Sunday 1^st September 2024.

The damn weathermen forecast Thunder & Lightning today, but following yesterday’s “lies” I ignored them completely. I was going to fish today anyway whatever the weather.

While consuming breakfast there was quite a downpour, but by the time I had ate, the rain cleared up and a bit of warmth began to break through the clouds. Perfect fishing weather I thought – overcast, warm with very light winds.

Meandering down the narrow lanes again was a joy. I parked up in my usual spot and introduced myself to the owner of the house on the corner. I Apologised for taking a parking space from him over the years, he was very pleasant and we chatted for some time before I made my way once again, but for the final time, down that stone track.

For my final cast I chose the swim which I refer to as “Duncan’s”, this might not be the case, but you all know where I mean.

I thought that I had heard thunder the day previously, but nothing came of it, and today was exactly the same. However, today the sky did darken quite dramatically and the rumbles drew closer. The rain began!

In holiday mode, all I had on were shorts and a t-shirt “not traditional wear I know”, I am pleased an associate of mine did not in the end come down to say ‘hello’, as I’m sure he’d have a laugh and I’d take a ribbing.

I moved my creel under some trees and in fact myself for shelter and hardly a drop of rain made it through, I was safe. However, I could hear the rain was getting heavier so made a dash round the pond to the barn where I enjoyed a lovely storm with lightning. Thinking back, although I only get to Wessex a few times each year, I have been in a few storms when I have been fishing at these ponds, always sheltering in the barn, great days.

Anyway, I forgot about the meteorological inaccuracies of Fleetwood Mac’s song “Dreams” “Thunder only happens when it’s raining” this is NOT the case. There is no rain in the middle of a thunder storm. I made the error and thought our storm had just glanced by and had just caught the edge of it, but no, it had been directly overhead. The rain stopped entirely and I went back round to my swim and re-cast. Perhaps 5 minutes passed when I can only describe hearing the sort of clapping sound you would expect to hear when Andy Murray won at Wimbledon. It started on the dam, oh dear, there was no way I’d make it round to the barn this time, it was coming from that direction. I was about to get very, very wet indeed. I knew that the trees were already wet from the front of the storm, so they would be little shelter now in the tail. I could do nothing but shelter as best as possible. I did indeed get very, very wet. I did though manage to make sure my baits had their lids on so all was fine there with them.

It didn’t take that long for me to dry off. Never-the-less I was going home today straight from the ponds and had clean, dry clothes in the car which I would change into before embarking upon the long journey home.

I did manage a handful of fish today, but it was nothing like the previous days with small Roach jabbing at the bait all the time and nothing of any size being caught.

Wow what a trip! It was one of the most memorable I have made – Starting with a stunning sun set over the henge (quite symbolic for this last trip), and a thunder storm on the last day to make a final close on this amazing angling journey (I love thunder storms by the way). I didn’t put the key in the front door until 02:30 Monday morning, but it was all worth it.