Underfoot

Fishing in Norway can be a little surreal.

First is the depth - cast out from the shore and feel the weight just keep sinking until it gets down to the sort of level you might only find a mile offshore in the south west of the UK. It's often 20 metres deep only a few metres out.

Second is the clarity of the water, you can see to the bottom most of the time, see the lure coming from way out and see the fish darting and swiping at it.

Third is the size and number of the fish - sensible fisheries management twinned with a giant (mostly untouched) coast line and a small population mean that even the most improbable corners hold monsters.

This Pollack came from right under my feet in a quiet backwater in downtown Kristiansund. At home I's probably have to kayak out to some of the more vicious parts of the north Cornwall coast to find similar - and then with no guarantee of success. This, however, was about the third or fourth fish of this size to attack the lure - though it was the only one that actually made it to shore for a photocall...