As per usual, I was anticipating fishing for Roach on one of my favourite rivers in Wessex on the last day of this course fishing season.

As the date approached I, along with others, watched the weather forecast for the days approaching the 14th; It was not good news. The bailiff had been on the phone the previous week to say that the river was in the fields. Desperate news, but this particular river falls very, very quickly, so I was not too disappointed at the time.

I drove down on the Monday and arrived late in the day. Tuesday brought ‘biblical’ rain; this did not look promising for Thursday the 14th. The rain stopped around 15:00 on the Tuesday and I ventured forth to see what the river was like. I was amazed that, yes it was flowing very quickly, and really was too coloured to fish well, but it had not risen into the fields, so I had a couple of hours fishing on the river bank.

However, Wednesday morning brought grave news from the bailiff that the river had risen overnight and was now in the fields again. Along with gale-force winds, fishing here would be impossible today. I am lucky to be a member of a couple of nice ponds in Wessex, and one in particular I know to be tree-lined, and was sure to be able to get out of the wind somewhere along its banks and cast a line.

I found a lovely sheltered spot close to trees that were part submerged in the water. The perfect hiding hole for big Roach and unsuspecting Carp. The sun made an appearance, and once the Kelly kettle had been fired up, I was very comfortable, content and warm. I caught some lovely Roach, the biggest was definitely the very first fish I hooked, but as it rolled on the surface it threw the hook. I went on to catch 20+ Roach but no Carp today. Tomorrow, the 14th, would definitely be spent on a pond somewhere.

After many emails sent and received, it was to be spent with a few friends on a commercial pond. I had fished this pond a few times in the past years and looked forward to connecting with one of its resident big Perch.

I arrived at 12:00 on the dot after travelling down some very narrow lanes and through a ford that was full of water, breaking one of the cars fog lights in the process! Damn sat-nav, I will throw it out of the window one day. I hadn’t realised but a couple of guys had arrived before me and were already fishing, and infact catching too. After a brief chat with the guys I hastily setup the rod and made my way to one of the few calm parts of one of the ponds there – it looked very perchy! Not long after I had setup the rain arrived. It wasn’t bad at first and I thought that it might blow-over, but it didn’t, it just got heavier and heavier. It was no good, I would have to retreat to the car to fetch my brolly. As I walked back to my pitch, two other friends arrived and sensibly stayed in their car while the worst of the rain passed over.

Everyone had a good fishing day, no monsters were caught and the best part was meeting with friends again and feasting on home made pork pie, cake and of course tea! A great end to this course fishing season. I now look forward to spring, hearing the first Blackbird song and of course the opening of the new season where I look forward to fishing for Tench once more.