The Strolling Bones

It was our last evening on the river before having to catch the ferry home.

The fishing bikes were loaded, two "nod rods" in the holders, landing net strapped on, bait bucket and bits in the basket.

Once again I was on the river before dawn.

Back on the Waal for the last five days of our trip.

After a weekend around Maastrict on the Grenmaas, catching nothing, but having a couple of crashing surface takes from asp, we headed back in to Germany to fish the Rhine.

Catching next to nothing at the moment.

There's been precious little fishing going on, the weather has been brutal. 37 degrees C today.

One country I've never fished, though I've visited a couple of times, is Germany.

After a few days on the djkes and canals, it was back on the ( different) river.

We headed north about twenty miles to the "Groene Hart" , a land full of djkes, drains and canals.

We got the ferry over to Holland, with rough plans to visit western Germany and the Ardennes in Belgium/northern France.

Up on the north Norfolk coast again, thirty miles of endless sand dunes, marshes and reedbeds, bursting with wildlife and yes, very, very big skies.

No, not the England of little Tommy, Mr Toad and the flagshaggers, an England that still exists, hanging on, whilst the shitehawks, grifters and ruthless corporations do their worst.

It's warm, sunny and we've lost that nasty northerly wind, so that can only mean one thing.

With no further sign of grassies, the next morning I scaled down somewhat, to 7lb line and a strong size 10 with double corn, in the hope that I'd have a few more tench.

Bully had seen that the best results came in the early morning, so the next morning saw both of us on the bank at dawn.

Well, we certainly picked a good week weather wise, dry and sunny for the most part, with temperatures in the mid to high teens.

Me and Bully are off on the night ferry to Holland on Tuesday, this time on the canals after grass carp and tench and maybe a go for barbel on one of the rivers.

Wak wanted a mullet on the fly, so plans were made.

Where to start ?

Sunshine, no rain, more and more light, the good times are here again.

I did a little garden job first thing in the morning for an old lady and on my drive back went over the bridge and stopped for a recce.

The wind dropped.

The wind swung round to the south west and increased in strength.

I've been expecting you ( apologies to Ian Fleming ).