Martyn White | Thursday, 1 August 2024
I fished alone this week, first time in a while actually what with the tube outings and helping Chuck with sight fishing and Okinawa flats prep. I had been planning to go and climb a mountain but when I opened the door a 4 am it was already boiling, so I shut it and went back to bed for a couple more hours.
Once the light was up a bit and I was better rested, I took a casual stroll up the river, an activity better suited to the temperatures than dragging myself up a couple of thousand metres... but as it turns out not that much better. By the time I was ready to start fishing I was literally dripping with sweat, it was dripping of the bill of my hat and my buff was soaked. I drank a litre of water and had a salt tablet and started working my way down stream. The fish didn't seem to be too bothered by the heat. They were cruising around pretty evenly distributed, most of the fish weren't feeding with intent but were engaged in what I think of as browsing behaviour. I think of these fish as positive and while they're not as good as a preoccupied tailer, they're still a pretty high percentage option. By the time I had walked a couple of hundred metres I had missed a couple of shots, spooked a couple of good fish before getting a shot and lost most of that water I'd drunk at the start. I checked the thermometer and it was 39 degrees.. a good bit hotter than forecast and it was only about half past 10. I never regret going fishing, but I wasn't feeling great at this point.
Another litre, some salt and a wee sit under a bridge with my feet in the water perked me up a bit. But as it was only going to get warmer, I was wondering how long I'd last. Eventually I managed to pull myself up of my arse and set about stalking down stream. I eventually got an eat on a little black bug, it was a nice fish hanging out in an eddy, but I didn't get the hook in it. Too slow. I made a couple of bad shots after that and spooked a nice long stretch of good water. Luckily when I got down past the next pool I found another willing fish that I managed to catch. It wasn't big, maybe 5lb, but it was very welcome. Once I released the fish I finished my water and checked the temperature. 42! And it was humid.
That was enough for me, at the next bridge I came up from the river and scuttled along the road until I found a Seven Eleven. More water and the most necessary ice lolly I've ever eaten before a hot and uncomfortable walk back to the aircon. At least I didn't get sun burnt.