
I tend to neglect the local(ish) chalk stream - then when winter rolls around I think
'must fish it next season' - not this year - a break from the barbel and an afternoon targeting wild brown trout...

I was in two minds; stick 'n' pin or fly gear - but it's really overgrown and I didn't fancy an afternoon climbing trees to retrieve my fly - the pin it was. As it happens I did end up wading out to rescue a float!

The stream is gin-clear, the
deep bits are less than a foot 'deep' and you can jump across it - I did - I jumped across to prove you can jump across - no half measures on this blog!

The trout are surprisingly difficult to spot in the shallow water, using any bit of weed or overhanging trees for cover. And often they see you long before you've seen them - once they've spotted you they bolt!

But despite spooking more than I fished for, about a dozen hard fighting trout to about 4lb found the net - the biggest jumping up a waterfall mid-fight! Brilliant afternoon in the sunshine!