The best thing you’ve seen whilst fishing

[Clive Shipman]

Second on the list fishing the BA on dusk with my brother Rich we fished 20ft apart between some trees. The out for the blue the sky lit up with a huge bang (I knew what it was I could hear it coming) a swan flew into power lines opposite us and went off like a firework. I went into concern mode whilst my brother fell about laughing. 5 minutes later showing good survival instincts this poor slightly black swan waddled towards us down the bank and into the river and swam away down stream looking worse for wear. My brother still laughs about it to this day.

 

[Steve Roffey]

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Whilst fishing on the Bristol one summer’s day, I’d taken a swim directly beneath a willow tree. Its lowest branch hung about five feet from the ground, forming a little arch where I could climb under and sit. I set up there, cast out, and began fishing opposite a much higher bank on the far side.


As I sat quietly—bite-less, as usual—I watched a barn owl hunting in the field opposite for a good ten minutes. Then, out of nowhere, it made a beeline for the high bank and flew straight toward me. It must have swooped over that bank a hundred times before, using the gap in the willow branches as a perfect flight path. But today, I happened to be sitting right in that spot.


In the blink of an eye, the owl swooped over the bank and, with no time to change course, glided silently over my head. The only sound was the faint rush of air as it passed. I froze, barely believing what had just happened. It cleared my head by inches.


An absolutely amazing moment—I doubt I’ll ever top it.

Had that happen to me once on the Severn above Shrewsbury about 40 years ago, absolutely magical!

 

[Richard Bruton]

As this is a current thread, I wanted to jump on the back of it to tell you about the most wonderful day I experienced on Wednesday.

I was fishing an area of the lower Hampshire Avon. A somewhat remote spot requiring a reasonable walk through a jungle of vegetation, a muddy/wet slippery path with occasional deep holes and coiling tree roots to navigate.

Half way down the track I put up a bittern. Only the second time I have seen one. Reaching my swim it was magnificent. A dramatic sky with dark black rain clouds and yet the sun shone throughout the day. Being winter and with a low sun, the light was absolutely sublime as it highlighted the pale reeds opposite me.

There was utter peace and quiet. Besides the usual bird life of cormorant, pigeons, ducks, geese, coots and seagulls, I also saw long tailed tits, a dab chic, water rail, eggret and a pair of marsh harriers reeling above the reed beds opposite.

Sat in a camouflage jacket, a kingfisher failed to spot me and landed on the second rod ring up from the reel whilst I was holding the rod. Unfortunately, it didn't take him long to spot the face marveling over his presence.

I spent as much time staring at the beauty of the scenery and bird life as I did watching the rod tip and missed a bite as a consequence.

To cap a perfect day, I had a huge yellow moon rise behind me as I sat watching a murmaration of starlings grow from a couple of hundred to several thousand birds before they dropped down into the reeds opposite.

A truly enchanting day.

 

[Neil Smart]

I have said it before a beautiful young lady dressed up as Robin Hood c/w hot pants bow and arrows on the banks of the Teme in the middle of nowhere .

 

[Neil Smart]

Two badgers having a play fight that turned a little too robust, that forced me to intervene with 'Oi you two play nice' ...the look on their faces before scampering off was pure gold.

 

[Alec Hague]

As this is a current thread, I wanted to jump on the back of it to tell you about the most wonderful day I experienced on Wednesday.

I was fishing an area of the lower Hampshire Avon. A somewhat remote spot requiring a reasonable walk through a jungle of vegetation, a muddy/wet slippery path with occasional deep holes and coiling tree roots to navigate.

Half way down the track I put up a bittern. Only the second time I have seen one. Reaching my swim it was magnificent. A dramatic sky with dark black rain clouds and yet the sun shone throughout the day. Being winter and with a low sun, the light was absolutely sublime as it highlighted the pale reeds opposite me.

There was utter peace and quiet. Besides the usual bird life of cormorant, pigeons, ducks, geese, coots and seagulls, I also saw long tailed tits, a dab chic, water rail, eggret and a pair of marsh harriers reeling above the reed beds opposite.

Sat in a camouflage jacket, a kingfisher failed to spot me and landed on the second rod ring up from the reel whilst I was holding the rod. Unfortunately, it didn't take him long to spot the face marveling over his presence.

I spent as much time staring at the beauty of the scenery and bird life as I did watching the rod tip and missed a bite as a consequence.

To cap a perfect day, I had a huge yellow moon rise behind me as I sat watching a murmaration of starlings grow from a couple of hundred to several thousand birds before they dropped down into the reeds opposite.

A truly enchanting day.

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A wonderful memory.