It's my favourite time of the year. It takes ages to get here then all of a sudden it's just there and I'm unprepared in every way and my mind is not in the same county.
Looking forward it's daunting. It's going to be physically hard work, my weekends will be cramped and uncomfortable at times, the fishing will be difficult. Can I put myself through it again? Of course I can!
I throw myself into it, am I mad dog or Englishman? At the beginning I make the same old mistakes, fuck things up but then it clicks and I feel like I'm in sixth gear. The water feels like home, the wildlife are my neighbours, the fish feel close...
For five or six weeks every year I become totally obsessed, there is nothing in my mad fishy world that comes close and there never has been. My body may be in the room but my mind is often in the boat.
Then bang the clocks change and I realise autumn is coming to an end and soon it will be the proper winter. I'll still be fishing but the days will be cold, short and colourless. The fish will be more localised, if I can find them.... I'll be trying.
Looking forward it's daunting. It's going to be physically hard work, my weekends will be cramped and uncomfortable at times, the fishing will be difficult. Can I put myself through it again? Of course I can!
I throw myself into it, am I mad dog or Englishman? At the beginning I make the same old mistakes, fuck things up but then it clicks and I feel like I'm in sixth gear. The water feels like home, the wildlife are my neighbours, the fish feel close...
For five or six weeks every year I become totally obsessed, there is nothing in my mad fishy world that comes close and there never has been. My body may be in the room but my mind is often in the boat.
Then bang the clocks change and I realise autumn is coming to an end and soon it will be the proper winter. I'll still be fishing but the days will be cold, short and colourless. The fish will be more localised, if I can find them.... I'll be trying.
