I was planning to go chub fishing this evening at a syndicate water, but was put off by (1) talk from another member of crayfish, combined with the view of a professional crayfish trapper that they are most active under full moons combined with (2) a second consecutive Tuesday of winds and threatened sharp showers had me thinking it would be slightly less unpleasant under a brolly in relatively sheltered Willows, than roving across open country casting between swaying branches over a narrow river. Maybe next week.

The moon rose just after dark at 5 and lit the whole lake. It was beautiful. I sat watching the clouds scud past it as it slowly rose towards the bright light oof Jupiter. With it a very comfortable ten degrees, it really didn't matter that the fish weren't around, but then I was testing the cheesepaste I'd originally planned for chub, and mussels that were cheap in Sainsburys the other day. In the end I reverted to a more traditional bait and was rewarded with a mirror of 4lb 12 and 2 ugly commons of 7lb 8 and 5lb 2. Not the greatest haul, admittedly, but it was a really enjoyable session.