16th June. That’s a day to take off work if ever there is one. Like my birthday I really ought to not go in and as usual I didn’t. I booked a day’s holiday (having done 39 hours and 1500 miles in the 3 days prior) and arranged to meet up with Tim and Amos in Beccles like last year for a troll up to the Lock Inn and back via haddock and chips with local real ale. 9am and after a wander around Beccles, my old stomping ground, I started to get unloaded at the quay.
The water was brown, the sun was out and an angler I know had had one fish in 4 hours. Hmm. Off we went.
I had out a blue J13 and a redhead J13, hand painted restoration job. That was my secret weapon and I had high hopes for it. I didn’t get much by the time I got to a hotspot so started to flick a popper out. Nearly had a swan but not quite. We carried on and through the good spots and we both blanked.
Quarter of the way, nothing. Half way, nothing. Three quarters, nothing. We got to the Locks, nothing.
We went into the Locks and they were out of Gone Fishing!!! Disaster! I ordered two pints of Trawlerboys instead and we sat and waited for Amos.
My old muse Rae phoned. I met here for the first time twenty years ago in August. We had a chat, on speaker and I told Tim about how wonderful her tits were and how gorgeous she looked. She laughed. Steve phoned, we told him how rubbish it was. Then Amos arrived and he heard us tell Amos to piss off back to London as he’d caught and we hadn’t ;D
Still, it was good to see the cocky bastard and we ordered food – I had the haddock, always huge and good here and to be honest I thought it was my only blank-saver ;D they both chose the cassoulet. Then it started to get cool and we went inside. Then we ordered some more beer. Then it rained and we stayed inside.
I didn’t troll very straight on the three miles back. Perhaps the extra ground covered helped me when the fish hit my lure and I felt the rod bucking in the holder. I reached around and grabbed my rod and yes, she was hooked! I tightened up and battled this double figure (ounces) to the side and held her out as far as I could for a photo. I’d not blanked, anyway. I figure it was more than likely trying to shag my blue Rapala Jointed Shad as it was pretty similar in size ;D
We carried on. It was still crap and the usual good stretches failed to give anything and as we approached the home straight I started to wind down. Chatting to Amos, we passed under the bridge and seconds later he was in! And what a fish, a cracking perch that made up for most of our disappointment! I'd say a pound and a half but I’m not really sure. It was good anyway. Tim got a pic or two I think and between Amos’ phone and mine (my battery died before my first pic on the usual camera) we hedged our bets.
We went in. Great banter and fun to be out and the fishing will pick up sooner or later.
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