Here's a story that belongs in the "strange but true" or "and finally" category, one of those stories that you wish you had been present to witness and one which will earn you free pints in the Crown if only it had happened to you. 

I had a phone call from a member last evening who recounted how he was fishing the Tarn last Monday and he was reflecting on how easy it was and how quickly he was reaching his 6 fish limit.  Whilst he mused he was retrieving his fly dressed by himself on a size 12 hook and with half a mind he was watching the swallows and rejoicing in just how many of them there are hawking over the Tarn this year.  All of a sudden he got a strike! But not a fish.  It seems that a swallow had taken a fancy to this diminutive fly dancing along the surface of the water and had taken it.  There then followed the most gentle of retrieves as our member endeavoured to bring the swallow in without harming it so that the barbless hook could be released.  As the rather surprised bird reached the sedge along the bank of the Tarn it opened its beak and the hook fell out.  The bird promptly departed and resumed hawking for flies none the worse for its involuntary addition to this members tally.

This begs a few questions.  Was this an amazingly well dressed fly, so good in fact that it deceived the gimlet eyes of a swallow?  Was it a juvenile swallow with more enthusiasm than sense? Or was this just a small bird taking the Michael?

It also raises the question as to whether Council should consider imposing a catch limit on swallows with each members tally entered in the Tarn register under a separate heading.  I leave you to ponder!

It's another overcast, showery and breezy morning with the threat of heavier rain later in the day so the river remains in good water.

Ian