Despite being an overweight sixty something with a less than flexible back most of my spring and summer fishing, tench and lure fishing apart, is fishing small, sometimes tiny streams . I rarely see a soul , but close encounters with deer, kingfisher , dippers , sparrowhawks and buzzards are common . Otter too - and the inconvenient truth (for some)is that their presence has had no effect on our catches of trout, grayling and chub . Last year I had one swim to within 3 feet of me before it spotted me . The very odd vole too , which now the mink are declining are a little more common locally , but still rare .
As said, 'study to be quiet ' -not only audibly, but care in not creating bow waves and avoiding the sort of funky flouroescent clothing which it seems to be de rigueur for hipster lure anglers to wear . I see 'em coming , but they never see me.
One small water I fish for roach and bream has a huge amount of fry on the surface on summer days - one audibly closed car door is enough to spook them by the hundred . So think on, as they say in these parts
