In the clear water we spotted a very large fish rise off the bottom and start twisting.  When you’re used to catching fish of a few ounces from the water, spotting something that would be weighed in pounds and not ounces, that’s exciting!  But as quickly as the excitement rose, it was dashed again.  The hooked pulled and we were left with unhealthy heart beats and knocking knees. 

I love float fishing in all forms and it’s how I like to fish for pike. A bait drifted around a couple of feet off the bait the comes to rest against a marginal shelf is very effective. It covers lots of water quickly, and if there’s a pike there that’s hungry, they will often take quickly.

With a braided line and a light rod, a modest whitting can give an exciting bite!  Give them another minute and instead of one, you’ll be winding in a fish on both hooks, a double shot!

The next time the Perch appeared, the worm was taken confidently and a gentle strike set the hook.  It was a great scrap in the clear water and as it went in the net it was clear it was a great fish.

All of this catching up with friends wasn’t an accident.  Yes, I wanted to get out and have some fun on the bank but sometimes things happen in life that make you stop and remember how damn lucky we are to have such great friends.  Never take that for granted.

If it hadn’t been for my boy turning his back on his float for a couple of minutes and me striking a bite and refusing to let him wind in the tiny Perch on the end, I wouldn’t have caught a single fish!

It was the near misses that made it all fun.  But the players in the game were desperate to win every time.  Why?  Win every time and what have you got left?  You’ve ruined your own game surely? 

In Joss’ arms it looked like a monster and he was understanderbly over the moon!  Fishing with the kids certainly reminds me to enjoy every fish, even the slimey Bream!

As is often the case with shark fishing, when they arrive, it’s like flicking a switch. One minute you’re falling asleep, the next there’s sharks everywhere and the reels are screaming.

I have had some success if your measure of success is catching fish but honestly, when the mornings are as beautiful as they have been, I pack up at 6:55am and head for work just as happy (well, nearly as happy) as I would if I had caught.