Well that's the positive spin on 3 blanks! I think the real problem is that I'm a pleasure angler who aims a bit high for the hours that I'm able to dedicate. But they were still 3 enjoyable sessions.

21 June. Went down to the syndicate lake at lunchtime, and there were loads of carp in the shallow end in the hot sun. I threw in a few dog biscuits, and one or two were taken, and I gambled on them growing keener in the evening. But they weren't!

28 June. Had a crack at the crucians on a club lake. After being carped out last try, I didn't put in any feed apart from small pieces of meat. No success, but when I look at the time serious crucian hunters put in, I guess my couple of hours was a bit inadequate. BUT I did see some wonderful bright red moths - Scarlet Tigers, I'm fairly sure. I'd never seen even one before, and to see about ten of them dancing - so bright, so red - was great.

5 July. Joined Rich Capper from Anglers Net on a local barbel swim. Neither caught, but it was great to meet and pick up one or two things from Rich. The big entertainment for me was a swan and some ducks. I've never seen a swan hassle ducks before, but this one was a kind of 'Punch and Judy' swan. The big kid who gets his amusement from hassling the little ones. An appalling critter! They were at it all the time I was there. The ducks could have pushed off, but they didn't. There was just a mother duck and about 9 ducklings. She'd take them under a willow tree to get away from the swan, and he'd go after them. And then I'd count fifteen, and out would come the ducks, in formation, and then a couple of seconds later out would come the bad tempered swan and give them a chase, with squawking etc. On and on it went. It had a carousel feel to it, I could almost hear the fairground music! Can't say it helped the fishing, though!