Pond fish

A pond changes mood within hours. Little volume means the temperature climbs quickly in the sun and drops quickly at night, the oxygen level follows, and fish activity compresses into short windows. Early morning and the end of the day are often worth more than six hours in the middle.

Vegetation plays the part that contour plays elsewhere. Lily pads, reed beds, sunken timber, weed: that is where the prey hides, so that is where the predators sit, often within a few metres of the bank. A short rod and a quiet approach do more than a long cast, and it is better to walk to the swim than to fish it from the dam wall.

It is also the water that forgives beginners best. It is close to home, often well stocked, and it teaches in one season what a big river takes years to explain.