stevetheangler

Since my last session – a blank piking session down on the pool on the 2nd January – I’ve not been out since due to a bad case of a cold combined with conjunctivitis that was like a continual eyewash with concentrated acid, crushed chilis and a bit of sand thrown in for good measure. Given that part of the cold symptoms involved a very sore and bruised feeling throat, the soreness moving around and intensity moving up and down daily and that the cough has gone from wet to dry, from gurgly to unstoppable tickly when just starting to talk would cause enough vibration to start 20-30 seconds of uncontrollable coughing then it has not been a pleasant time – esp as the worst of throat and cough occurred over the same night and was the worst night in my 63 years of life, I reckon. In fact, I have described my ‘illness’ elsewhere as a major battle of Napoleon/Wellington proportions with tactical retreats by the bugs drawing the good guys (my anti-bodies) out of formation to chase them away – only for the bad guys to perform a flanking and reformation manouevre and attack the weakened rear of the good guys, who in turn formed a good old British square to repel, etc, etc… Actually, thinking about it perhaps I ought to contact Bernard Cornwell with details of this so he could use the ‘ploys’ involved in my bodily battle to translate them to a new Sharpe book? :D

Anyway, that said, it does seem that I’m winning at last… very few coughs, throat almost just a memory and conjunctivitis defeated with the help of anti-biotics from the doctor.

And so, the newly invigorated boy’s mind is turning back to fishing again. Hoping to pop out, probably Friday as earlier days in the week I already have plans for, and I’ll also need to do tackle sorting ready to go on one day too. Top two options for me at the moment are (1) canal – quivertipping for chub or (2) canal – lure/plug fishing which can be further split into (a) for pike or (b) for perch. Options 1 and 2b would be the Staffs-Worcs canal but different areas, and option 2a would be the on the Shropshire Union canal. A third option is to go to a local day ticket pool – possibly deadbaiting for pike, possibly bait fishing for other species.

And I’ve just thought – I need to go get my Wolverhampton AA card today so that I’m ready for a couple of the canal options, the other such option being a club water which I already have valid membership of until the end of February.

Looking back at the events of 2013 in my mind it seemed a very enjoyable year but not as rewarding as those previously in terms of quality, etc. BUT looking at notes, etc I have had a couple of personal bests, and PB equals, caught my first (and second) grass carp ever, had better average catches (ie sizes bigger in general and more of), so really I had quite a good year in my terms. The only major disappointment being the lack of one single pike since the start of my season from 1st October and think perhaps this was colouring my few on the year as a whole. But anyway, as they say, ONWARDS AND UPWARDS, and THE ONLY WAY IS UP!!

Anyway, that’s it for now… if plans go as planned the there will be a fishing report on here at the weekend – and one with good news in terms of results! :)