A little time

The unwelcome bleep of the alarm clock woke me around 6 am after too little sleep. I felt rough as guts and dog tired but what the hell, it’s the weekend and there was a small window of opportunity into which I could squeeze a few hours fishing. I staggered out of bed and went through the familiar motions of boiling the kettle and filling the flask etc. Isn’t it strange how, the harder I try to be quiet, the more racket I actually end up making? Is it just me?

An hour later I was settled in soaking three deadbaits at my favourite quiet corner on “The big one”. Conditions looked pretty good with a brisk southerly wind and broken cloud. There were fry dimpling the surface in the margins, Grebes feeding in the open water and the occasional Bream rolling at range. All that was missing was Pike. Most times I fish for Pike, I’m thinking, and trying different things all day, attempting to catch another fish. Here I am content to sit and relax, knowing that I have good bait in an area that the Pike like to be. I enjoyed three hours of peace and quiet, hidden from the cyclists and ramblers although the occasional inquisitive dog gave me a look, thankfully their owners were oblivious to my presence. I’m not anti social, honest! Apart from that my company was the birdlife, I’m no bird watcher but I enjoy counting the species and got up to fifteen with ease.

My fix of fishing gave me time to breath in the fresh air, clear my head and contemplate what is right and wrong in the world. Britain has a new (Black) World champion in Motor Racing, Go Lewis! The great (and highly UNDER rated) Joe Calzaghe is still world champion and probably the best boxer in the world. The mighty Ipswich Town FC are on a run of wins and climbing the table. The Australian cricket team is on the verge of defeat, the first of many over the next twelve months! Across the water there is a new (Black!!) president thank God! He might not change the world but he can’t be worse than the last one! It seems to me that the election in the States affects the British people more than our own elections, sad but true. Of course today is remembrance Sunday and sadly there are still armies trading bullets in the world.

All too soon my time was up and I had to return to my all too hectic reality. Unfortunately the Pike stayed away this morning but it was three hours well spent anyway. In years gone by the onset of winter proper saw the fishing become very difficult on this water, to the point where we fished other, easier waters instead. It could be nearly that time once again but who knows. I do have another local water up my sleeve for when the winter arrives but before then…Eden.