The Apprentice…11/03/2012

Do I look like a babysitter? Not if you look at some of the babysitter websites online I’m sure but in desperation my brother turned to me and asked if I wouldn’t mind having my nephew overnight. No hesitation whatsoever and the girls were excited all week. Now, Michael really enjoyed fish and chips here the other week so, duly filled with Carpyken’s cheesy fish crumble (I made a huge batch of breadcrumbs in the week) Mike was packed off to bed after watching a selection of videos of the awful conditions that has been my kayak fishing year so far. This was preparation you see as Mike wanted to go kayak fishing…

It was 6am when I woke him up. A bit earlier than he normally gets up but he was down and dressed in no time and with my wife’s new waterproof trousers, my boots and my spare PFD we set off to Gunton where he’d be paddling out in Eloise’s Tetra 10. It was a beautiful morning, the sun had just come up (not something he sees all that often) and it was reflected in a flat sea; virtually no wind and what little there was had enough westerly in it to promise a pleasant ride.



We unloaded and headed for the water. Mike had some concerns, I later heard, about being out too far, whales and God knows what else but he seemed game on in the best traditions of the Crame family and launched himself as I stood back and filmed.



We headed out about 300 yards into around 30-40ft of water over some semi-rough ground. Down went my anchor and with it set Mike came alongside and we lashed the kayaks together – it was a big tide so I wasn’t taking any chances of anchoring him separately; besides, we could chat like this. A wishbone with small hooks, frozen blacks and squid on a Fladen Ice Pike rod went down and he settled down to watch the rod tip as I baited my own rod up, fishing a three hook boom paternoster, again with lug and squid.



Very pleasant it was. For me. How about for him though? Seasickness? Nerves? Discomfort? Wet feet? I asked how he felt…



Great! We sat and watched…and then the rod tip twitched and he picked up his rod…he struck…he reeled in and…



Great stuff!

Then another.

Then the tide started to run in earnest and with it came the weed. Uncle Mark was blanking and there was very little chance of catching up now as the bites just tailed off. We gave it another hour and with lines being cut, deweeded and retied every few minutes it was time to call it a day. I untied Mike and sent him off while I hauled anchor in mid-flow. It took a bit of effort to get back to the landing spot (the only safe spot for a mile due to broken sea defences) because of the current but we both landed without mishap and packed the van before heading home. My apprentice enjoyed himself!



Epilogue: Freshly caught whiting, butterfly filleted, breadcrumbed and deep fried was a superb starter for son and father; there’s nothing better than eating your first ever sea fish within a few hours of capture.