When you are really, really into fishing, it’s natural to be interested in anything even remotely associated with it – I mean, I can barely pass a puddle without getting the itch! Match, coarse, carp, or specialist… it’s all good with me, as long as I can get a line in the water.

Fly fishing is another area that I dabble in, but am by no means experienced, or good at. When conditions are right and time is short, I’ll occasionally take my lightweight starter kit to target a few roach and rudd, usually in a quiet corner of my local reservoir.

With the summer sun shining and non-existent wind, I had an hour and a half to chuck some fluff, so I logged out from work and raced to the waters edge to chase some silvers. The session didn’t start so well when I opened my line grease pot to find it almost empty (having clearly melted in an overheated shed), surrounded by a large greasy stain on my fishing case! There was a tiny bit left for the session though, so out the fly went in search of a set of lips.

Roach and rudd were all over the surface, constantly snapping at a big old daddy long legs-looking replica I had selected for the evening. The hook was large, so I didn’t connect with many fish; nevertheless, those that I did hook were certainly getting on for a pound!

Soon enough, all the attraction from the silver fish piqued the interest of some larger specimens, with several large shadows now circling my fly. I knew there was zero chance of landing fish that big on my lightweight rod, but I just couldn’t bring myself to drag the fly away from a particularly large set of surface suckers that were fast approaching!

Before I knew it the rod had exploded into action and my stupidity would undoubtedly result in a broken leader or a spooled reel. A few seconds later something gave. What an idiot. Expecting the usual curly where the fly should be, I was surprised to see the hook still in situ, and even more surprised to see it embellished with a scale the size of a coaster!

Rod put down and mobile phone clutched:

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