Arrived in the rain to find my preferred swim was closed for repairs, so with the whole lake to myself, as it was all day, I took myself to a new swim for me on the opposite bank. After a biteless hour I was losing faith and was strongly considering a move to the generally more reliable Willows. I'd packed up one rod when I noticed that the line on the other was not pointing in the direction that I'd cast it. I picked it up to find a fish on the end. Although this dropped off unseen, it encouraged me to give it another half an hour. Five minutes later, a 1lb 7lb bream came in, so I stayed and was rewarded by others of 1lb 13, 1lb 7, 2lb 4, 2lb 8, 4lb 10, 2lb 6, 4lb 6 (the haggard, fin-pecked one pictured above), 2lb, 1lb 12, 4lb 3, 2lb 4 and 5lb. And a 6lb 10 common, plus 12 roach between 2 and 6 ounces. OK, so none of Dobsons' big 'uns came my way, but it was one of the most enjoyable trips I'd had for a while - and I love them all.