Jakub & I bade farewell to the great estate lake of Osterley Park a few weeks ago. The day was pure Indian Summer, the conditions quite promising. We talked of either a late season Tench, or dare we say it, one of the elusive Carp. We ended up with neither and by late afternoon we would have been happy with one of it’s legion of huge Bream. It’s been hard over there this season. It’s never been easy but it’s always been rewarding. In seasons past we have had tench over 7 and bream to 9. On opening day a mirror came out at 34 and a month or so later our pal Dave lost one that was certainly of a similar size. But my sum total from six visits since June has been one bream, at a little over 6. Caught at 5.30am on opening day. Jak has done ever so slightly better with a tench close to 8. again, caught on opening day. That said, whilst writing this I remembered that Jak caught a jack pike that day;

It was pure opportunist fishing. The surface of the water in front of us was being broken by hundreds of small fish jumping and scarpering, the sign of a predator in the area. Jak seized the moment, set up a spinning rod and got him first cast. If we do go back there this season, it will be for the pike. But, I’m not sure that we’ll be renewing our permits next year. (JB)

the Heathrow flight path over Osterley Park, 7pm, 28th September (taken by Jak)