More of the same

Up at silly o'clock; three rods fishing an East Kent drain by 06.00 hrs. It was a damp experience with intermittent light rain, but at least it was relatively mild. The car display read 9C as I drove across to my chosen venue. I'd had four takes before 07.00 hrs, which resulted in two fish to the bank, within five minutes of each other. The first chance I totally screwed up because I'd not opened the bale arm and the fourth bite came from a very small jack on a large mackerel tail section. The middle two takes produced pike of 9 lbs 14 oz and 12 lbs 7 oz, one each to bluey and mackerel, and more importantly, they came whilst it was still too dark to see without the use of my head-torch.

The best I could manage in the dull light of the early dawn. Happy enough with my third "double" in as many visits.

I fished on until 08.15 hrs without any further action to the rods - there is a pattern emerging here very quickly! A few birds around the marsh included two Common Buzzard, an adult female Marsh Harrier, two Chiffchaff, a (Lesser) Redpoll, a Greenfinch and eight Fieldfare heading north. Glad to get home by 09.30 hrs so I could get a couple of hours kip before work.