Playing football, tench fishing, memories and Cotwall End Valley
⚽️ Playing football at 61 years, 4 months and 1 week
I work in the beautiful game, and I enjoy watching it, but you can’t beat putting the boots on and getting out on the pitch yourself.
I’m not ready for veterans’ football yet and walking football isn’t even on the agenda.
Playing yesterday evening, we won by one goal.
In a positive way, I still have the desire to win and be the best that I can be.
🎣 Tench fishing and The Curse
Football or not the evening before, I was still up bright and early to go fishing the following morning.
My body felt like I had played football, but then again so it should, regardless of your age.
Looking to enjoy my last few days pursuing tench, I once again headed to the lake that has become a familiar venue in recent months.
I started with sweetcorn, then switched to maggots.
After several perch in quick succession, I returned to corn.
As per yesterday’s session, I hooked a tench, but on this occasion, managed to land it.
Then The Curse turned up. Say no more.
On a serious note, though, we had a great chat, looking back over memories from more than half a century ago.
🪱 Tackle, bait and tactics
Fox Barbel Special 1.5 test curve rod and an Okuma Zeon reel.
6lb Maxima Chameleon, with a six-inch hook-length created by a small shot and 8mm bead.
Above that was a 1/2 ounce lead. Size 10 Drennan Super Specialist hook.
Single grain of corn/five maggots over brown crumb, maggots (red and white) and sweetcorn, twenty metres out.
🦆 Nature notes while fishing
Great black-backed gull high in flight.
One swift.
Three house martins.
🌲With Dilwyn in Cotwall End Valley
Once home, before I even had a shower and changed, I took Dillwyn, our Bedlington terrier, for a walk in the valley where we live.
As always, the video captures more than I could ever put down in words.
📹 Football, fishing and walking in the valley