Gadgets

Lt me get this out in the open, I am a gadget addict! Its amazing the ammount of electronic gadgets that we use on a daily basis espescially when you look back only a few years. I think the same can be said about my fishing too. it started many years ago with bite alarms, the first ones I made myself until finally I could afford some Optonics. I still have my compacts, plus an extra couple, and I remember thinking how amazing they were. I still think theyre brilliant and if they had a remote wireless sounder box I'd still be using them! I may have started the story in the wrong place, perhaps my first fishing gadget was a 35mm camera, esential once my attention turned to carp. Now, of course, the camera is a digital point and shoot Olympus. it wasnt until recently that I got a bank stick adaptor so I could my shots while I fish alone. it was a year or 2 ago that an acquaintance showed me a remote fob for his SLR which enables more than 1 shot at a time to be taken. Apart from my phone I suppose the final piece of kit I cary is a battery pack to recharge my phone. Given that over 30 years ago I started with a 5foot rod and acient reel attached to a float and a worm on the hook I think I'd have been blown away not only by the vast array of gear I now carry but also by the perceived need to carry it.

Still Night

I ventured out onto the bank of my favourite water. Its ideal as its local and I can fish shortish evening sessions. Pete turned up for chat as I was setting up. Pete fished with us in the early days and although I occaisionally see him wandering around I never see him fishing. With the usual banter bout how little I catch he departed just as my left hand rod screamed off. Smuggly I shouted him and hit the run..... only to strike in to thin air. With my first bout of good luck I realised that he hadnt heard me! The evening and night were absolutely still and I was constantly expecting a run at any time, as the night wore on though I began to doubt if anything would materialise. It was with a lot of relief then when my right hand rod tip pulled around and I was finally in. A short dogged fight followed and a mirror of 14lb 11oz finally slid into the net.

Waiting

Got a date with some carp on monday! Moving in to autumn as we are I'm expecting some fish on the bank..... several fish on the bank in fact! On a bit of a tangent I've just returned from a camping trip with my kids, we dived under Swanage pier and to be honest I was surprised that there wasnt more fish getting caught! Anyway back to my original point, roll on monday.