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.

This move prompted an immediate response as I connected with a couple of fish straight away which was very reassuring but neither fish stuck and both come off. The third pull was much more convincing and a grand tussle ensued with much line stripped from the reel. Eventually revealed was this superb personal best Pitsford rainbow weighing in at exactly 4lb. Bright silver and obviously an over wintered fish with a huge shovel of a tail, full of silver bloom, to power it around the lake running up the waves seeking its next meal. Stunning!

With this rainbow trout only just fitting into the landing net, being a solid, fitting fit, powerhouse of a fish, this is one of the reasons why folks such as myself go trout fishing, to catch one of these beauties :) To successfully use a small piece of fur and feather to tempt such a semi wild fish is truly remarkable feat.

Notice the battered cork handle on the old aged rod held together with tape, some of my rods take some punishment with the distance casting I tend to do on these Midlands reservoirs from the bank.

An absolutely fabulous high quality trout that was enjoyed by all at the Thames side barbecue later that evening :)