless, 11am............Hey dad I've caught, great I replied what was it??, a 3.l/2lb chub followed next cast by a common carp of about 7lbs. Bloody hell I thought, keep the bait going in I said and well done. He wasn't finished there though, he ended up with another 2 (Brown Trout), lost one to a broken hooklink tied by yours truly and then just to really finish of the session caught a BARBEL which he estimated at around 5lbs. He packed up at 12 which meant that in 3 hours he had 1 Chub, 2 Brown Trout and a Barbel and had his licence checked by the Police. So the lad did good despite his dads doubts............but then again what does he know.

The fishing licence

I have read on various websites, the mumblings and grumblings of individuals with regard to how our current licencing procedure operates. Having come back from Canada recently, their system seems quite effective and is one I feel we could adopt. Firstly you go into your local tackle shop and complete a paper licence which is given to you. A copy is then sent away to the fishing board and you are sent a credit card type licence which you carry with you, It contains details of your date of birth, height, eye colour and obviously your name and address. Then at the start of each year you simply go into a fishing tackle shop and purchase a 'tag' which is stuck onto the back of your licence.............job done and this can be repeated for 6 years, no need for i.d as it's on your card, it seems such a simple method. Maybe though it is just too simple for our lot.

Friday

Today we both leave for home, I had a busy morning cleaning the house prior to my departure, Dave however managed a couple of hours fishing and caught 7 including a 20 and 5 doubles. His total catch for the week was a creditable 71 carp in 8 sessions including 11 x 20+ and 46 doubles, considering the hot weather and spawning fish he did very well indeed. Fortunately I looked at the itinary for the flight home and noticed that we actually left at 5pm and not 7.30 as we had somehow thought............bit of a rush but we made it in plenty of time. So another May passes by (they seem to come round quicker every year) but for me its a short spell back in the UK until I return in July with my son Joe for some summer action.