stevetheangler

Well, that is how it seems after the trials and tribulations of the past 11 months.

My two operations (first one in Sept 2019 which removed a rectal cancer which meant I had an ileostomy and had a bag attached to my stomach for several months and then a second one on June 7th 2020 – actually due in April but was postponed due to CV19 – which reversed the ileostomy and reverted me back to normal plumbing) in themselves were no problem at all – felt fit enough even the day after to resume my normal life BUT messing with the digestive tract doesn’t do it any favours and it ‘sulks’ and has ‘tantrums’ (ie refuses to function or becomes ‘hyperactive’ and doesn’t find middle ground easily) and which is the dominant one can change hourly. At these times laxatives and anti-diarrhoea are a man’s best friend if one is capable of balancing them! Oh well, I’ll say no more on that other to say the difficulties experienced were due to those two and being incapable of forecasting which and when will start to ‘play’ as one need(s/ed) to stay in close proximity to a ‘safe harbour’.

However, as time has passed things have settled a bit – especially in the last 3 days after swapping my laxative of choice from ‘Fybogel’ to ‘Dulcoease’ which works in a completely different way according to the online blurb… anyway, those past 3 days have seemingly put me back to ‘normal’ … no discomfort from feeling of bloating and associated lethargy nor any need to race upstairs since!

SO…. I finally made it back to the water’s edge yesterday (31-08-2020 at KF-WL1) with Liz and, I  did take a portable bucket loo and pop-up loo tent just in case – as I will for at least the near future – but never needed which was great! :)

This is actually the pool we fished and my chosen swim. There are two pools at this club venue – this one which we allow day tickets on (mixed fishery) and the other is a member’s only water which has more carp. Personally this smaller day ticket water is my preferred one of the pair although Liz prefers the other. On arrival on-site we did drive down to the other pool and found two cars already parked up although we couldn’t spot anyone around (later told one of the guys was around 5 yards from his car around the corner). Anyway, the two swims we usually fish on a short (20-30 yard long) spit that sticks out into the pool were both free so we had a walk to look-see but there seemed to be a lot of weed in the water that tends to drift about when a current builds up so we decided to fish ‘my’ pool as as we passed by we saw that it was clear of weed, etc. and looked very inviting.

So, again, Liz and I have our ‘usual swims’ on this water and, as no-one else was there, that’s where we set up, Liz’s swim being the next swim to the left of me more directly opposite the island.

Liz elected to feeder fish two rods with frame feeders – one fished across to the island, and the other fished out to her left just off the edge of an overhanging bankside tree/bush.

I decided to fish, as I often do on this water, on the float using lift method to begin with although later in the session after lunchtime and only having a had a few ‘bits’ (less tha Liz!) I noticed swirls from what I thought to be rudd when feeding the swim and I reshotted my line to fish on-the-drop (and I can’t remember the last time I used shot as small as No. 6) … which resulted in more takes albeit not rudd.

So, results at the end of day … Liz had 2 roach, 1 rudd and 2 perch … myself, 1 roach and 10 perch. And not one fish exceeded 3oz as a guessitamate. Did mean no nets, weigh slings, etc to dry out at the end of the day though!

So, not the greatest of days in terms of results but more than made up by just being back on the waters again – and even just able to be back at the waterside again. A pleasant day … finalised in the traditional manner of beer and scratchings and nuts (no cobs available) in the beer garden of our local hostelry….

Next outing – probably next Monday (7th?) as although I usually fish Thursdays this weeks is ‘booked’ to do some work around the house – probably trying to get our new side gate up. Up to now I’ve probably only managed 1-2 days where I had the energy to do ‘stuff’ – and one of those days was taken up by lawn cutting usually, the other doing prep stuff for things to be done… like prepping the gate posts and painting wood protection on them… so a few irons in the fire to be completed now I’m starting to get back to my old self – and so for a time it may be once-a-week fishing.

We do have a couple of breaks to look forward to as well – one of which should include some fishing J and we’ve just had a long weekend in Liverpool which was very enjoyable.

Late Sept: off to Great Yarmouth to the caravan of Liz’s brother and partner for a week… and then probably doing the same trip a few weeks later as brother/partner have decided to live over there as their main residency, initially in the caravan but may also shop around for an abode… so I’m taking them and their two cats.

2nd week of October: a Sun newspaper £9.50 break to Burnham-on-Sea – the only one of our holiday bookings for 2020 that has survived CV19 regulations as the others earlier in the year got cancelled – as did Liz’s plans for a holiday with her family in Malta, later Cyprus (I don’t do abroad! Rather have the time to myself and go fishing! LOL). We generally go to this site most years around Oct, small family run site, quiet and easy walking to beach and town (inc for the traditional Wetherspoon’s holiday breakfast!) – and has an on-site fishing pool for resident’s only :)

OK then! Best wishes to all … and tight lines!