I arrived just before 7 and met up with Mickandles. We exchanged pleasantries and set about getting ready, joined soon by Stinkyweim. A trio this morning then. It was just about to get light.
I was looking forward to this. My new old reel (a wood and brass starback Nottingham reel from around 1920 perhaps) that I spent the week restoring and polishing was loaded up with 20lb mono backed by 60lb and was terminated in a 4/0 Viking pennel. I had no suitably tactile rod however so attached it to a normal 12lb class one instead?it?d do the trick for now. Frankly, I couldn?t wait.
The thing is, once on the beach, I figured I might need to.
Hmm. Looked exciting. Timing would be all-important. I waited for the set to move through, spotted the flat spot and took a running jump, paddling the moment I was aboard, legs in and made it out as the first of the larger ones started to curl and I shot off the top, slamming down on the back of it. I sat outside the waves and waited, watching the others.
Oh dear. It had built again.
Oh.
I?ve been there, same place too. I waited a bit until I could come in on a flattish spot, hard to judge from here, took my chance and leaned right back as I landed a full cockpit at a crazy angle on the sand and jumped out, dragging it up to the top of the beach. There was a lot of power there this morning.
Back out again, Si following and off we went to catch the rest of the tide. My paddle fitness was lacking, having been off the water for the best part of a month with only one launch that went with the tide both ways. Hard work this morning! Still, we dropped anchor bang on and settled in for some action, the starback reel going back to the front for the first time in how many years?.
It took minutes.
That was on the multiplier though. I couldn?t hit the fish with the stretchy fresh mono I had and missed a couple of rattles and then?and then?and then it happened as I feared it might. The braising was cracked through I knew but I figured the rivet might hold. It didn?t.
Ah well, in for a spot of metalworking then!
Next up, after more whiting (regular bites on one rod) came a doggie that unhooked himself on the lift into the yak. No pic but at least my hands have some skin still. It was blowy out here and as the tide slackened off it went quiet. Very quiet. We sat it out, waiting for the push as it turned and started to ebb. Two hours after high water and we were still waiting?and then I got something heavier.
A good sign? A couple of pound of prime Hopton codling was not followed by a few more and I waited another half an hour before the whiting started to make the occasional tap on the rod tip. There were loads of small ones around this morning and most went back and with things still not vastly improved and Mr Happy and I having things to do we decided it was time to up-sticks and head in. Hehe. This would be interesting too.
I landed with a full cockpit again. I hopped out and had a long hard think about whether to help Si or photograph him. That?s why my name is Snapper I guess.
It?s all in the wrist action ;)
A dozen whiting, a codling and a doggie on a day that better have been left for sleeping.
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