To The Future

Another year comes to an end. Covid-19 dominated most of 2020 and looks set to do the same as we move into the new year and well beyond. 

Hopefully we'll avoid another full lockdown that prevents any angling, but it's getting dangerously close again. I just hope we can get a workable strategy that sees a return to "normal" life in the first half of 2021. Right now things look dangerously out of control, despite the optimism of multiple vaccines.

While I've been lucky to have avoided any serious Covid issues amongst my extended family, it's completely derailed the support networks that my household revolves around.

When you can't just rock up at a friend's or family member's house to let them see / entertain your young offspring, it adds extra pressure within your own environment. As a result, I've done far less fishing in 2020 than in any of the previous 30 years. Quite simply, maintaining a functional household has had to be the priority. 

Normal life!

Doom and gloom aside, I look forward to some good fishing in 2021. A new river ticket which might finally see me crack that elusive 5lb chub! Hopefully another bloggers' challenge - Covid permitting. Maybe follow up on a tip off of some good perch in a stillwater I joined during lockdown 1? Perhaps investigate the recent additions at the syndicate pool?  And of course there's still my other staple venues to fall back on. 

I might be challenged for time, but I'll have plenty of variety to go at when I do get out! I'll try to share things more regularly on here over the year ahead. 

Good luck to everyone in 2021. Tight lines, but most importantly, good health to all your family and stay safe. 

December

A couple of short pre-xmas sessions. A blank on a stillwater and a lone barbel on a ever swelling Avon. 

Further serious quantities of rain have seen the upper Avon (Rugby) hitting record levels. Misery for festive river anglers. Unlikely to improve much with a big storm arriving later on Boxing Day. 

One more session planned this year. Might have to be a stillwater, but I'll take anything I can get. It's been that sort of year.

November

November, no fishing for me again.

 

October

Some fishing respite around half-term thankfully. A bit of a mixed bag across a few sessions. Nice to see a zander again - it's been a while.

 

September

Didn't wet a line all month. Family duties taking over. Fishing can wait...

August

Returned to working in an office. A couple of canalside pub lunches - my only 2 pub outings since mid-March. It remained that way for the rest of the year. Fishing still sparse.

 

July

A bit of normality returned to daily life. Still starved of my usual fishing quota, but I managed to nick a few.

 

June

Finally some fishing. Opening day on the river saw a mixed bag of bits with a lone bream and a tiny pike.

Pubs still closed, but many things gradually reopening, including nurseries - got a huge chunk of my life back from that! I now have huge respect for those who look after children on a daily basis!

May

Lockdown continues. Weather still good. Still no fishing. A holiday cancelled. Lots of exercise with the little one, who was now starting to find her feet.

 

April

National lockdown. No Grand National. No fishing. Decent weather, but very little on offer.

Hectic times trying juggle childcare with my wife, while both of us working full time from home. Long days...

Baby's first steps emerged just shy of her first birthday.

 

 

March

A dose of hand foot and mouth for my daughter in March, courtesy of the nursery. Passed on to me too! Little did we know about the virus that was to shape the remainder of the year.

The Covid-19 lockdown came shortly after the river season closed. One last short session on the 14th was a blank. A disappointing end.

 

February

I'd returned to work in February and the reality of managing work and parental duties was a tougher task than I'd bargained for. 

Fishing was also limited by the conditions, but I did manage to sneak out my best ever Warwickshire Avon bream.

7lbs 4oz Warks Avon

 

January

A belated catch up of what has been a disjointed year. Just pictures mainly, to fill the gaps. More month by month posts coming soon.

I was still on parental leave in January, with a 9 month old that was about to start nursery. Rivers frequently flooded and frustrating. Fishing was limited.

Add caption