‘Attishoo!…Dad, when can I go fishing again?’
‘He’s not going until he’s got over this hay fever.’ Said mum.
‘Attishoo!……..Can we go where you caught those big roach, attishoo! …… And I’d really like to catch a tench …….. Attishoo!’
‘Maybe this weekend William, it’s supposed to be getting a bit cooler.’ 
Saturday 11th June, and we’re at Linear Fisheries’ Smiths Pool at just after 6am. Feeder rod at the ready, lots of sweet, sickly-smelling groundbait, choc-a-block with hemp and corn. Weather is overcast but mild, with a steady north westerly.
‘I’ll cast in first to set the distance and clip-up, then you can cast to the marker and it’ll be spot-on every time.’
A few casts with red maggot gets a couple of perch.
‘Where’s the tench dad?’
‘Give it a bit of time. Try corn on the hook.’
‘Can’t even get a perch now!’
‘You won’t get perch on corn (fingers crossed). And you won’t catch anything if you don’t watch the tip……..strike!’
‘Aw, cool, it’s really pulling Dad. What is it?’
‘Probably a tench. Let’s get it on the bank and you’ll find out. Give some line William or you’ll lose it.’ 
After a protracted struggle during which not an inch of line is given, it’s in the net.
‘Cool, my first tench. Let’s weigh it.’
The scales register 3lbs, so we take a quick picture and back it goes. Then a couple more tench, which we don’t weigh as they both look smaller. The tip keeps going round and a few small rudd put in an appearance.
‘This one feels bigger, it’s another rudd, bigger than the others.’ Says William.
‘Careful, it’s a really good one. We’ll weigh that.’
‘1lb 2ozs, my biggest one ever!’
‘Pop it back and see if you can get some more.’
Another tench follows, and a bird’s nest in the line, which means a change of reels. It’s nearly time to go home for lunch.
‘A couple more casts and we’ll have to pack up.’ I say.
But William gets a gentle tap on the tip and the hook goes home. He’s learning. 
‘This one’s really going!’ He yells.
‘ Give it some line!’ I yell back. And then, ‘What’s wrong? Has it come off?’
‘No, it’s still on but it feels smaller……..what is it?’
It’s a bream and quite a good one too at 5lbs 5ozs. So another quick picture, back it goes, and it’s time to pack up.
‘I’ve had a brill day dad, can we come back next week? Maybe we can go carp fishing?’
‘Not unless you learn to give some line we can’t!’
