21/09/2026 - Back for another go

Smarting from the loss of that decent perch during my last session on the Soar I was keen to go back and try again. I also still had over half a pint of maggots left somehow (I'm sure they multiply in the fridge), so finished work early and headed down the motorway and was parked up on the bridge in Kegworth by 4 o'clock. Walking up to the lock the river looked a bit lower than last time and was gin clear, so I could easily see the bottom well over halfway across. It was also bright and sunny, so all in all not great conditions for catching a big stripey. However, it was a cracking afternoon and just nice to be out and not in fornt of a screen, even better for having the whole section of river to myself again. Crossed the lock onto the island and followed the path upstream. Before too long I was scrambling down the bank and settling into "my spot" in the run off from the weir upstream. Ran the stickfloat down amongst the bubbles and immediately had a small bleak, which went out on the…