You may be forgiven for thinking that, after more than 60 years, the sudden realization that summer is actually happening again may not really do much to me - but it still does! Today, despite a cool wind, the fresh green leaves glowed in the odd glimpses of sun, black gnats swarmed over the stickles for the very first time this year, rhododendrons bloomed on the Lifton Park drive - by God it felt good! A few trout rose, more in some pools than others, but they were catchable on dry fly. An inch of extra water after yesterday's rain has helped push more smolts seaward, but they are still not all gone yet.
All things are late this season, not a sign of a hawthorn fly, and in the frenzied melee of hirundines over the river fields there are still no swifts. I am sure they will be here soon, as will the salmon, to catch a salmon at Lifton before the swifts arrive is rare indeed. Rain is falling again as I write, and should give the little smolts encouragement to head down-river tonight - I wish them well on their dangerous journey, and look forward to their return.
David Pilkington
