The Elasmobranch Manager…29/06/2013
I couldn’t face the disappointment of missing my target on the river again so decided to get some sea time in and see if the larger smoothound had started to run yet. Besides, the team needed some more sea points and Stu was driving across from the Fens. I had vague hopes that I may stumble onto pout, sole, common smoothy or something rare like a rockling but wasn’t hopeful but you never know.
So, a nap after work and then down to Corton for a Tramp’s Alley launch by way of the tackle shop for fresh lug. Came away with rag which was all they had. Pretty useless here. Still, it was mainly unwashed squid for me and I took a couple of bags along with some frozen blacks. Stu was in the car park just before me and, tackled up, we headed down to the beach.
The sea looked nice and flat but that dumping wave looked like it may be an issue. Timing…final adjustments made, we watched and waited and then Stu went out. I followed within a minute and both of us were dry having taken flat spots. A ten minute paddle north against the flood and out a few hundred yards and the anchors went down putting us only slightly up from the launch by the time we settled. The tide was stronger than expected but we had everything in our favour; coming off springs, high water at 130, slack starting an hour or so later, maybe enough time to fish the start of the ebb (I had to get back for 4pm).
First rod down with three blacks and a squid head. Second down with a whole squid, third still in the holder, the plan was to use baited feathers when the tide eased. I sat there for an hour without a touch.
I rebaited and ten minutes or so passed before the first bite. In the tide it was a heavy pull so a disappointingly small smoothie for the effort – at best a couple of pound. It went back of course; starry too, already ticked off so no point – Stu needed it, not me.
I caught a huge lump of bladderwrack next. Doesn’t count. Ten minutes passed, same rod, dogfish. Stu needed it, not me. He’d never had one off the yak either so it would have been most welcome. Most of my fish came in two’s, sort of – I missed many while dealing with one and getting good bites on the other, pack fish causing frustration.
More starry pups and another dog and then finally the rod heeled over after a good smoothound made a run for cover with my squid. The hook bit and the fight was on, the 12lb class Maxximus IM7 bending over nicely and the tide giving me some stick.
It was up to the top and close when it decided to go berserk as is their fashion and down she went, pulling line from the 3700R Warbirds.
Then the fight kind of stalled a bit after I got her up again and I saw why. Spinning in the flow she was now well wrapped up in the trace and I struggled to pull her into a landing position while also freeing the leader knot of weed. She deserved better. But in she came, a 6lb’er. First good one of the year and destined for the table, a beautiful meal and very sustainable with their numbers increasing year on year.
The rod banged away twice while dealing with her, good bites that were both missed as I had my hands full and then another ten minutes passed. They patrol in packs apparently and would be back around again soon…and they were but I picked up smaller ones. I called over to Stu that we should swap places – fifty yards away and biteless to date. Then another banging bite followed some twitching and up came – surprise surprise, a thornback ray / skate / roker / whatever name in use on the day! A couple of pound, a meal for me and my wife and an uncommon yak catch – my third from here and the fourth I know of. But I have half a freezer tray of them from my boat session with Marty, already had the smoothy and would hopefully be getting plenty of those and bass in the next few weeks so I took pity on her and back she went, not knowing how lucky she was. Yes, I’m a big eater of fish but she wasn’t necessary this time and away she went.
I had to insist. We swapped buoys and I gave Stu some of my squid in case it was that specific a flavour they wanted. I paddled over and hooked up to his buoy a bit reluctantly as it was a biteless, fishless mark so far. Down went the baits and within minutes up came a doggie. Stu needed it, not me. We looked at each other, grinned and shrugged our shoulders! The tide was easing now enough for the feathers to go straight down with extra weight and with squid tipping them I may get something special not usually found. I say feathers, but they aren’t really, I just call them all that. To be specific they are: Fladen 1401-1-0 Living Shrimp. 5 Silver hooks, clear whipping, pink rubber shrimps and silver glitter strands on a 3-inch 0.47/0.43mm length to the main body.
Lots of prawn and shrimp about right now so maybe? Yes! In came a whiting and I changed over to a 4/0 livebait rig to try for a bass, a double having been taken in this way a year ago.
Pity, Stu could have had this. I caught a second too. He’d have added 4 points with my fish. But then he called over, not only had he got a point but also the fish he wanted, a doggy! Then a second.
Me? It had gone dead and the sea was just not swinging onto the ebb fast enough. Another half an hour would have done it, they’d be on the feed again but I had no choice but to come in, Stu following. We broke everything down and stashed it into the hull in preparation for the landing and some landing it could have been. Would have been but I got in just ahead of a small dumper and Stu made it on a flat bit. We couldn’t have asked for better on that score. Another day without me adding but Stu managed a point and his target species so he did at least go home happy at that…but with Saturday out and right in there amongst the front runners now it’s got to be a maximum effort tomorrow and I have a previously unfished venue all lined up with permission given and something a bit more exotic to hope for. Fingers crossed…
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