"You're the fella from that blog, aren't you?"

Wow, I didn't think anybody actually read this thing! It was nice to be recognised though. It's been a couple of weeks since i was able to go fishing, and this trip was a little opportunistic. Mick had promised his dad that they would go and watch the football today, so i grabbed my kit and thought "why not?"

I hadn't intended on doing anything for the blog today, instead quite the opposite. I intended on doing what fishing is supposed to be about - relaxing! Hah - have you ever had a relaxing fishing trip in your life? I know i haven't! But relaxing, none the less, was what today was supposed to be about. Besides, who would take the pictures anyway?

Well the chap who did end up taking my picture, with a 9lb fish, was a smashing gentleman called Tom. It genuinely was a pleasure to meet him, a proper fisherman, humble but full of knowledge and passion for the sport.

We got stuck in to every angling issue that has ever, or might ever, effect our beloved sport. Swapped story's of personal bests and funny anecdotes of situations we've found ourselves in. Put right every wrong within the sport and even found time to catch a fish or two!

It's meeting like this, with like minded fishermen, that make you realise just how good we are at our sport...no seriously! As Tom and I were stood talking, each of us was watching each others float so that we could be facing each other without missing any bites. Neither of us suggested we should do this, we just automatically did it. When it was time to reel in a fish, Tom was there with the net to land the fish and offered assistance when the fish was on the mat. All of this whilst being courteous enough to leave me to my fish, but close enough in case i should need this assistance. You can't really teach that sort of etiquette, it just develops naturally as you progress through your angling career.

Soon my time on the bank was up, back to the real world for me. It was as i was packing up that Tom got around to telling me his name. Then it occurred to me - how often does that happen? You'll know their personal best, where they fished as a child, their favorite bait and even what used to be on this land before they dug these quarries for the gravel to build the M1 motorway - but do you ever get their name? We're a funny lot us fishermen!

Wish you were there Mick!