Catching Record Grayling and Mackerel with Paul and Bob! | 707+708 | Gone Fishing S7

"Paul, Bob and Ted travel a short distance to Thornwood Springs Fishery in Essex in search of Thornwood Springs is a complex of 3 lakes, on the edges of Epping Forest. It's pretty chilly so the Rudd could well be hiding away although there is also the chance of ig Trout in this lake. The local geese keep guard of their water, making for tricky fishing onditions but of course Bob and Paul never give up After some mixed fortunes on the lakes, Bob takes a break and using his own air fryer, cooks them both his special 'brunch crunch'. Ted takes the opportunity to start chewing his way through some wood, until Bob tells him off. They discuss whether fishing a lake is more peaceful than a river, it gives them time to sit side by side and chat more, making Paul wonder if that is a good thing. Paul stalks the fish around the lake, avoiding nature's nougat, otherwise known as goose poo! Ted tries to keep the geese at bay - he can be scarier than he looks! It's then time to drive to the accommodation and Bob is nervous. He thinks Paul might not forgive him for his unusual choice this trip and will berate him. They pull up at a churchyard and bob reveals they will be 'Champing' - camping overnight in St Nicholas' church in the village of Berden. It's not going to be a warm night in an unheated stone building but Bob has bought his own sleep suit, a sleeping bag for Paul and a canine sleeping bag for Ted. They settle down for the night and hope to get some sleep. In the morning they both agree that Champing is a great experience, but may be better suited to the younger generation. Paul notices how full Bob's car boot is and suggests he drops some of his stuff off at a local charity shop, after he takes Paul back to the lakes. Bob heads to the British Heart Foundation shop in the centre of Epping and chats to a lovely shop assistant called Zoe, before donating a bag of his clothes. Bob joins Paul back at the lakes to see how he's been getting on with the Rudd and the geese! They discuss what they would do if they could no longer fish, what other hobby might they consider ... but they don't have to think about it for very long when suddenly it's all action stations on the lake. In this the final episode of the series, Paul and Bob travel to Dorset to fish the River Frome in search of grayling. They last fished for grayling in Series 4 and although they were successful, this time they've found a stretch of river known for setting the British record - so hopes are high that they could catch something big. They arrive at the river via a questionable driving route and once settled, Paul kicks off the fishing with the first few casts. As the pair fish along this unspoilt stretch of river, they realise grayling aren't the only species roaming these waters. Taking a short break from fishing, they sit down by the river and chat about all manner of topics, from party tricks to their favourite biscuits to the symptoms of irritable male syndrome. Do they recognise any of the symptoms themselves? Much to Paul's horror, Bob manages to complete a forward roll, which is no mean feat in waders! Paul decides it's high time they got back to the job in hand and they both pick up their rods to seek out the elusive Grayling. Bob has chosen The Short House as their accommodation for the night. It's a small cottage on Dorset's Jurassic Coast, with a quick walk down to reveal the famous coastline of Chesil Beach. Before calling it a night, Bob dares Paul to take part in a taste test, blindfolded. The next morning, the pair-head back to the river Frome undeterred and ready for another shot at landing a grayling. They try a different spot this morning, with Paul leading the charge and Bob joining to fish soon after. Taking a break from the sun's intense rays, the pair cool off with some iced tea on the bankside and chat about the importance of a good gut microbiome. Their quest for a grayling has proved difficult, so before they start fishing again, the two plan their next strategy but not before Bob shows Paul yet another of his party tricks. They enjoy some more fishing but decide to head back to their accommodation for one final undertaking - mackerel fishing on Chesil Beach. The best time to catch mackerel is either dawn or dusk, as feeding activity peaks at both these times - so with the day almost over, this is the perfect time to catch. As Mackerel move around in shoals their chances of catching will be clear from the outset with visual identifiers like splashes on the surface indicating a run of mackerel is feeding. The sun beats down as the pair bravely face the sea and cast as far as they can. Bob does catch something... but neither are initially sure exactly what it is! Bob then fires up a barbecue on the beach and Paul and Ted soon join him for a very tasty fish supper. The trio can't resist staying there, watching the sun set on the horizon, it's nothing less than idyllic."