Not much to report on the fishing. Yesterday, the glorious 16th, I just had time to check out a couple of swims - and discovered that they are unfishable unless I bring gardening implements. Worth knowing, at least. Then I spent an hour spinning for perch in what I thought was a banker area where the river meets the canal. To give me confidence I started with a small orange spinner, certain that I'd catch a few small ones and could then switch to a bigger lure, but even the tinies weren't interested. Ah well.

Monday 7.30-10pm. Then today I decided to try something easy and went for some dace, fishing a crease near the town centre. Alas, when I arrived someone was just packing up, and had spent all day doing what I intended to do with little to show for it. He assured me a 'lot of bread' had gone in, so it was possible they'd switch on at dusk. I tried it for nearly an hour with not a touch, and had an uneasy feeling that his bread might not be quite where I thought it was. So I switched to a Mr Crabtree type eddy on a side-stream where I've had success in the past, but just had a few small dace. Not a blank at least.

But now for two omens of the startling changes to our universe which are starting in my little town of Newbury. First, as I was fishing some teenagers were having a piggy-back race along the tow path. There was only one lad and he was being carried by one of the girls. Not that startling you may say. But then, as I was walking back to my car with my tackle - and I fish reasonably light - a young woman offered to help my carry my fishing tackle! Hah! I bet you don't get that happening in grotty old xxxxx (insert wherever you live if it isn't Newbury!)