Friday 28th September

Mixed fishing expedition to Brooms on swim 8 in calm conditions.  Wasted a couple of hours in the margins to produce only one carp on pellet and a couple of tiddlers. Action was slow enough to notice a small flock of swallows moving in to take flies above the water as the temperature went up to the upper teens in mid-afternoon.

Frustrated, went on the long link feeder at distance using hair-rigged prawns, which produced a run a cast for two hours, but of the ten fish hooked only five were landed - the best approaching 4lb.  Had a slight feeling with this was due to the link between the feeder and the main swivel without being able to explain why.  On 8lb line, these fish made an incredible fight all the way back to the net but kicked free in the final stages.  All caught were commons but one escapee that found the reeds was a mirror.  After one biteless cast, tried the margins again without success, and after one last fish came off on the feeder wondered how many I would have had if I'd stuck to it.

Also saw two dragonflies and an unidentified butterfly.  Sadly the red admiral did not revisit the buddleia which is more or less finished for this year.  It would be nice to see it last into October but clearly unlikely to ever happen.