There I was bashing out the bream on the Broads at St Benets on the Bure and roach on tares on the Thurne at Cold Harbour. Big Norfolk skies, sails seemingly cutting through the land in the distance, Marsh Harriers gliding over the reed beds, beautiful. Cycling along the lanes and byways great. The fishing was good too but after the peaceful Fen Rivers and Drains the busy Broads Rivers are something else. Sailboats jibbing across the river, Cruisers cutting a wash through the water and day boats coming from all angles. The water is always well coloured with all this activity and the fish on the feed but its difficult to not catch a boat, and you fear for your top 4.

What else was I missing. Nets of big bream and dark hybrids from several sections of the Relief Channel, with catches of 100 to 160lb on offer, early start needed here though. Carp on the Ouse best at 26lb, with nuisance bream to 8lb in the way as the carp guys lay their table of bait and boilies to try and tempt some of these fit battleship carp. Middle Level Bream and tench abound and at last the roach have come back with the old black magic seed scoring well.Trouble is the summer we did not expect to get is now here leaving the fish to bask in the sun and move little as the oxygen levels fall whilst anglers burn on the bank. Then again that’s summer fishing.The waters have improved since my return due to the recent near incessant rain. Perhaps time I headed for the sun again?