Middle Earth At 40

What better way to spend the day after your
40th birthday than with your Friends fishing.
That's what I did Sunday, the weather was
not the best but a visit to the Hodder and
Middle Earth did not allow the constant rain to
dampen the day.


Mike and Phil had arrived before us and
Mike already had a nice escaped Rainbow
in the bag on our arrival.
The day was spent on the dry fly for me although
as you can see the river is full of life , the Stone Clinger
above (False March Brown) and the Hydropsyche below
seem to be under every stone on the river bed. We had
a good laugh looking and catching the rivers little creatures,
Bullheads abound along with Beatles, Caddis, Minnows and
countless others, one Elver even made a surprise appearance
very far up the river indeed. I have turned forty but for an
hour or so it was back to being a kid ''brilliant''


Phil fished the dry also and despite a good few rises
he found hooking up a problem the fish when he did
get one quite small and hard to keep on. Good fun
and practice all the same.

Again I fell on my F-fly+ to catch the fish, I call
it the + because I put a few tail fibers on .
I picked out one tied up to match the Pale Watery
spinner above at least that's what I thought it was
and a quick look seems to confirm it.

A few mini fish and a couple of decent ones
made the Day a very pleasant one it gave me
chance to try out my Birthday present from
Melanie's brother Carl.
The fishing was not easy and the weather didn't help
we managed about a dozen fish between us .
Petes new to this game but he was the last one fishing,
his passion for all things around the river is contageus
I'm sure he will soon look as much at home with a fly rod
as Phil and Mike.

I hope I spend the next years enjoying time out
on the water with a few fish and good company
it made it a wet but Happy Birthday.