Well done on your fish Mark.
I had a little birthday session today on the Enbourne. Got to the river rather later than planned due to having to follow a road sweeper lorry all the way down into Aldermaston. My choice of swim looked as though it had received no angling pressure this season which was promising despite the frost.
Managed to miss a bite first cast while talking to my dad on the phone. Quickly recast and the fish were still there as evidenced by a pristine stripy of 2lb 4oz. A great start to my session. Things went a bit quiet for an hour or so as the sun got higher in the sky. Then I had a take on the drop which I mistook for having the line draped over a twig (a common occurance with the way I fish this swim) and as a result missed the bite, retrieving just the nose of the lob.
Lunchtime passed uneventfully. Then at about 2pm I had a knock on the tip with the line then slackening jerkily. I struck into another perch which had taken the bait and swam towards the rod. This fish looked bigger in the water and so it proved, although not to the extent I hoped, tipping the scales at 2lb 9oz. Another good fish though and I was well chuffed. Shortly afterwards I missed another good bite while talking to the missus and with that things quietened down again.
I packed up early so as to get things sorted for another session tomorrow, with my dad up at Barton Court. Fingers crossed I can finally break the 3lb barrier.