A return to the "land of giants"

Some time, stupidly early, on Sunday morning (Strictly MK and the clock change didn't aid the situation); Simon and I had a wander around Wilstone Res. Tring, HERTS. Aware that a 1st winter/female-type Ring-necked Duck was present, it came as no surprise that there were a number of birders present. What a shame that manners are ignored when a scarce bird is present? We might as well have been invisible!
Despite the fact that both of us were carrying binoculars (Simon 8 x 42 Opticron and me 8 x 42 Baush & Lomb "Elite's") and I had my camera slung over my shoulder - we were obviously anglers, thus unworthy of conversation?  I, for my part, did offer the "Good Morning; anything about?" entry level question - complete waste of time. It is so sad that Tring has lost a great deal more than water levels in its' reservoirs.

I probably could bore you with statistics - it is another 20lbs+ pike from Wilstone (1986-ish)

I'd wanted to have a look around, purely for nostalgic reasons - but, during our walk, Simon and I came up with a plan! Christmas holiday arrangements will see me having a morning back at this venue. Wilstone is part of my very being - the venue is where I learnt the basics of big fish angling, and the psyche required, plus the generation of anglers and birders, who inhabited the banks way back in the 1980's, fired my desire to developed an appreciation of the wider appeal of the natural world. The birdwatchers of the Beech Grove, BTO period being far more tolerant of anglers than the current incumbents - and the birding world wonders why they can't attract the younger generations?? And Thanet has a reputation for suppression?

 

A giant - 47 inches from nose to tail fork.
What did it weigh? For me to know and you to find out!

However, it takes all sorts, and that pike session is something that I look forward to. Between now and then, I have one more (planned) outing on the R. Stour before concentrating my efforts on a centre-pin caught pike of 23lbs 5oz+. It might be a dream too far, but what's the point in living if a man can't have dreams?  I'm confident that the RMC contains pike of this size - have I the skills required to catch one; now there's the question!