I dug out the first jumper of autumn as we begin the approach the end of the lake season. Friday had 15mph northerly winds forecast at Willows, so I thought I'd be a clever so and so, and fished into the teeth of it, casting at the sheltered side of the island in front of me. At first it worked like a dream. In the only area of calm water on the lake, while others appeared to struggle, in 90 minutes I had mirrors of 5lb, 4lb 10, & 4lb 6 plus commons of 4lb 8 10lb 2 &5lb 2.  I suppose I might have sat beaming to brightly at those lesser mortals on the west bank who didn't seem to be catching much, because suddenly the fish gods decided I'd had my quota, and though I mixed it up constantly, the final four hours were fish-free. The only other excitement of seeing a kingfisher was more than expunged by a large mink swimming across my swim.

Saturday brought a colder 4-degree start though gentler, westerly winds and I headed to the deeper water at the easterly end of Dobsons. Allowed two rods here, I had jangly bites on both, though all I brought in were sticks. I'm always amazed how branches can give such good indications! It was a bit of a struggle tbh until the bream appeared in the last hour, with two around a pound and one of 4lb 4 to save my blushes. I think I could have gone on to have a few more but alas, we can only fish when we can fish, and not always when the silvery fellers are hungry. Compounded an average day by crunching my car nastily on the way home on an unseen low barrier at Sainsburys buying of all things. a pack of Apple & mango J2Os.