An explanation?

My recent blogging has been, at best, a mish-mash of half-baked nonsense. I've not managed to catch a decent carp, find a Newlands wheatear or lure an unusual moth to the garden MV trap - why? If I am totally honest; my heart's not in it at present. The ongoing saga of my, late, father's estate dominates my time, but there is light at the end of that particular tunnel, it will hopefully be sorted out before the end of May? I can't get motivated to start my split cane thirty challenge all the while my head is telling me that conditions are not right and mothing isn't doing it for me either. Birding around East Kent is very hit & miss - I'm mainly getting the miss part, I've still only seen seven Swallows! Work is hectic and then there is my commitment to Freshwater Informer and the provision of articles describing the angling development of my grand-son, Bryn. I offered my services and have no complaints about the situation but it does impact upon my time/ability/enthusiasm, to make blog postings.

It's quite likely that I won't see an Osprey during 2017 - Time in Scotland is about so much more than pike!

Luckily I have got the May article completed, well ahead of schedule, and now have opportunity to focus attention on blogging for a while. I find it really weird that we're not going back to Loch Awe this year. It has been a part of our angling cycle since 2011, six years on the spin we've fished Kilchurn Bay in the week leading up to the May Day Bank Holiday. I am well aware we'd all agreed, after 2016, that it was over, we'd cracked it, and we'd seek adventures in warmer climes. 2017; we're going nowhere and I'm suffering as a consequence. It's true that Bev and I have two holidays booked, June and September, but fishing tackle will not be part of the hand luggage on either trip! I'm experiencing withdrawal symptoms - why are we not going somewhere? I'd like to think that it's no more than a glitch, due to the distractions of sorting out Dad's affairs, and normal service will be resumed in 2018 - even if I go on m own!

That's an awful lot of freebies for a £1

Anyhow, I'm still getting down to the club fisheries and catching a few small carp and horrible little F1 hybrids. Great fun with a single rod, some "Go Cat" freebies and small cubed bread crust as bait. I doesn't get any more basic than a rod, reel, line and hook - no need for leads, floats or fancy rigs.
I've actually been fishing in the reed beds, these fish are fearless when in such surroundings and will take a bait without the normal caution of an open water situation. 10 lbs b.s. line straight to the hook and it's hit and haul when the bite comes. All of the fish have been fully scaled apart from one. I caught a linear mirror which, if it weighed 20 lbs plus, would be the target of anyone who fished the venue; it is a beautiful little fish and was the highlight of my past week.

An absolute peach of a carp!