Overnighting…31/05/2014

Overnighting…31/05/2014

Well the weather put paid to the plans the previous weekend but more people were available this time and plans can change…I managed to swing it, somehow, not quite sure how but wing it I did. I had a pass. So, with the car loaded with sleeping bag and plate and fishing gear and kayaks and beer it was off to sunny Waxham for the first annual Waxham overnighter and wasn’t I excited! A last minute invite to Amos had him drinking coffee at mine and then he was forced to follow me for the 45 minute trek north.

We pulled up, Steve, the largest dune in the history of mankind, beckoned and with the Tempo loaded with rods and lures it was time to pull it up and over. I was determined to do it in one and almost made it. The problem was my lengthened toggle handle had a knot that wasn’t up to scratch and I failed ten metres short of the summit. Oh well! I sorted things, went down and launched between waves before heading out to the first reef and the start of my trolling. The water was reasonably clear but it was swelly…could be interesting. The reports from those already out weren’t that exciting with very few fish caught so far. I was halfway up, a good mile or so, before my first catch.



Right…on the troll? Not what I expected! What I expected was what I saw as I approached another yakker:



His first ever bass! Brilliant!

I carried on, all the way up to Eccles without a touch. I wasn’t that excited and I didn’t bring a single bit of food…I turned and headed back to the start, narrowly missing the top half of a huge jagged sloping rock that would have caused me serious harm had I hit it – it was sloping under me as it uncovered then covered again and it was pure chance I stayed safe…we’re talking inches away from the side! I continued…a mile down, just past halfway and finally my rod pulled down! Yes! Bass number one, smaller than its fight at 37cm…smaller than I’d normally keep but things were looking poor. Sorry fella, at least you were plump.







I turned and went back up the reef, had another, great! It went straight into the rocks and needed a bit of coaxing but I got it out, removed the damaged line and continued on my way. Same size and also back for tea, there were a lot of mouths to feed…





This happened a hundred yards behind Martin who was christening his black Tempo with the bait rods out, picked up the day before and rigged in record time. We chatted a bit…



I really do love the Maxximus baitcasters and Xtraflexx spinning rods for this, the scrap is superb and the power is there to land them.

I trolled down the next reef and the rod pulled down once more…a better fish this time, a half decent one around the 50cm mark. A proper fish and proper meal…it snagged the other line though and with everything in a mess I cut off and retied just the one. James had caught me up and having heard over the radio that the landing was a bit messy I stowed everything for the run in…turned the video back on which I’d switched off to get the landing only for it to run out of memory after a minute so stowed that too (to avoid losing it in the surf which can happen) and went for it…lovely, came in on a nice one, braced and carved and swung myself over the top then came in the rest of the way on the next…textbook.

Well, that’s fun…I unloaded and went straight back out, catching and riding some waves, catching, riding and getting wiped out on others. I was soaked and stoked; time to fetch my toy, the RRRapido was also strapped to the roof and with everyone else grabbing my Tempo I played in that, getting even wetter and having a ball surfing amongst seals before it got too dark to concentrate. And stole people’s pictures ;)









Garry was rather taken with the Tempo…



So, back to the car to change, grab the coolbox of beer and ice and head on up to the bonfire where a strange selection of fish, burgers, sand and cheesy nibbles were on offer. I’m not much of a drinker but this was party night and I partook as expected…then got my fish on to cook. I’d brought the fish basket from home and, unscaled and ungutted the fresh bass went on one after the other to be devoured as they were once done; I undercooked them but not massively so!

I left my camera in my yak so I’ve shamefully nicked everyone else’s pictures of the party as well !





Gutting the first while peeling it I decided to examine the stomach contents…a nice sized crab popped out and – those of a nervous disposition turn away now – James bet I wouldn’t eat it. I saw an easy tenner for Heroes on the Water and with him pledging it I popped it in my mouth, chewed a bit and swallowed the half-digested crab, shell, flesh, lungs, claws, the lot. How did it taste? Not too bad! Not too good either to be honest, the flavour was alright, pleasant but overly strong and a bit sour…but that tenner will help where it’s needed.





More beer and chat and a good bit of micky-taking for Frank whose GoPro was now with Davy Jones and, with full bellies we had a final look for it before getting our heads down. I was, of course, on the beach next to the kayaks in my old army sleeping bag, a trusted 58 pattern. The roaring waves kept me awake for a while but it was quite a nice sound…what would tomorrow bring?

Camming up…21/05/2014

Camming up…21/05/2014 "I want you to do something for me, I want you to accept a little gift from me because. Well just because. I am going to give you a Greys G-lite six foot six eight to twelve pound class rod and my stepfather’s old Rapidex pin both in fine working order. The pin has mono on it, Frank preferred mono so that’s what on it but put braid on it 'cos I am a braid man. The rod is an absolute joy to use but you will break it for they are delicate. The pin is older than me. Si and Ken are getting an Ugly Stick light and a modern TFG pin nice but not in the same league as the Greys and Rapidex. You see I want a part of me to go fishing with certain people.” And here it was in action with Cam himself. So said Cam a few months back when he heard that he didn’t have much time left. Well, at Swanage this weekend which he missed I was given his setup by Si and had a good talk with his widow Liz. Unable to get off work to attend his funeral down in Christchurch the next best thing I could think of was to take Frank’s Rapidex out on the day of his funeral and christen it as my tribute to my friend. With plaice not being a fish we find here and the forecast of low water at 9am and low winds there was only one place close enough for me to expect to put a bend in the rod without wrecking it even though I’d have to leave straight from work, a favourite secret spot that holds a few bass in the summer, ones and twos rather than loads, and on the ebb it’s sheltered enough that the water should be clear enough for lure fishing. That was decided then, just that rod and reel and my productive pink and silver Fladen Minnow 12 lure. Traffic was awful and I arrived at the beach at 930, half an hour before I could expect slack water. Not ideal. I left the mono on for that was how I received it; I’d fish for both of them. Cam was left this last year by Frank and it was his favourite plaice setup. Looks great, just my kind of thing: You see I’m a fan of centrepins and Cam loved seeing me take my South African KP’s on the water. They’re more special to me now that I’ve lost my aunt who taught me to fish with them and bought me my first but they’re very different. The KP is a free-running spool, no clutch or anything. Available from 1949-1969 the Rapidex originally cost four pounds two shillings and sixpence rising to five pounds nineteen shillings and tuppence. So not a cheap reel then and it’s held it’s value having become a collector’s piece. But, despite being a collector of many things I believe in using things that can be! And so, with the ratchet on I set off trolling; casting was not really an option as it doesn’t run as smoothly as a KP so working tobies would not work today. I tried to switch my deck camera on but though I’d put the card in I didn’t twig that the battery wasn’t present. This was annoying. I had to keep swapping my handheld around to the deck mount and back again…and this hadn’t been charged since the weekend’s heavy use. I set off on the troll, reached the structure and went with the remaining flow for no result. I circled it, still no good but getting a feel for the currents…then it was time for a proper run in. I gave a wide berth on the turn and set off nice and slow with plenty of line out… A hundred yards to the structure, pass twenty yards off, gently does it, walking pace, an amble really…come on Cam you can do it…I pass the structure but the lure is now coming up to it; it’s shallow and there are obstructions here…come along now…quite a wait at this speed with fifty yards of line out and zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz That’s one light clutch! Smooth to pull and smooth to z with; paddle hard and it pulls line…I take the rod and swing myself around; dunno what strength this mono is or how long it’s been on, the rod is light and whippy… Nope, not a snag, that’s a bass. I’m messing about with the video camera, I need this recorded but I’m not sure the best way to go about it AND play the fish on such a light pull; it’s action camera work at its most crazy and when the video gets cut and uploaded it’s going to be hard to focus on things but will give an idea of the excitement! I get things kind of sorted, in bursts and up he comes…Morning Cam! What an absolute joy that was! What a reel, what a rod, what a scrap; he knew. He knew I’d appreciate this as a fellow pina-fisha-nado…the sounds, the feelings, the fun! It wasn’t a monster, nothing like Cam’s first double, a 12lb 8oz live-baited bass off a boat… …but it was on a pin and at 42cm it was the perfect size for lunch, continuing Cam’s fillet and release campaign of last year. I bled it, as he would advise. I didn’t need to stick around now, I’d done what I set out for but having been on the water for a mere twenty minutes I figured I’d try another spot as the extended fight in the target area would have scattered the shoal, as much a recce as anything else and I might get a fish for Frank as well. I didn’t, but I enjoyed the paddle and after an hour it was time to head back to the car and send a phone picture to Richi to pass on to Si, Ken and Liz at Cam’s funeral which was about to start. Epilogue. Cam had instructed me, rinse off after every use and I did. Then it was time to prepare this fresh-run spring bass in a way I haven’t done for a while, a delicious way. I scaled it, a small belly slit to remove the guts, leaving the roe intact and then some lemon slices into the cavity to add flavour and keep the shape. Five slashes down each flank and a half slice pushed in and then a brushing of vegetable oil to help avoid sticking and a drizzling of olive oil before seasoning with salt and into the fish basket. I’d lit some wood on the barbecue and the coals were now ready; out we went. First one side, then the other: Within twenty minutes it was on my plate and ready to enjoy as a fine lunch with my departed friend. Delicious, slightly undercooked to give different textures and flavours and the best mouthful was with flesh and roe combined on the fork, soft roe from the gentle cooking. Nothing was wasted, even the head was picked clean to enjoy fully this most delightful of fish. And so to bed before my next shift, the Rapidex standing in one corner awaiting its next outing; Cam was so looking forward to the glorious sixteenth, opening of the coarse season and I think this will be a suitable time for its next airing…Go easy Wrasseta, your treasure is in safe hands. [i]Mingle with the good people we meet Good friends we have, oh good friends we’ve lost along the way; In this great future, you can't forget your past so dry your tears, I say.[/i] Bob Marley. No Woman No Cry.

Still Swanning Around Swanage…18/05/2014

Still Swanning Around Swanage…18/05/2014

Rise and shine, time to fish before the return home. A bunch of us have stayed over for a second crack of the whip, others are off to Kimmeridge or have headed home but I love it here and wanted to see if I could do better…Garry and I head into town for a big breakfast, joined shortly by Amos and then with some fresh rag from Swanage Angling we head out to sea with Mark who is likely to outfish us as usual.



Baitcaster and ragged sabikis again…



Mark and Garry drop anchor and start fishing; I’m going to drift again, it was productive; two minutes and the rod starts to buck fifty yards from Mark…”Bream” he says but no, cam’s with me again and it’s the second plaice of my life and a personal best, being better than yesterday’s! Garry asks if I still want a lift home…



They’re fishless and I carry on drifting about; ballan!



Such a beautiful fish and a spirited scrapper too. Wish I could find a bigger one! Then, half an hour later I see something coming towards me on the surface, I think it’s a ray out of its depth but no, it passes beneath me, a huge jellyfish the side of a dustbin lid across the top. I don’t get the picture I want because the camera turns off but what a lovely thing to watch!



Another pretty wrasse from more marks on the bottom…I love these things.




I spot Amos on his black Tempo; he’s catching and pulls in a bream. Ah, the elusive bream…I tie off to his bow and drop down. Fishing is slow for me.







These black ones look so good…there’s only two more available for the UK and they’re here now, about to be snapped up I’m sure! So, it’s slow, it takes me five whole minutes…and then a ballan.



…and then the rod wallops down and it’s the first bream for two years!



…and another.



…and a couple of pokllack including a PB – we don’t get any of these species at home!



More ballans!



I can’t keep two rods in the water, I’m missing so many bites while dealing with each fish! I call garry over the radio and he joins us, along with Mark and slowly the rest of the guys nearby all of whom are finding the slack period slow, soon there are seven of us around this patch but only Amos and I are catching and it’s slowed down.





The start of the tide brought them on and I’m back to two rods. We’re also joined by Wrasseta Ken who I’d been looking forward to seeing.



Mark’s here now too.



And Jim who ties off to my stern.



Corkwing! That’s number five, I’m ahead of my competition tally and on my sixteenth saltwater species of the year.





Ken hooks and lands a nice small-eyed ray on the Warbird 220, a good fish of a 76cm putting him in 2nd place currently. Then Jim’s in, a nice big ballan. His first fish of the weekend and a good one to boot!





Then it’s time for Garry and I to go; I’m nearly out of rag and just want to look for some species on the inshore reef. Ken gets into a good fish as I pass him, a nice bream which he drops while I’m snapping! Sorry Ken.







We have a chat and he sits back awaiting more fish, nicely chilled out.



Garry and I find the reef and drop down, I let out enough to go just past and drop into the deeper water beyond. Nothing at first so while I’m occupied by necessary ablutions the fish come and my rod is banging away mentally, very good fish and I grab the rod, the best fish of the weekend for me but with the drag tightened up I beats it a bit too much and snap off the hook length which is only light because I’m hunting tiddlers. Gutted! Still, I have a string of four bream, three Pollack and a plaice so it’s not such a disaster and with a size 4 in its mouth it’ll still survive and feed in the short time before it falls out.

We move back onto the reef proper and Garry catches his last fish – I want to go in on a last one myself and almost out of bait I give it a few minutes and then up comes another, final ballan.



My 0.75kg sacrificial anchor is jammed solid so I cut it off and we head in, stopping only to pick up the one pot that’s not been nicked out of the two laid. Full of spider crabs, not many keepers so a few returns, and tiny whelks. A really good one falls off the outside while hauling and I can see loads below me on the seabed.



I've got a great haul to take home in the coolbox too, bream, Pollack and plaice - fish I won't get at home, so I'm very happy.



We load up the car, help Amos when he lands and then head back to the campsite to retrieve the tent, which was damp earlier, and grab a shower before the drive home which takes far too long; eight and a half hours because it’s a sunny south coast Sunday and I’d forgotten how bad they can be for traffic. Oh, and the chicken and thickshake stops en-route!

Poor old Garry, his ears were bleeding after a whole weekend of my gabbing on, tiredness, excitement, great fishing, great weather and my first holiday since March 2012 didn’t give him any peace…so thanks for driving and not knocking me out! And thanks to all the people who made the weekend so fantastic from organisers to entrants to friends and to the fella from Swanage Angling who had fresh bait on a Sunday morning!