After a fine and sunny weekend we had a few heavy showers last evening and overnight.  Not really enough to lift the river to any appreciable extent, but it's still fishable on the pools and deeper runs.

I did the invertebrate check at New Inn bridge first thing yesterday morning and despite not being able to sample the gravel banks where the best results are got because of low water the results I did get are encouraging.  All families included in the monitoring programme are present including, for only the second time in the two years we have been monitoring, a specimen of the true mayfly Ephemera danica.  You can't easily mistake this fine beastie.  It's large with feathery gills carried high and looks quite elegant.  Still, one E.danica does not a duffers fortnight make so fishing our little river will always be hard graft.

A member dropped by last evening after fishing the Tarn to report something that despite fishing here for over 30 years he had not seen before.  The cows are now out in Tarn pasture and many of these have calves at foot.  It would seem that one calf became separated from the main herd because it was too busy feeding its face to notice that mum and it's mates had moved some distance off.  On realising that it was now home alone panic set in and rather than gallop round to where the herd were now grazing it took a short cut - straight across the Tarn.  So if you do get a bite that seems to fight with extraordinary vigour just make sure that it's a rainbow and not Billy the bullock!

The clouds are lifting now and the sun is emerging.  The forecast is for a fine day up to mid afternoon when we may get further showers.  Tomorrow looks to be a washout with strong winds before a return to warm settled weather on Thursday.  If we do get a lot of rain tomorrow the river should be in good nick for the weekend.

Ian