He bought himself some new rods, reels and alarms, so he gave me two of his old rods and reels etc.

This was my first time fishing with my own tackle, and about two hours after we started, one of my rods screamed off.

It was a very strong fish and grandpa was telling me what to do.

After a while the fish was beaten and grandpa netted it for me, he gave me a funny look as he lifted onto the mat.

When we weighed it was a beautiful 28lb 8oz Common and a new PB for me as my previous best was only 7lbs.

Nothing else much happened except grandpa losing a good fish, but about 2am one of my rods screamed off again, and grandpa was there with a headlamp while I was playing the fish.

He netted it and looked in the net shaking his head, he put the fish in a sack and said we will weigh and look at it in the morning.

I could hardly sleep though and as soon as it was light we put the fish on the mat.

It was huge and I could hardly hold it for the pictures.

This was a 36lb Linear another new PB.

Grandpa decided a couple of weeks later that I had learnt enough to go on my own as he was to busy, I went to Priory park in Southend, whilst I was fishing I saw three fish jump, so I pulled in a rod and cast to them like grandpa had showed me.

I soon had a run and landed an 18lb 4oz mirror, not my biggest fish but the first one I had caught on my own.

I cannot wait to go again.

Reece Lord