Ring a ring of Omicron and a Happy new year ,,,,,

I titled my Christmas post like that because I cant help thinking about that old rhyme a ring a ring of roses ,  which is linked to the great plague and the black death , now that sounded like a proper plague and  I think one of the problems of this Covid virus is that for so many in society they have had no contact with it and have not felt the effects so for them its basically a pandemic in name only.  last Friday I went to a shop at lunchtime forgot my mask and was scowled at and ticked of by the owner and the one other customer who were both some distance away .  Yet a few hours later a small group of us went to the local restaurant and the place was buzzing people of all ages no masks and no requirements to wear one.  I guess it is those inconsistencies that make things difficult for folks. It has certainly been a long hard year and it has been hard to find positives out of the situation. 

Anyway back to the blog I havn`t fished for some time probably a month due to the constant rain and high water levels. But a couple of  Sundays ago I was ahead on domestic duties and my Son was not working so we escaped to the river. The river was slightly up but clear the fish were hard to find for both of us,  it was a pretty dour day. Drizzle  quite a thick mist . Cold no sign of any activity in the river all in all pretty bleak. We got there an hour two later than I would have liked, we fished for a couple of hours with little reward.  In the last pool I showed Ollie some short line nymphing and with 7ft rods it is very close quarters stuff on a small river. We ended with a fish each which is very lean pickings on this stream but it seemed suitable reward.   It has been a long year but for me been made bearable by freedom to escape to one of the rivers I am privileged to fish on , and having family around me.  More so now that my oldest and non fishing son works for me .  So I certainly see a lot of them all ,  I just need to get my Daughter out with me a bit more often.  

Anyway Hope you had a Good Christmas and you have a happy healthy and prosperous new year ,  I will leave with a couple of this years mayfly highlights as I am about to tie up a few to make me think of warmer weather ,