OK, so I went for an experiment today. I've fished Willows a lot this closed season and have sort of got the hang of chucking a leger up against the island, but have also looked at the margins and just wondered... So, with the lilies starting to emerge at the bankside I stuck on a float, far more interesting to star at than a bobbin, chucked in some balls of mashed bread and cast a rod length out. After a couple of missed bites, in true Mr Crabtree style, the float zipped away and I was into a good fish. It took me left, it took me right while I managed to keep it away from the lily beds and without breaking the surface too much. Thinking it might be a tench, it turned out to be a 9lb 14 Common. 

The next bite fought as hard, diving deep and having to be cajoled from the vegetation and as much as I was surprised with the size of the carp, this one-eyed tench fought much harder than its modest 3lb 1.

Then it went quiet, the highlights being feeding a crow with luncheon meat, listening to the cuckoo cuckooing and wondering just how the sun finally broke through just when the rain was falling its hardest. The only other fish action took e into the lilies and diving deep again and locking anchors in a cloud of mud. This time it wouldn't budge after minutes of strong steady pressure, and my walking up and down the bank to change the angle. It was so close to the edge that if I'd been wearing waders, or my landing net arm wasn't suffering so much from tendonitis, I would have gone in after it. I let the line slacken and watched the float for ten minutes to see if it edged for freedom. Nothing, and after another attempt at string-arm tactics the hook gave.

OK, the experiment didn't pay off like I'd hoped and whilst, for a blanker, I could never be disappointed with a 12lb haul, I couldn't help thinking I'd underachieved.