After the 40mph winds of Bank Holiday Monday evening, Tuesday's were a mere 30+

The swell on the lake looked more like the North Atlantic than Maytime Berkshire,  better suited to surfing than fishing, but I had a few hours and gave it a go.

Less bites in total than of late, there were still several will-he-wont-he bites where the bobbin rose, fell a little, fell a little more, rose again etc but did not develop into bites. Then there were the ones that nearly pulled the rod out of the rest, but somehow did not connect.

Winding-in to replace bait, I thought I must be dragging in a branch, but as it came to the bank it became apparent it was a bream - a 5lb12 one at that - no bite: no fight.

I caught one other, at about 4lb and that was that - apart from the big fish that dropped anchors on me and after a couple of minutes stalemate, and sitting it out with the line singing in the rod eyes and with no extra pressure put on, the line snapped and that was that.

As dark came the wind stopped, and it became the May evening it should have been, but there were no bites in that final half hour of stillness.