The first real rain for some weeks fell last night and this morning.  The river has lifted a bit, but we need considerably more rain over the next few days to make a significant difference to the flow and make fishing a viable consideration.  Rain is forecast, but right now the clouds are melting away to give a rather pleasant evening with warm sunshine.

This year's edition of Salmo Trutta the Wild Trout Trust journal landed on my door mat last week.  As usual this is packed with a mix of useful info, enjoyable articles and case studies that fire the enthusiasm to get out and do something practical.  Of particular note is a study of a long term project on a chalk stream in the south.  Just what you can get away with on a benign little spring fed river makes one quite jealous.  Try some of habitat improvements on our river and all your hard work would be floating half a mile off Lytham after the first spate!  However, there is some good stuff in the article about encouraging water plants and this we will follow up over the next few weeks.

I have delayed the Turn Dub invertebrate check in the hope that the recent rain will make sampling a little easier so the check will be done tomorrow morning.

Ian