Bassoles…07/08/2013

Bassoles…07/08/2013 Leaving work it was a splendid morning, no wind, nice and bright, marvellous day. I had to sleep briefly but the tides were okay and the sea would be flat so another exploratory sole session was in order. Being that I’d be trying in bass territory with hopefully clear water at this state of tide and the direction of the earlier wind a bit of trolling would be in order too. It’d also be a good opportunity to give the new telescopic rod a workout. I rarely use telescopics but have a couple sitting at home which get stuck in the car now and again when there’s an offchance of fishing, or slung into my rucksack when travelling. The one I had got this time had a bit more power though, at 25-50g. The Redstick Telescopic is 8ft, has lined guides and breaks down to 56cm; best of all they can be picked up for a tenner. Paul often uses telescopics as they’re ideal for carrying on his scooter and he gets decent fish so why not! Being red, I figured it was ideal for the Vantage FX30 spinning reel as it was the same colour…I took the Paxton Trolling rod out as well for a whirl too as I’d only used it on the boat so far and it’d be good to see what a bass felt like on it. Baitcaster went on that one. I woke up to wind. Not so good. Plans are plans though so I went and got a bit of rag and headed for Links Road. The sea was up, getting on for high water so I travelled down on the flood with the Tetra. Swell as around 3ft and I was being bounced around a lot in the coloured water; not good for trolling but maybe okay for the sole. Still, I tried. Down past Ness Point and the Orbis Centre, down to Jackamans, staying inside the buoys that marked the gill nets that Lowestoft Provider turned up to haul and I didn’t get a sniff. Too rough to anchor here and coming back to the Ness the water was at the top of the jetty; I rounded it and pulled in to the calmer water inside it, anchored and swapped over to a shrimp rig and ragworm. One guy was fishing a bit further up and then I saw a guy nearby tackling up; I pulled myself a long a bit to give him some more space and settled down to fish. First cast snagged up and I lost the rig. I tied on another and sat back to wait. It seemed that the guy on the rocks was one of those idiots who think they are something special. I know this because he cast a lead straight at me, landing about 6ft away, just behind and out from me. Nice that, the ramifications of being hit by that completely ignored. A pity that I was anchored from the bow on this occasion as he’d have lost his gear on my anchor line. Well, I wasn’t going to be scared off by a fool and ignored him though I was tempted to back cast and either cut him off or pull his rod over… … an hour passed without a bite and, bored, I gave up and caught the tide back to the launch point, drifting along and enjoying the sun before heading in over the broken sea defences which were now beginning to uncover. Not to worry, it was a pleasant enough morning.