Only ignoring the alarm once, I got out of bed and sorted myself out before jumping into the van, jumping out to de-ice the windscreen, jumping back in again and sliding off to Hopton. A tad fresh it was.
Fishyfingurs had beaten me there and was starting to get ready when I arrived. He’d come down from Hunstanton on the north of the county for his first time out of Hopton and was raring to go. It was just us and I guess I failed to inspire confidence as I was having an incompetent morning – the rods weren’t rigged up, I couldn’t find some bits etc...but eventually we were down on the beach and ready to launch through a slight dump into a pretty benign sea for the paddle out to the mark.
The current was starting to slacken off and we had maybe a knot and a half helping us along. I got the anchor down and started to bait up – black lug tipped with unwashed squid, one rod on a 2/0 15lb amnesia wishbone and the other with a 2/0 15lb amnesia triple flapper. I got them in and waited. Did I mention that it was cold?
Nothing was happening. No bites, no rattles, nothing. A gentle rolling swell was coming in and little wind was in evidence. It was pleasant enough but would have been enhanced by another 20 degrees.
Finally, while changing baits on the triple flapper an hour and a half after launching, my wishbone rod started to pull over – nice tips ;) I lifted into the fish and started to wind in – game on! Up came a beautifully conditioned codling of a bit over 3lb. Lively and fighting back (it was nearing slack water now) it came into the yak and was promptly dispatched, gilled and gutted. The liver was in good condition, no worms were evident and the stomach contents were a few half digested small fish. That was lunch sorted ;D
I heard paddling behind me soon after and saw Benslimjim coming up behind. He’d had more sense than to drive all the way over for 05:30 ;D We had a chat and he went off to anchor up and start fishing...it didn’t take long before he broke his duck and swung his first kayak fish into the boat – a whiting. Well done Ben!
Slack water. Bugger that. I was intending getting the sail out but couldn’t be bothered so instead wandered over to see the others. Fishyfingurs had also popped his cherry with whiting – result! Say what you like about February fishing, all three of us were happy.
I clipped up to my anchor again, rebaited and settled down to fish as the flood started. Within half an hour it was clear that the weed was worse than earlier and a short time later, with the tide running quite hard and feeling a bit cold, I decided to pack up, haul anchor and head in. I got mine up then went to check on the others. I paddled against the current a bit then drifted with it – it was around the 3 knot mark. I paddled hard with it and hit 8. Bloody neaps ;D
We headed in and watched the shore dump. Some of it was nasty so timing was important. It was confusing as there wasn’t much separation in the area we were – they kind of caught up on their predecessor a bit further out then spread out again once they got close in to the shore. I watched a while then went in smoothly, dragging my kayak up the beach before assisting (and filming) the other two. All safely ashore we started to unload...then Ben made the mistake of asking if we were going to play a bit...
...so back out we went. Surfing, leaning and bracing, capsizing and re-entering, standing...it’s all fair game. The water temperature was somewhat refreshing too. Still, there’s always sunbathing to be done...
Time to go home. We out, had some fun, met up and hit some targets. A successful day in my book.
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