...Fishing cat.........

This is my latest fishing buddy...............Sooty.

The lake we fished at has several cats, they get fed but they also hunt and they scrounge for bait and they've even been known to steal fish off hooks as they're being landed. This happened to me last year.

Today dawned warm and sunny so no need for all the gear, just a long sleeved T-shirt, pair of jeans and trainers.
Picked Shaun up at 7, met Sam, Charlie, Roy and Tommo at McD's for breakfast.....mmmmm.....sausage ,egg and cheese bagel and coffee.
Got to the lake for 8.15, decided on even numbered pegs, draw at 8.45, all in at 9.45.

First fish of the day went to me, a nice bream about 2lbs, everyone zeroed in, saw what I was using as bait and how deep I was fishing and instantly switched.

Sooty put in her appearance, sat at my feet for a while, tried to eat my maggots, then jumped up on my knee for a stroke. I shooed her off but she kept coming back all day.

After about 1 1/2 hours switched tactics, fished 6 inches deep and caught a carp about 4lb, everyone zeroed in, saw what was going on and switched.

The day got hotter and hotter, the fishing got slower and slower and the carp all came to the surface and cruised round , but didn't take one offering of bait.

About an hour from the end Mark, sitting beside me, hit into a huge carp. He couldn't get it to the surface for about 15 minutes, when he tried to get it into his net, the net was too small and it set off on another run. Kind person that I am I lent him my net, but he still couldn't land the fish, so in the end I netted for him. He got the fish's head up, it gulped air, (which slows them right down) and he pulled up with the pole and it glided head first straight into my net. It weighed in at 12lb, but I reckon I should get half because I technically landed it.

I didn't win the match.....neither did Mark, pegs 9, 11, and 15 were 1st, 3rd and 2nd. They always have been the best pegs.

But the day was gorgeous, the Sun was hot and the fishing was good. Now it's time for a chicken salad, then a bit of school work and later out for a beer with D (B has gone to Australia for a month).

Das vidanya moy padruga.