Snow F in Fish…12/02/2012

My wife had stopped puking so Cinders could go to the ball and so the alarm was duly set for 5 or something stupid like that. The idea of an early and cold start didn’t fill me with joy but then neither did a dry weekend. So it went off a few hours later and I filled myself with coffee. Then I opened the door.

Great. I had an appointment with a current heading north. I didn’t have the time for this.
I pulled up at Tramps, unloaded and decided to leave the electronics in the van, I wouldn’t be needing them as I knew exactly where I was going. I rolled down the slope without slipping on the snow and made my way to the water’s edge. It was flat, lovely, and I could see a bit already. In I went.

I paddled northeast until I arrived where I wanted to be, lining things up, and dropped anchor on a quick release set-up again. Before making my mind up for good I figured one last test where I’d be hauling against a good tide run was in order. I looked around and saw a seal eyeballing me – yep, the fish must be here then.

I baited up and cast in, wishbones on both rods. I was fishing like a cock with things going wrong from the outset – tangles and stuff, that kind of thing. I called up the coastguard and had a cod bite banging away while I gave them the info…I got off when done, waited for it to develop and develop it did – cod, definite, and it was hooked. I struck. It wasn’t. I cast back in. I still had snow on the yak.



The current slowed. I started to turn with the wind. Nothing was happening on the rods and I sat doing nothing for well over an hour, maybe even longer. I snagged up, I damaged my line and got a crack off, I steadily got colder toes.



Finally I got another bite. I held the rod for a second bite. None came. The tide started to pick up and I became concerned that I wasn’t holding bottom. With the increased current I picked up weed. I added extra lead. The tide was going some already.



I sat for a while longer and then decided enough was enough, I was heading in. So I grabbed the quick release cord for my anchor and started to drag myself up to the now submerged buoy. What a shit way to do things, the turn took ten times as long and then I had to haul the carabiner back and go side on to put the reel the right side of it. My mind is definite now, quick release has no place on my kayak.



I started to haul as Marty headed out on his boat and gave me a bell – I’d been looking forward to the banter but the weed had me outgunned and I came in fishless; bless him though, I have cod for tea tonight – thanks mate!