Well, today was the day I sussed this fishing lark. Everything I touched went right. I got the swim I wanted after work, and casted right in the spot that I'd planned. Eight minutes later, the bobbin cracked against the rod and something powerful was stripping line, bolting away from the central island, leaving me to hang on, relieved that I'd decided not to set the line clip. On a whippy rod and light-ish line to aid casting, the fish can give good fight, this one took took line several times and I didn't even see it for over 10 minutes, but eventually a 13lb Mirror come in to my brand new landing net, making its debut. 

Second cast resulted in another fast take and a heavier feeling fish, until the hook length snapped. Third cast brought a 5lb Mirror. Would this roll stop? Fourth cast fell much too short of the island so I wound straight back for the fifth, which caught in the line casting out, causing the feeder to crash into the water like a meteorite not far from my feet. Even the best days have their moments.

Having watched another angler catching two carp 'fly' fishing dog biscuits, I caught a 5lb 13 Common.

With an hour of daylight left, I threw a few balls mashed bread around 20ft out and swapped rods for float-fished sweetcorn . I had three bites. The first was a big fish that took me out left, then came back and went right. On 5lb line and a size 14 hook, I kept the pressure on but pretty much had to let it go where it wanted for fear of the hook pulling. But it did come in, an  8lb 8 Common, sadly with such a disfigured mouth I could barely face photographing it. The second bite I missed but the third, with the star-lite float gleaming in the almost dark, resulted in 1 lovely 3lb 12 tench.

A great session by my standards, not matched by my photography skills and insufficient power left to fire the flash for the tench. The only downer was that all of the carp had damaged mouths from previous hookins.