Ace Dace

Old Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway Company gate 

A sneaky late afternoon visit for last knockings. I had a feeling where I would like to be, but Prof's favourite swim is taken by a poacher! He deserves it after a longer drive than me, but I am rewarded again in freezing temperatures. The glide I end up in is one I have not fished for a few years and was possibly designed by Mr Crabtree. I often fish a swim and think how much BV would have liked it and talked so enthusiastically about all of its nooks and crannies. This is such a swim.

The river has been up after the snow and sleet of late and is just coming down, but slightly coloured. The maggots soon lose all feeling and hardly move in my tin, but just enough to land a lovely small bag of dace and a couple of solitary roach from the glide.

My fingers too lose all feeling and I pack up a little earlier than usual as three Little Egrets fly overhead in the clearest of skies. The light disappears very quickly at this time of year, so I am grateful to fellow brother of the angle Hedge who leads the way back up the embankment, along the cinder path and back to civilization. I am so cold I do stop off for a swift libation and a toast to me old mate Prof in what was our regular "stopping off" pub on our way home, The Green Man. Cheers my friend!