Sometimes, the best sessions happen when you least expect them. As luck would have it, I managed to squeeze in a couple of unexpected nights on the bank this week. After finishing my gardening jobs for the day — plenty of lawns cut and borders trimmed — I packed up the tools, swapped the mower for the rods, and made my way down to the lake.

I nearly drove to Meadow Lake out of interest, but deep down I knew I had to stick to my October plan: make the most of Airfield Lake before it closes for the winter. By 1:30 p.m., I was pulling into The Tower car park, which, to my delight, was completely empty. That sense of peace and opportunity you get when a lake lies still before you never gets old. I’d been on the same swim for my last few sessions, but I fancied a change of scenery — something to refresh my perspective before the gates shut until March.

Spotting Something Special