Sunday 16 September 2012

A better class of fishing truck

'Er Indoors has been on a funny one lately, she said that she didn't mind me going fishing for a second day running! There must be something in the offing but not being one to look a gift horse in the mouth I jumped at the chance. Having spent all day yesterday staring at a float and needing a change from all the recent Barbelling I have been doing I grabbed the fly gear and pointed the car to Oxfordshire. There is something civilised in the lack of tackle needed to fly fish. I took my work car because there is no smelly nets involved and raced down to Lechlade. I had set off late after enjoying a lie in, no rush, there would be plenty of swims available, unlike the river.
It is wonderful chopping and changing flies, casting to visible fish in the crystal clear waters and watching the reactions of monster Rainbows to each offering I amateurishly tossed their way. Within an hour I suckered one in to taking a gold headed red lure type fly and my confidence soared. A spirited fight on the wippy rod followed and just as my arm began to ache the fish tired and slid into the net. A nice bow weighing 5lb 6oz.
I only ever buy a two fish ticket as I am not that confident of hooking the full four but at this point I was thinking 'easy easy' and wondered if I was going to regret my lack of self belief.
With my next attempted cast I tried to get it out that bit too far and instead caught the tree behind. I pulled carefully but lost the fly, too high up to reach. I went on to try every bit of fluff in the box and although I had a few follows they turned off at the last moment every time. It became frustrating but still enjoyable. Thank goodness I stuck to the two fish ticket. Just the one was it then which has now been gutted and Uncle Dave and Aunty Maureen will have for their tea.
It's another world this fly fishing lark, look at what some chap drives to the lake!

4 comments:

  1. Hi Joe
    Those fluff chuckers do it in style!

    Darren

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  2. I'd never get me clobber in that old thing. Mind you I do have a mate of the carping variety who was the proud (yes, weird) owner of a Smart Roadster and somehow yes he did manage to accomodate himself along with a couple of nights worth of tackle in and around the thing, he used to strap his bedchair to the roof!

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    Replies
    1. I would have liked to have seen that Rob!

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    2. Another mate took on the challenge of making the bed fit in too and managed it! I saw a roadster the other day funnily enough and couldn't for the life of me work out how the rods went in.

      He's now using something more sensible after some morons decided to shunt the Smart a few hundred yards down the road when he was fishing one night, well he said shunt, personally I think a couple of them carried it!

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