What feels like an age ago and was in fact only a month or so ago life was fairly normal.
Ever the optimist I was filling my trout box and sorting out my loch gear – I had tied a lot of fun wee spiky things and also collected loads of nymphs which were sure to take enormous spring trout on a new river that I had found. I wasthinking about taking out a salmon permit for the river. I even haad a wee hdcam which I was planning on videoing some action shots. Life was looking pretty good.
I then went to a very surreal meeting with a very worried nurse (I work on Social Work) where lots of glum numbers were told to us. For a week or so life went on as normal, I spoke about what was to come to pals however it had not really hit folks thoughts yet and it all felt a bit unreal. I remember going to the shops and thinking that nobody really knew what was coming.
Well, we all bloody know now thought dont we.
Unfortunetly working at home is not an every day option for me solife has been trundling along although a bit harder and a bit more stressful.
In our down time instead of me going fishing we have taken to doing such boring chores as cleaning out gutters and tidying up the garden.
I mean I have lived in this house for nearly five years and watched them fill up with mud without caring too much however yesterday I made the effort to clean them out. Bloody gutters – took me nearly 3 hours, I could have caught a few trout in that time.
And my tomatoes are now getting somewhere..
This whole situation is getting a bit shite and I want to go fishing. I guess I probably could actually without anyone finding out. I have a couple of spots near me – my pond up at the top of a hill and a sea loch for some sea trout. However, if we all think like that then folk will start relaxing their reolve and before you know it numpties will be out playing tennis and golf.
Of course it doesn’t stop people on social media moaning constantly about it and stating that fishing is their excersise – yea yea, we get it – we all love a good loophole however do you remember when we couldn’t go fishing because of foot and mouth and we were all cool with it. It’s kinda like that only instead of lots of cows dying it’s someone’s granny.
Essentially what happened back in the season of 2001 was that pretty much every landowner stopped people walking across their land. Even the Vet School in Glasgow stopped people fishing. Anglers could not go fishing and I do not remember anyone complaining about it or trying to break the rules, although to be fair the old “social media” was not as strong back then. I guess a lot of the guys that are fishing now iether did not fish then or maybe it is simply the rise in social media which has given the less sensible amongst us a voice.
It wont be long hopefully before we can get out on the rivers and loughs – in the meantime know that the trout are all growing bigger and happier and less wary.
Of course there will be folk out fishing just now probably, personally I wouldnt trust them with looking after a dog responsibly.
I think back when foot and mouth was about you could still go fishing at fisheries , had to dip your feet , and landing / keepnets though , this was back in Yorkshire when I used to coarse fish or go rock fishing for cod , this Covid shit is totally a different beast though , however it does mean that I’ve got quite a few of the jobs that I was avoiding done in the house which has kept boredom at bay , might even empty my shed/ tip, and actually see what’s in it , I Can’t wait to get back out on the river/ lochs as you say it’s be very easy to sneak out and away up to a few lochs that are tucked away that most people are too lazy to walk too , but I won’t as I realise even though the chances of me coming into contact with folk are practically zero , I don’t wanna be one of the arseholes of which there Are plenty , the way folk are Carrying on will be lucky to be allowed to leave the house shortly.
Anyhow tight lines once we get a break in this thing hopefully there will be something left of the season , really wanna drown some flies and ruin a couple of trouts day
My Easter Weekend was relaying the Patio slabs and fettling all the stone paving . Apart from sore knee and the odd blister I came through it unscathed. Oh yes and I have tidied the garage . Apart from that I can not remember having such well prepared kit for fly fishing , I have tied a bezillion flies and checked and oiled reels , As soon as the lockdown eases I intend to take a few days of and knack of to say hello to the rivers again and see what the sawbills have left .
Andy