When you are an All rounder like me, your fishing can, and invariably does, take you down many different paths, even though you might not have planned your season like that. My season hasn't quite worked out to plan, and to be honest I'm quite glad in some ways that it hasn't. I's easy to get stuck in a rut with your fishing, the same as it is with so many other things, and having a break, forced or otherwise can be a blessing in disguise. The weather the last few weeks really hasn't been in favour of the Saltwater Fly fishing side of things as I have mentioned previously, so I have had to look else where, in order to continue fishing in some way. I don't really mind, because I'm normally happy as long as I am fishing, and even happier if that Fishing is something of a challenge or requires working out the best way to approach it, and if I end up being rewarded for My hard work with a special capture or a red letter day in terms of numbers then thats even better. I'm guilty of taking My fishing too seriously sometimes, as I'm sure we all are, which doesn't help when things aren't going right. Often I will take a step back and either take a break and re assess, as I said, or, as at the moment, change tack completely and do something totally different. I've been doing just that lately, both taking a break and doing something completely different. First of all I spent a few days with the children and took them fishing, which not only did they thoroughly enjoy, but I did too. It gives me enormous pleasure to see their reactions to whats going on, and I see reflections of a much younger Me and the emotions I went through when learning to fish, though I had no one to teach Me like they do, so they already have a head start in that respect. The thing that has impressed Me is the way that they naturally treat each and every fish they catch with utmost wonder and respect, It brings a tear to My eye and a lump to My throat and I'm so proud of them for this, because it means that they understand the fundamental reasons why they are fishing, not for sport or food, but to be a guardian of the water and the creatures within it, the Fish, the insects, and the plants within and around it, for it is us Anglers that are the protectors of this watery world, if it wasn't for that fact there would definitely not be the number of waters or the number of fish around that there is, even in Saltwater many Anglers are beginning to realise the importance of conserving fish stocks and returning their catches, and joining organisations that fight to preserve the fisheries. Hopefully My children and other's joining the ranks of Angling will ensure the preservation of our sport and continue to be guardians of the waterways, as an Angler and a Father I could not ask for anything more.

As well as taking my children fishing I have had a little dabble Myself of course, and found an interesting little bit of water that I can't really say too much about, but We caught some lovely Roach and Rudd, as well as Perch and a few other species, definitely somewhere to have a little go at now and again when the mood takes me.

I have some plans for the coming week, which, if things go right should provide an interesting and different experience fishing wise, a type of fishing I haven't done for a few years, and hopefully I'll be able to write about it in a week or so when We've finished. As to where the Fly fishing side of things will go for the rest of the season I have no idea, it depends a lot on the weather, Tides and of course the Fish. There are a few months left yet in which to find the right conditions so hopefully things will come good again at some point!

It may seem a little early to be thinking about winter, it is still July after all! But so as to be able to enjoy a full itinerary within My Winter Fishing I like to make some plans, because I've found in previous winters it's all too easy to sit around during those long dark nights wondering what to do whilst waiting for the weekends to come round when I can go fishing, and if I don't have something to aim at and a plan to work to then the Winter would pass without much at all happening, and then after sitting around watching Top Gear repeats and driving round Silverstone on the X Box for hours and hours, I'd finally go mad! Another Trip to the Lower Itchen Fishery where I caught My first Grayling last year has been booked and of Course there will be some specimen Roach fishing, hopefully from a river, along with trying to better My Perch best, Possibly some Pike and most likely some Carp. I would also like to try for some Chub which will entail a few day trips to 'England' to fish the river Stour at Throop. How much of that will come to fruition I don't know, hopefully all of it, maybe only some of it, but whatever happens I hope to keep busy and keep enjoying it and of course writing about it here.