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Having fished around the doors yesterday with little to show for it, I decided to take the opportunity to use up the left over bait this evening. Yesterday's session hadnt exactly done it for me with only a single sized codling to show for my efforts on 3 separate marks. It's a funny sport sea angling and in the same way frustrating. I have a horrible habit of being geared up to fish a mark, only to get there, have one cast, and think "Na - this isn't doing it for me." Yesterday was one of those days. Roker was my first choice but the session was prematurely cut short when the pier was closed. A move to
Marsden and then later Hendon, marks which I've fished consistently over the years with good results, just weren't ticking the boxes for me and a solitary "just size" codling only cemented the feeling of discontent!
Anyway following a day spent doing more driving than fishing, I made the decision that I'd write this day off and try and salvage something with the left over bait this evening!
I first had my sights set on Blyth beach - knowing that I drew the short straw today and would be working until at least 4pm I was mulling over a mark I could get to quickly from work to catch the last of the flood and a few hours down. Half way through the day though - a similar feeling comes back and I start second guessing myself in terms of where to fish. And come 3pm, I make a complete mental U turn and settle on roker pier again, having found out to my surprise it was open despite the fairly rough South easterly seas. Roker has always produced for me during/following a south easterly so was optimistic my experience would at least count for something!
Given the building wind strength swinging round to the south - I opted to fish really close to shore. I can't have been 200 yds from the gates, a fair bit before the barrier post on the seaward side but at least past the first main reef. Whilst setting up a lad pulled in a 3/4 lb fish a few yards to my right so things were looking up.
It's worth mentioning at this point that I'd never fished this close to shore before on the pier (I have fished the barrier plenty of times but normally a bit further up) so wasn't at first sure what to expect.
Anyway after a few untouched lugworm/squid combinations and minus a few rigs/leads I located what I presumed to be a break in the ground and continued to aim for the same spots. After loading a healthy helping of lug and cart onto my rig I noticed a rattle on the tip that shortly announced the presence of something living by bouncing the lead off downside and dropping me slack. I picked up into the fish, which felt half decent and began to wind like hell. I thought I was nearly clear, however it took a dive into the ground and got me solid. BUGGAR.
Had a bit of a play trying to coax it out - slack line, tight line etc for about 10 minutes to no avail. Decided it wasn't to be and it was time to pull for a break. It's soul destroying pulling for a break when at the same time you can feel a fish bumping away on the end so I left it a little longer. Still having none of it I accepted fate and eventually the line gave, leaving me in a right strop!
Contemplaing a sulky walk back to the car I thought "what the hell" and bailed on an unhealthy amount of cart onto my rig and sent it out to the same hole. I was in such a fettle I even started packing away my loose gear!
The bait can't have been in the water more than 4 minutes when the distinctive "nod nod nod - slack" happened and I wound like a bat out of hell. FISH ON!
I could tell straight away it wasn't as good as the last but it put up a spirited little fight on the new Greys supro the Mrs bought me for Xmas which handled both fish and ground perfectly. Shortly after a nice plump codling of 2lb was flopping around I the deck - and he really wanted that cart! All the way down. Plenty of room in my fridge though so in the bag he goes.
So I think to myself " I'm not blanking!" And decide to have another chuck to see if I can call my own bluff.
Same amount of cart goes on the next hook and finds itself nestled in the same
Kelpy hole.
This time it takes about 10 minutes but once again - thump - slack - bat out of hell - codling number 2!
The realisation hits me that I've now ran out of cart, having only brought a few wings on the off chance. TYPICAL!
As if by magic, the man in the van appears and tells me he's shutting the pier and asks me to leave. Politely obliging, I decide to quit while I'm ahead and call it an evening.
Enjoyed getting out and nice to put a few fish on the board even if nothing big found its way to the deck. Will definitely be keeping a note of my new little spot for next time.
Tight lines all!
Marsden and then later Hendon, marks which I've fished consistently over the years with good results, just weren't ticking the boxes for me and a solitary "just size" codling only cemented the feeling of discontent!
Anyway following a day spent doing more driving than fishing, I made the decision that I'd write this day off and try and salvage something with the left over bait this evening!
I first had my sights set on Blyth beach - knowing that I drew the short straw today and would be working until at least 4pm I was mulling over a mark I could get to quickly from work to catch the last of the flood and a few hours down. Half way through the day though - a similar feeling comes back and I start second guessing myself in terms of where to fish. And come 3pm, I make a complete mental U turn and settle on roker pier again, having found out to my surprise it was open despite the fairly rough South easterly seas. Roker has always produced for me during/following a south easterly so was optimistic my experience would at least count for something!
Given the building wind strength swinging round to the south - I opted to fish really close to shore. I can't have been 200 yds from the gates, a fair bit before the barrier post on the seaward side but at least past the first main reef. Whilst setting up a lad pulled in a 3/4 lb fish a few yards to my right so things were looking up.
It's worth mentioning at this point that I'd never fished this close to shore before on the pier (I have fished the barrier plenty of times but normally a bit further up) so wasn't at first sure what to expect.
Anyway after a few untouched lugworm/squid combinations and minus a few rigs/leads I located what I presumed to be a break in the ground and continued to aim for the same spots. After loading a healthy helping of lug and cart onto my rig I noticed a rattle on the tip that shortly announced the presence of something living by bouncing the lead off downside and dropping me slack. I picked up into the fish, which felt half decent and began to wind like hell. I thought I was nearly clear, however it took a dive into the ground and got me solid. BUGGAR.
Had a bit of a play trying to coax it out - slack line, tight line etc for about 10 minutes to no avail. Decided it wasn't to be and it was time to pull for a break. It's soul destroying pulling for a break when at the same time you can feel a fish bumping away on the end so I left it a little longer. Still having none of it I accepted fate and eventually the line gave, leaving me in a right strop!
Contemplaing a sulky walk back to the car I thought "what the hell" and bailed on an unhealthy amount of cart onto my rig and sent it out to the same hole. I was in such a fettle I even started packing away my loose gear!
The bait can't have been in the water more than 4 minutes when the distinctive "nod nod nod - slack" happened and I wound like a bat out of hell. FISH ON!
I could tell straight away it wasn't as good as the last but it put up a spirited little fight on the new Greys supro the Mrs bought me for Xmas which handled both fish and ground perfectly. Shortly after a nice plump codling of 2lb was flopping around I the deck - and he really wanted that cart! All the way down. Plenty of room in my fridge though so in the bag he goes.
So I think to myself " I'm not blanking!" And decide to have another chuck to see if I can call my own bluff.
Same amount of cart goes on the next hook and finds itself nestled in the same
Kelpy hole.
This time it takes about 10 minutes but once again - thump - slack - bat out of hell - codling number 2!
The realisation hits me that I've now ran out of cart, having only brought a few wings on the off chance. TYPICAL!
As if by magic, the man in the van appears and tells me he's shutting the pier and asks me to leave. Politely obliging, I decide to quit while I'm ahead and call it an evening.
Enjoyed getting out and nice to put a few fish on the board even if nothing big found its way to the deck. Will definitely be keeping a note of my new little spot for next time.
Tight lines all!
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