Well, the summer is finally over and we can say farewell to another season of long hot days and sultry nights……. In case you missed it, this occurred sometime back in March on a Tuesday I think it was. Anyway, joking apart we made the best of it all and despite almost running out of wet weather gear caught some fabulous fish. The perch were well on song with lots of youngsters of all ages catching some belters like these two off Derwentwater and sharing some mamoth catches off Bassenthwaite. Although we didn’t manage a four pounder (mainly because I couldn’t get out of bed early enough) we did get over a dozen or so three pound perch as well as some fine summer pike to upper double figures. Best of all has been that with all the rain there are more than a few good salmon about and in the past few weeks we have have had some big ones to over eighteen pounds. Even well known barbel angler Martin Giles had a bright seven pounder on a trundled worm the other day. Almost turned him into a game angler for a while!!! Looking ahead, with the onset of shorter days I expect the pike to start feeding in earnest and I’m off to Windermere for a few weeks in November and again in spring as part of the annual hunt for some real specimens. I have managed to get a temporary mooring down there at extortionate rates but it will be worth it to get back on the big pond again. The past few winters have seen us meeting some fabulous fish and while nothing is guaranteed, the more I learn about Windermere pike habits, the better the prospects for us all. And there’s nothing like sliding the net under a fat twenty pounder to shake off those winter blues!!! However, before then I have an appointment with some more salmon. so for the time being……

Tarra

Alex Greenhough and a proper perch

While I had to make do with this Eden Beauty

That girl again