Cormorants (also known as "The Black Death") are a particularly repulsive top predator that has migrated inland here in the UK from the sea to take advantage of the easy pickings of both coarse fish and trout that can be found throughout the lands waterways, lakes and reservoirs.

I thought I would record the various personal best trout I have managed to catch over the years at Anglian Waters four trout fishing reservoirs. I have managed to catch many brownies and rainbows in the 3lb 0oz - 3lb 12oz class which are not really recorded here. I recently found out the the set of scales I use underweight by around 4 to 5 ounces...

Olive Larvae: Curse, plague or blessing?

Those tiny (1cm long) pale washed out olive larvae are back again in profusion at Pitsford this summer. Last year (2009) they were widespread throughout the summer at Pitsford in the Main Basin area. They managed to cause a lot of frustration to some anglers as the trout went feeding hard on them, often exclusively so, and sometimes became very difficult to catch!

A very windswept Sunday May 30th 2010 saw me on the bank in one of my favourite spots at Pitsford Water struggling to get a decent line out due to the strongly gusting wind. The gale force wind prompted me to shuffle around within the bay I was fishing seeking shelter and also a change of tactics to try and deal with the unrelenting wind.

Sometimes known as "Thatcher's Children" or "Me Me's" these individuals think only of themselves and exhibit zero thought or consideration for anyone else. You are dead to them within their own narrow little existence.

Here in all its glory is a trout fishing rudder built to Steve Partons original specification as detailed in his seminal Boat Fishing For Trout published back in 1983.

Pitsford, A Lake Of Two Halves

A reminder of the recent harsh winter and heavy snow from the view along the dam wall at Pitsford Reservoir looking towards Pitsford Hall Weather Station in the distance.