Strange days indeed

Myself and Rob had planned on a rematch after our recent Roach bashing contest but that bed is just far to comfortable and despite a few calls between 06.00 and 07.00 hrs there was no budging him so I spent a day in the garden, seriously.
I'd arranged a day with my good mate Davy from FTI A.C. and as I scrapped the ice of my windscreen at 05.00 hrs this morning, I might have finally accepted that theres a madness inside me.
We were due to meet a couple of hours later at Annaghmackerrig in darkest Monaghan.
A pleasant enough drive had me there easier than I expected and as the icy darkness gave way to a bright blue sunny sky, I figured it was going to be a tough one. What I never figured on was a locked gate across the roadway !!!!!!!!
Davy bless him, was armed with various angling guides, including the countries latest and greatest
published guide. It's a pity none of these so called guides pointed out the problem with the gate.
I suppose in fairness theres a possibility that the gate wasn't locked on the day that this particular water was sussed out for the guide. We had a bit of a walk around and pleasant and all as the surroundings were we elected to move on.
Thirty short minutes later had us pulling into the car park of Sillan and we dropped our gear on the jettys for what would be a quick couple of hours.

It was feeders all the way, with caster and hemp for feed and red mags for hookers. I think we both knew it'd be tough but a biteless hour or so in what was a bitingly cold wind was tough. We chatted and laughed and then right out of the blue my rod is lake bound. Grab, lift and yep thats a fish and it's tearing round all over the place. Minutes later and it's netted, the hook is re baited and out it goes again, theres fish about and I'll have more please. Well actually I won't at least not immeadiately.
All quiet again and we decided to pack up and hit the road, as I'm putting things away I've an eye on the tip and suddenly out of the blue the tip is banging round. Lift and yep it's another one, this one seems better again and minutes later it's in the keepnet. You just never quite know with this fishing lark, strange days indeed.
Now heres a very very rare photo and for sure I've never seen anything like it before,

And yes, back they went