It's my dad's 70th birthday and I’ve been up all night. That's a solid reason to go fishing I reckon. After a blustery and wet few days the sun is out and though fresh it's not as cold as it has been as I make my way home to get changed, drink yet another coffee and take the girls off to school, my wife having the day off; my only task today is to make muffins for dad when mum drags him over here as a surprise at half three. With an arranged 10am meet-up that's going to give me a fairly short but reasonable time on the water with Wilmy who's cherry failed to get popped last time we tried for pike.
I'd originally planned to go to Beccles as normal but I’m starting to find it far too familiar. I'd gone right off Oulton Broad after the bastard Napoleons had ticketed my van having changed the parking rules (taken away the free winter parking on mud) and had not set foot there since last winter but a chance natter on the phone with Marty changed my mind; he was dredging there for a few days so a mid-session coffee was on offer. I'm fickle enough to base my fishing on such things.
I pulled up and unloaded then went to park the van on a side road then called Ian; I couldn't see him and I'd not been quite specific enough, poor bugger had been waiting just up the road. No matter, he came round, unloaded and went to park up and then off we went, heading straight for the dead end. I was trolling a super shad rap and a jointed one as well; big lures that I thought might pull a beauty out. The wind was starting to build as I went around my favoured spot but nothing doing; I headed up the broad to find Marty, snagging just before I got to him. That’s when my phone rang...
Ian was still in the dead end and had got one on, his first ever pike. I headed down to get it on film and give him a hand unhooking it. A respectable fish, 3lb or so but with its jaw stapled shut which complicated things somewhat but it was soon dealt with and after a quick grip and grin it went back into the water. Sweet!
Coffee time...Marty had the Gold blend ready by the time we got up there and, tied off and basking in the sun we had a good natter before heading off again.
Last time I’d seen him we were on his boat catching cod off Corton a couple of weeks back…
I'd changed lures but was still having no joy...I crossed the mouth of the dyke and met up with Ian again who'd had another up to the side before it spat the hooks. Bastard.
I headed through my hot spot, hit the bottom and jerked the rod to clear it of weed. Thanks to my Gemini quick link this resulted in a new Sliver disappearing, the swivel running up the link and off. I was not impressed and angry with myself as it wasn't the first time. I cut the links off and tied them before heading past the holiday village.
The wind was strong now and with two J13's out I drifted down to the dead end again, nothing. I was resigned to a blank now but tried anyway, making a circuit before crossing the bay again, that’s when I saw he'd got another one! Another bit of film and another unhooking followed by a grip and grin, a longer, fatter fish in the region of 6lb he was made up. Not bad for a virgin, not bad at all!
That was it, time to go and trying one last time with a couple of Magnum CD9's we crossed the broad, pulled up onto the pontoons and went to get the vans. I may have blanked but it was a great success to see Ian break his duck so well and on such a beautiful day too.
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