This was my first outing since my operation to sort out my rather large hernia on May 6th. An operation that had been in wait for 5 years and for which I was initially placed on a waiting list for in August 2024 … and eventually I had the ‘call up’ in September 2025 BUT an accident with a freshly microwaved mug of coffee that scalded my belly delayed for a couple of months and then a further date was cancelled due to being on holiday and that was followed by an hospital instigated cancellation and so eventually I made theatre on May 6th.

The operation went well but was not a laparoscopy by any means with my stomach being slashed from belly button right across to my right hand side… meaning I was kept in overnight but I was discharged the following day following removal of a drainage bottle, etc,

Next few days were a bit sore and it was painful to turn onto my right hand side initially but over 3-4 weeks that eased and all is good now …

SO…

I, and Liz, set off for a day at fishing on Friday 26th June at the BAA’s Marsh Pools – fishing Pool 1 (nearest to the car park) … a super pool especially as at the start of the year the pool had been netted and all (well, I did see one cruising around) and transferred to Pool 2.

[There are 6 pools there although Pool 6 all the times I’ve ever seen it has been a small duckweed infested duck pond]

We set off at 0700, parked up and loaded the barrow and trolley with our gear and baits and set off for our elected swims about 100 yards from the car … all being good at that point…

Liz fished in my usual swim – usually a good one – with feeder and maggot and corn baits but only had two small roach over the whole session.

Myself, I fished the next swim down and had a bite a cast ending up with a number of perch, tench and a solo rudd legering worm over catapulted loose feed particles and balls of cereal feed. None of size, biggest was a tench probably of 12oz or so but enjoyable …

However, at around 1230 I had the misfortune to get my braid hooklength tangled/knotted around my sliding lead and being unable to sort I had to cut the line and re-tackle from scratch… an operation that was made less than easy by the sun having moved around from the shelter of the bushes behind and thus sweat running into, and stinging, my eyes… however mission accomplished I managed a few more casts before the same tangle occurred but I decided to rest under the bushes to cool a little before resorting out theat new tangle…

One and a half hours later I was still under the bush and getting hotter and hotter… so said to Liz ‘want to pack in, too hot?’ to which she agreed…

Eventually, after numerous rests the rods were tackled down, the barrow and trolley loaded and the 100 yard walk to the car began….

HOWEVER, that walk took me 3 HOURS to make … I was so hot and weak that I’d move perhaps 5-10 yards before I had to rest … for some time … and reached a point whereby I couldn’t even stand up despite Liz’s cajolling and bullying … she even called for an ambulance to be told there was a seven hour wait! Anyway, covered by a brolly, and 25 yards from the car the sun sank enough around 1700 so that the angle of the sun’s direct heat, and I suspect that of the reflected heat from the water, changed enough to create a noticeable drop of temps … and I started to be able to move slowly albeit without tackle etc to the car where I lay in the back for car for a good while. Meanwhile Liz transported ALL the tackle from where they had been dropped off along the path up to the car … and as time passed I recovered enough to actually load it all in the car and we then drove off heading for home … but stopping en route at a Sainsbury to get bottles of cold drinks (those we’d taken with us had been consumed during the trek to the car)…. Refreshed we then set off for home again … but stopped off again at our local for more liquid intake on the way… once home the tackle was left in the car until the following morning to be unloaded…

Just so glad Liz was there – literally a life saver – I don’t think I’d have made it if I’d been on my own!

SO… 2 things determined …

1. When temps likely to be in excess of 25C (at most!) … NO FISHING!
2. When legering my braid hook lengths are being changed to stiffer fluoro ones to prevent the tangles.

PLANS

At the moment we have builders in rebuilding/remodelling our porch/outhouse and so that is taking up most of our time but I’m hoping to get back on the banks by mid August with a bit of luck :)

ANYWAY …. I’ve been reading your posts as they arrive and enjoying them! Just not had the time to post major replies as with the building and trying to catch up with other household bits and the heat wearing me out (def a winter baby – when I was born Mom was pushed across the hospital’s yard on a trolley in heavy snow at 10pm  to the labour ward she told me!)…

Best wishes to all … hopefully be back more often soon as the operation HAS seemed to have had a positive effect and starting to feeling more ‘normal’ than I have in the past 5 years or so! So fingers crossed for 2027 at least being a better year!

[SEEMS THIS EDITOR HAS ALL CHANGED SINCE I LAST POST AND UNABLE TO FIND MY USUAL ‘CLASSIC’ BLOCK SETTING … CAN’T JUSTIFY BY SHIFT-ALT-J … SO HAVING TO POST AS IS UNTIL I CAN SUSS IT ALL OUT AGAIN!]