When the English scientist Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web back at the end of the last century as a means of enabling universities to share data he can scarcely have imagined how far his idea would develop.  Access to the web is now probably the single most important force driving sales of home computers.  We can communicate to an audience almost instantly and far beyond the scope of the phone.  This blog is an example.  We can access information in such volume and detail that it would take several lifetimes to read and absorb it all.  Just try typing "brown trout" into a search engine and see what you get!  And it enables us to buy (and sell) stuff without the hassle of traipsing round the shops.

The last benefit has been uppermost in my mind this week for two reasons and connects this geeky stuff to life on the fishery.  Firstly I have been able to source all the materials, tools and equipment we need for our fencing project from a firm in Burnley found as a result of an Internet search.  OK, I could have done this using yellow pages if I had the edition that covers the whole of the north of England but the advantage of the web is that I can view this firms product list, select the items I want, see pictures of what it looks like and compare prices with other companies.  All in the space of a few minutes.  A simple email, phone call or fax and the job is done.

Secondly,  What about eBay?  for those of you who haven't yet ventured into this electronic auction house I would encourage you to do so.  I was sceptical until I bought my first items back in May.  It's simple to use, pretty safe and you can get a bargain.  Just right for that vital bit of kit you can't do without next season.  This week I had two successes.  Two books that will provide many hours of absorbing reading when the weather turns nasty.  The first cost me just £3.18 (cover price £17) and is by Mike Weaver.  It's titled The pursuit of wild trout and describes Mikes experiences fishing for wild brownies in unspoilt rivers in the UK and Ireland.  The second is a book I have had my eye out for for some time.  This was an absolute bargain at 99p (cover price (£15) and is the life of Mick Lunn the third generation of his family to work as Keeper on the Houghton waters of the River Test.  It's a book full of passion about dry fly fishing on what is probably the most exclusive and famous trout water in the world.

So, what of life here at Horton this week?  Mr Sod has been in action again on two fronts.  The weather has been glorious since the season closed with good clear water of a sustained high volume.  Just right for spawning salmon.  A pity we did not get more of this a few weeks ago.  A last minute glitch on the fencing project front where Craven College are having tutor problems that may delay the start of work a bit.  I will know more tomorrow but everything else is in place with the supplier standing by to receive and deliver an order for materials as and when I an satisfied that we can start.  Who said that project management was easy?

I was in reflective mood last week but clearly not reflective enough as the one event of this season gone that I forgot to mention was the VHS incident that caused so much hardship for fish farms and our own stocking plans.  Things are still slowly returning to normal and a brief conversation with our usual supplier for the Tarn has confirmed that he is out of quarantine and ready to deliver again next season.  I also forgot to mention Alan Toppings bench that now provides such a convenient place by the Tay Bridge to sit and eat lunch or just sit and reflect (or just sit).  I think it blends well with it's surroundings and is a lasting memorial to such a fine fisherman who was so passionate about the Ribble.

I am off to a meeting at Grassington on Thursday about the problem of signal crayfish in the Ribble catchment.  This has been organised by the EA who want to try to eradicate the growing population of these little alien pests from Long Preston Beck.  If they get down into the main river then we can kiss good by to any hope of returning our native species to the upper Ribble.  I have a couple of good recipes for crayfish. Waste not want not as my mother says.

All being well the barley straw should go into the Tarn  this week.  We decided to try placing solid bales this time so it will be interesting to see how effective this method is compared to the sausages with their larger surface area.  If it works then it will save a lot of work and mess in future years.

See you next week.

Ian