For the Pot

I like to take one fish per season to have with me spuds, and here it is! This is the earliest I have ever caught a fresh Fane salmon, I always do the fish justice and make the most of it, its a 9 and a half pound cock fish and we'll get 3 dinners out of it for 4 people. Its more than enough to take in any one year, you dont want to get sick of it! I've taken 3 or 4 fish previous seasons but some steaks just get left in the freezer or you give cuts to someone and they dont use it, thats a travesty. Im totally behind catch and release, I just get hungry sometimes!

Here is the Park shrimp that did the damage, completely in contrast to the big frances that connected on Tuesday. I tied it for the Finn in Donegal but I decided to employ Summer tactics on the Fane. Its about an inch long. Im still happy with the single hooks, they are barbed but still have damage limitation and are far easier to remove than doubles and trebles. So far they are better hookers too, we'll see how my season pans out though (touching wood).
  Oh yeah! christened the Echo with its first fish aswell, it has far more power through the blank than my Lpxe, hard to explain, it flexes like crazy but doesnt feel under tension. Handled the fish with ease. Hate to say it but it is a superior rod to the Lpxe, so far. But it is a heavier gram rated rod and is more designed for spey casting. Im torn!