A strange week

Last Monday I overlayed and, as a consequence, was late for work - the first time in fifteen years! I got ruined by the other lads on my shift and my supervisor. Still I'd expect no less, it being part and parcel of factory life. What goes around, comes around; my turn will surely come? Still the building project drags on, although it's certainly starting to take shape, at long last. Being on earlies meant I was able to get a few evening sessions in, if I didn't actually fish, I still kept the bait going in.
I'm slowly unravelling the puzzle posed by this population of carp, although I still am unsure of my presentation in this tap water clear environment. Rig mechanics are something I love to tweak, and tank testing provides many solutions, although the true test is when the rig is in the swim. I have been playing around with Ronnie and Blowback rigs, plus I use Nash Pinpoint hooks. If Youtube is anything to go by I'm on the right track. Only one fish landed, from three bites (all on the same evening), saw a chunky little common of 13 lbs 10 oz grace my landing net, absolutely nailed in the centre of the bottom lip. Three further trips has seen me blanking, although I know that there were carp feeding on my baited spots. I'm finding this a very stern test of my technical angling ability, yet in a very weird sort of way, rather enjoying pushing myself to think outside the box, looking for that spark of an idea which just might unlock the code.

Still it's great being outdoors as the evening light starts to fade. Kingfishers are a regular sight along this particular stretch. Two young Buzzards have taken to roosting in a small copse, nearby, and they call to each other as darkness approaches. Yesterday evening a juvenile Marsh Harrier came floating along the reeded fringe of the drain, completely oblivious to my presence until it was right above me.
Strangely, I haven't recorded a single owl or fox this past week, yet conditions looked bang on and there are lots of Short-tailed Bank Voles (food!) around the marsh at present. The one species which is guaranteed, however, is European Beavers. Not a single session passes without these creatures putting in an appearance. I think that they might be beginning to disperse, as I'm not seeing as many youngsters as I have previously, but the adults are still in residence. Yesterday evening I sat waiting with my little Finepix and managed to grab a few images as one swam up the drain, and right past me.

Not the purpose of why I'm, alone, out on the marsh, sitting on the bank, but an entertaining distraction nonetheless. As Derek pointed out, in a recent comment, I should consider myself very fortunate to have such wonderful wildlife encounters as part of my hobby, there are many others who will never experience such intimate views of our natural world and, in this instance, I find myself having to agree!