After a fairly dry, windy and overcast day yesterday this morning has dawned bright and sunny with hardly a cloud in the sky.  I can't remember the last time we had such a decent morning and the forecast is promising a few more days like this. 

Water levels on the river have dropped off quickly so salmon fishing is unlikely to be productive.  However, we still have some decent water for late season trouting. 

Here is something to watch out for when you are browsing through second hand book shops or book fairs.  The Art of the Wet Fly by W. S. Roger Fogg is a book that I had not come across before, but a quick browse through a copy left with me yesterday to pass on to a new member reveals it to be an absolute gold mine of information and advice about fishing north country spider patterns on wild rivers like the Ribble.  The book contains the distilled wisdom of many of the great writers of the past who have considered the art of fishing for trout in northern waters. You will find here Pritt, Edmunds and Lee, Skues, Ronalds, Halford and others who are (to me) less familiar such as Theakston and Cutcliffe. 

Finally, the runner ducks are settling in, a little nervous at present, but they are slowly getting their bearings and beginning to explore the garden.  Getting them shut up last night took slightly less time than I thought it would.  After a brief chase through the bushes and trees, through the pond and round the duck house several times they eventually tried a slick manoeuvre between Sheila's wellies which halted progress somewhat enabling me to grab them and bundle them into the ark.  Let's see what kind of performance they put on tonight.

Ian