Untethered.

The Easter break saw me catching up with my friend Gareth at Temple Farm Fishery - Dave's Pool.

Unlike some of my other excursions this trip was blissfully devoid of expectation or target. Just a chance to do what I love in peaceful surroundings with a friend.

When I'm not fishing I can often be found thinking about fishing, planning for fishing or consuming fishing themed outputs and there's one motif I've heard from the grandees of our sport Keith Arthur and Matt Hayes which has struck a chord with me of late.

It describes the phases an angler moves through if they stick with the sport. When you start off you just want to catch as many fish as possible, then you want to catch the biggest fish you can, until finally you are just seeking the maximum enjoyment from each session. I've certainly arrived at that latter point nowadays and for me that takes the form of catching fish with my preferred method of using a centrepin reel and delicately balanced tackle. It provides me with the greatest joy.

I think one might easily accuse me of using a centrepin to my detriment at times. Undoubtedly there are occasions when this style of fishing will out perform others perhaps most notably on running water but boy if I can shoehorn a centrepin into my day then I'm happy. Some have stress balls on their desk to squeeze when the going gets tough, I have my first ever centrepin at hand to spin - an Edgar Sealey Black Seal I believe.

So guess what, I found the windy corner of this not quite commercial and set to work with my trusty pin and pole float down the edge and my afternoon could therefore never disappoint. I had fourteen carp, a bream, a nice roach and a spawned out perch all to a third of a lobworn on the hook over some hemp, choppy and maggots.

I set up my mini tripod and managed to catch some bites on video too for your general enjoyment. I recommend you set the video quality to HD if you play these as at least that way you'll see the float!

Here is a missed bite.

And here is one of me hooking a carp.

This was my last fish of the day and I walked it round the bank to land it to stay out of Gareth's way as he'd joined me on the peg to my left. I realise too I look like an Alzheimer's patient at the end. 

Cheers.