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So I took a couple of hours off yesterday afternoon, slung my daughter's (short) fishing rod over my back, fired up the old Vespa and went to a local stream that I know to be good (thanks to the very expensive fly-fishing club who stock and maintain a stretch of it 
)
I had 4lb line, a normal river float, size 14 hooks and earthworms from the veg patch.
Ran out worms but on the last one I caught - and then lost - a really nice brown trout which was lurking in a deep pool - fought it hard but it broke the line.
So I lifted up the turf, found a couple of fat worms, re-hooked my line (not bothering with the float, but keeping a largish shot a foot up the line from the bait to give some sink).
Straight away - BANG, rod goes wild, bends almost double, I play it slowly, giving the fish some line to tire it out and bringing it in little by little.
It jumps, thrashing wildly, trying to shake the hook and suddenly I realise I've got no landing net.
So l step down on to a flat stone in the stream and crouch low, all the time trying not to lose the fish.
I get it closer and closer and soon I can see that it's tired so lay down the rod and hold the line with one hand, reaching for the fish with my other.
But it's too big and strong and slippery so I use both hands to grab it very tightly, somehow manage to unhook it (I think I bit through the line!) and keeping a firm hold on the writhing leviathan I step gingerly back up to the bank.
(During this time my rod gets carried off downstream, coming to rest in the nettles agains the far bank. But that's my problem.)
So I whip out my phone, snap a crappy pic (with Swiss Army knife) for scale and then think what the hell, three sharp whacks with the back of its head against my crash helmet, slip it into my bag et voila supper for the whole family.
Weight 697g, cooked for 20 mins at 180c in buttered foil with a splash of white wine and a little garlic.
And here's the pics.
)I had 4lb line, a normal river float, size 14 hooks and earthworms from the veg patch.
Ran out worms but on the last one I caught - and then lost - a really nice brown trout which was lurking in a deep pool - fought it hard but it broke the line.
So I lifted up the turf, found a couple of fat worms, re-hooked my line (not bothering with the float, but keeping a largish shot a foot up the line from the bait to give some sink).
Straight away - BANG, rod goes wild, bends almost double, I play it slowly, giving the fish some line to tire it out and bringing it in little by little.
It jumps, thrashing wildly, trying to shake the hook and suddenly I realise I've got no landing net.
So l step down on to a flat stone in the stream and crouch low, all the time trying not to lose the fish.
I get it closer and closer and soon I can see that it's tired so lay down the rod and hold the line with one hand, reaching for the fish with my other.
But it's too big and strong and slippery so I use both hands to grab it very tightly, somehow manage to unhook it (I think I bit through the line!) and keeping a firm hold on the writhing leviathan I step gingerly back up to the bank.
(During this time my rod gets carried off downstream, coming to rest in the nettles agains the far bank. But that's my problem.)
So I whip out my phone, snap a crappy pic (with Swiss Army knife) for scale and then think what the hell, three sharp whacks with the back of its head against my crash helmet, slip it into my bag et voila supper for the whole family.
Weight 697g, cooked for 20 mins at 180c in buttered foil with a splash of white wine and a little garlic.
And here's the pics.
