If Willy Wonka had been an angler

From a sporting perspective, the lockdown has been like one long winter — with all the fun taken out of it. Just as we seemed to be emerging into normality before Christmas, the shutters descended again with an audible crash. Many of my favourite shoots were cancelled in the days between Christmas and New Year, and I was left to pick at a few evenings on the flightpond on my own as the season drew to a close.

Now there are skylarks singing again and the partridges are well paired up along the hedgerows. It seems like spring is on the cards and, though the restrictions still seem desperately ominous, I can’t resist looking forward to the prospect of a day or two at