A good fun evening started with two missed bites and a 7lb 15 common within the first 10 minutes. I'd half an idea that it might be good going as the afternoon had brought the first rain in weeks and weeks following the lower air pressures and temperatures of the heat wave that has been threatening hose bans and our sanity.

A lovely fat 12lb mirror soon followed before the deluge came. I huddled under the brolly for a good 45 mins while the rain crashed down. It was beautiful. It also meant i could hardly see my float on the thrashed surface, and no bites were registered until it had passed. It then went mirror 7lb, mirror 7lb (don't think it was the same fish?), common 12lb 14, common 3lb 2 and common 6lb 9. I moved into the margins until dark, bringing in crucians of 2lb 6, 15 oz and 1lb 4.

The only downer was the discovery of a dead bream, circa 4/5lb, or at least it would have been, if it still had its head. Mink, I guess. I have seen two recently. the fishery management team have been advised.