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Opening morning, the view from my swim

The start of the traditional coarse fisherman's season is as engrained in my being like Christmas Day. I am a passionate angler and fish for anything and everything. I am as obsessed with wild trout as I am mackerel, but June the 16th is as exciting for me as Christmas morning. Nothing much can beat it. I only fish for carp twice a year and this is enough to ensure I get my fix. The child like anticipation the night before, checking over the tackle like I do my Christmas Eve stocking.

This season was no different - I am not alone and my very good friends, same old friends who come together at the same place, same time each year are just as excited as me. The weather has not been too kind for us over the last few years, but the company makes up for it.....................and every now and again we catch a fish and this year one of the gang caught one of the lakes old warriors. A bit of a gnarly, Joan Simms I thought, quite brassy but no doubt many a tale to tell. What a corker!

 

 

If you want to know why we do it then I can do no more than re-direct you to my good friend Fennel who wrote a super account entitled Staying Closed explaining why the 16th is so glorious and worth hanging on to. Happy new season!