Back home late on Thursday it became clear that the promised big waves weren’t coming and so I changed my mind and decided on a sea fishing session on the Sunday but nothing too special – just using up the bait in the freezer. With Pinkfoot phoning up planning on a launch too it was agreed that we’d go to Hopton…and invite Eastangler along too for the first session on his Elite.
I’m jumping ahead. I left the house around 11 on Saturday and headed out to Beccles, stopping on the way to buy some maggots to mix with my breadcrumb and use as hookbait. Launching down by the pool I trolled a pair of Super Shad raps up to the bridge with no luck before tying up alongside the bay I usually catch Chub from.
The water was running quite fast and it soon became clear that a float was just a waste of time. Changing over the float rod I then began fishing a pair of rods with feeders on, the line kept taut by the flow. After a while with no bites I figured that it was pointless continuing so I would be better advised to head off to the mouth of the boat yard and fish the corner where Roach, Bream, Dace and Gudgeon often shoal in winter.
It was slow! I was here a lot last winter and had some hectic fishing sessions but this was nothing like it. Clearly the fish hadn’t moved up in numbers yet and I was just faced with the residents…eventually one of them took the bait…and came off the hook while I was bringing it aboard. A nice winter Roach in great condition and of a decent stamp. I cast again and sat back to wait…
…the tip rattled and I was in again…
Another like the first and I rigged it with a circle hook and a float and cast it out for pike. I carried on for a while and pulled out a couple more similar Roach and at one time watched my pike float moving around erratically, going under briefly once or twice. Reeling in at one point I noted that one flank had been scaled from the anal fin forward to the head but alas the pike had either been small or not too hungry and it hadn’t grabbed hold properly. I moved.
I tried again, hoping to pick up a pike along the wall and cast the maggot baits further down into a hole that sometimes produces Roach, Perch and Dace. Still nothing was happening and so I trolled back towards my launch point before tying up for a last hour near a reedy bend facing the town and waited.
Chilling? My toes were like ice and with darkness falling I headed back to the car and home. Not much in the way of fish to show for my time on the water but on such a crisp day it was a pleasure to be out.
Come Sunday morning I was raring to go…my alarm went off at 6 and I got straight up and headed downstairs for coffee. There was no rush – we’d planned on meeting around 7am and taking things easy. Leaving the house I scraped some ice off the windscreen and headed for Hopton, driving down Beach Road and getting my kit sorted out earlier than planned. I’d left my tackle bag at home but with the bait from last week frozen onto rigs and a bunch of leads sitting in one of the bags in the van I was okay to go as I was. Pinkfoot soon turned up followed by Eastangler and once we were all set we headed down to the waters edge.
It was bloody cold. When it came to putting the C-Tug in the front hatch I couldn’t undo the buckles at first – they were frozen solid. The straps had to be forcibly peeled from the plastic too and there were maggots frozen to the hull all over the place.
But it was a lovely morning…
Eastangler’s first launch was going to be easy. There was little in the way of wave action, just some breaking stuff at the shoreline which shelves quite steeply. Of course by the time he went into the water a set was coming in that was slightly larger and slightly more powerful than the rest and he had to put up with it breaking over the bow. This was a good thing and another good thing was that I followed after it had passed!
We paddled out, not too far but in thirty feet of water and towards the rising sun. The current was far kinder than on previous visits, it being neaps this week.
After Eastangler’s anchor was down and set and he was comfortable I dropped mine and started to fish. Bites were not forthcoming and I began to wonder if my idea of re-using my whopping great cod bait from last week and frozen blow lug was a good idea. Then I got a bite on the cod rod (I had a two hook flapper and a wishbone on the other rods). I missed it of course. Then another came a while later. Then finally, the wishbone rig rattled away and the first fish came aboard – a Whiting that was popped back in, being easily unhooked.
The apprentice was doing alright too – not catching yet but he was happily fishing away. To be fair he only had some squid and mackerel out of my freezer as it was a last minute thing this time – I expect him to outfish me next time as Pinkfoot always does.
It was a glorious morning and as usual we provided the entertainment for the locals who are clearly impressed with our antics and frequently attempt communication through use of hand signals.
Then Eastangler had a Whiting on, he called over – his first yak fish – and as I watched the little bugger escaped! Ah well, at least he didn’t blank and it took me months to get my first fish from the sea. Soon after…Oh my… the cod bait had a good couple of pulls…I tightened down on the fish and pulled up an optimistic Pout.
I was happy enough, that was another fish and the second species of the day. It was also cleanly hooked and after a quick snap it went off to pick on some food its own size.
It wasn’t long after that when I got a thumping great bite on my wishbone rig and the rod arched over…I was using a lead with no grip wires on and so this was a new experience for me. I tightened down onto it and in the flow with its mouth open I had a nice time bringing it up to the surface…a nice size of fish this…
A Codling. I was hoping for, but not expecting, one of these. The local angling forums have been full of people bemoaning the lack of cod now that the sprat shoals have moved in and so it was a bonus to me. Going around 3.5-4lb I took a quick photograph and popped it back in the water to rejoin its friends.
Yeah, right. Actually I knocked it on the head and popped it in the fridge for the following evening. A good choice too as it turned out rather delicious.
I was to get one more Whiting in the next half an hour before packing up and then with our anchors lifted we wandered over to see Pinkfoot who was staying out a bit longer. As usual he was well ahead with six codling (2 deep-hooked fish kept) but was a bit fed up at losing a dab the size of a dinner plate. Well, who wouldn’t be? We said our goodbyes and headed in through the slight surf, up the slope and off home. My target was actually a new species and nine more fish but there’s always next time…and hopefully you’ll be joining us again Eastangler!
No comments:
Post a Comment