So Long To Another Great Season.

 Since the 1st of April last year I set myself a few goals some of which I achieved with a few more personal bests to boot, but the likes of the Grayling had slipped my grasp, much to the fault of the erroneous weather but these things happen in fishing, another time.

During the past 12 months I have had a number of quality fish, from a 35.8 Mirror Carp to a 13.12 Barbel whilst trotting and a couple more 2lbs plus river Roach (2.6 & 2.2), fish that are still fairly rare in the river systems by the standards of the 1980's, not also to mention my best season for Pike which culminated in a 19.5 specimen being banked on the Avon, fly fishing during the spring months for Brown Trout also proved very successful with well over 30 Trout caught up to a shade under 5lbs and lastly my first Crucian Carp for over a decade which was caught at Marsh Farm Fishery in Surrey during a session targeting them during a lovely spring day and funnily enough that is where I will be heading next weekend for a fun day out, no expectations day out with James Snr and Brian from Pike Blog....touch wood the weather stays warm.

As usual, I am not glad to see the back of this river season but all good things must come to an end, I will enjoy this next three months and the start of the season will start later for me as I will be soaking up the sun in the middle-east for a few weeks and due back into the country at the beginning of July, so I will head off out on to the rivers come July but I will be in search of some Brown Trout between now and then on the fly come the 1st of April, until then.....tight lines.

My Personal best Pike.

Biggest Roach of the season at 2.6

Seasons best Barbel at 13.12

A 5.9 Chub, one of a dozen 5lb plus Chub this season.

Another 2lb river Roach (2.2), 21 now for me and slowly growing.

A large Brown Trout caught on the fly

Last but not least my record Carp at 35lb 8oz, a special moment.

 At times the season that has just passed has been difficult and my Pike challenge unfortunately I didn't achieve as the rivers for a large swathe of the winter were almost un-fishable which was a great shame but I did manage nearly 114lbs, so for me it was still a very good attempt and my best season for Pike yet, but I have learnt alot and will hope to put that knowledge into catching more and bigger ones too.