ordinaryangler

Smarting from the loss of that decent perch during my last session on the Soar I was keen to go back and try again.

Sad news recently about the death of Trent fishing legend and local character Archie Braddock.

Didn't get out much over the summer - high temperatures and low river levels prompting local clubs to enforce fishing bans being one of the reasons.

A combined birthday and anniversary celebration involving several pints of Wye Valley Brewey’s excellent "Butty Bach" put paid to any ideas of a morning session yesterday.

Celebrated 33 years of marriage by sneaking off to Milford Haven for another quick morning session.

With no let up with work through July and the hot weather continuing I didn’t really have the time or inclination to head out onto the rivers again.

Didn't get out again in June due to some unforeseen demands at work and by the time those were out the way it had got too hot and oppressive to think about staying outdoors for too long.

The closed season passed very quickly this year with nothing really blog-worthy to mention.

Popped down for a few days over Easter with the in-laws in Pembrokeshire so took enough tackle to cover a range of eventualities, but with the main target being my first bass of the year.

Well the February water situation report for the Midlands wasn't really a surprise, all river catchments receiving well above normal rainfall during the month, with the Lower Trent and Soar catchments getting a whopping 254% and 272% of their long-term av…

Despite the loss of that trout I felt quite bouyed up by my last session, so when the weekend came around I decided to do some prospecting rather than play safe.

I've probably said before that grayling are my favourite fish and normally the majority of my time over the winter is spent in their pursuit.

Well, we have certainly had some exceptional rainfall here in the Midlands this winter.

Seems to be the case that we are getting increasingly wet winters but this has to one of the worst so far.

It was apparently the most depressing day of the year yesterday, although mention "Blue Monday" to me and it immediately conjours up memories of 1983 - under-age drinking in dingy nightclubs in Birmingham, sticky dancefloors and girls with big hair.

Despite Storm Guretti rapidily approaching over the Atlantic and weather warnings appearing all over the place, a marginal window of opportunity presented itself for a quick session this morning.

Answers on a postcard please because I haven't got a clue.

Apart from the fact that the reservoirs are still filling up, the drought over the summer now seems a distant memory.

Been looking for an opportunity to get out all week on the little brook and having already been thwarted twice and with Storm Claudia on its way it was now or never.

Just had a fantastic ten days in rural France.

Not been a great year for the bass for me, although I have had limited opportunities to be fair.

Our second lads' trip down to North Devon came around very quickly.

After not much deliberation I decided to have one more go after the big perch I'd spotted on the River Soar a few sessions ago, although by now I was beginning to wonder if I had actually been imagining things!

A sunny, warm, dry spring has contributed to this year being a "mast year", where trees and shrubs produce and abundance of fruit, seeds and nuts.

Had another few days over in Lithuania last week to see the lad and his girlfriend.

Had a window of opportunity open up for me and with local the rivers having benefitted from a splash of rain I decided to head down to the River Soar again.

Didn't get out again in July or the early part of August for various reasons (work, weather, club fishing bans, general apathy, blah, blah, blah....).