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My luck continues... I had my first trip of the new year today and it was one to remember.
The forecasts and webcams were varied so first stroke of luck was simply to get out. The swell was long and lazy and the winds light; a warm jacket took care of the rain and the fishing activity kept things warm.
I headed to the usual rough ground mark, inshore of the yellow can at StMary's. The anchor reduced the slow drift to zero, allowing a couple of 3oz weights on uptide set-ups to hold the bottom. I tried a third rod but the fishing was too fast to cope with it, honest.
A steady stream of small coddling up to three pounds came in. It became routine, tap tap tap and in comes another one, until a surprise doggie (surprise for me and it) interrupted the flow. That's the first one I've had from this coast.
I tried a mixture of baits, and all caught well, lug, mussel and squid. After the doggie on a fillet of squid, a whole squid lashed to the hook went out and was soon picked up. This felt like a better fish, the light rod had a wild bend in it and needed pumping to get line onto the spinning reel. Unusually, no white flank appeared in the water as it neared the boat. It was a thornback ray, weighing in at just under 8lb. That's another first and caught only minutes after the doggie.
The fishing grew quieter as current from the small tide faded away, along with the bait supply. The last lug went onto one rod and a whole squid went onto the other. The lug soon had a 2lb coddling rattling then came a bigger fish to the squid. This last cast brought in a cod estimated at 8lb before it was released back over the side, just like all the day's other fish. Not a bad start to the season.
First surprise of the session
A bigger second surprise, complete with sharp edges
And the more familiar, the Dulux white bellied colour of a fresh run fish.
The forecasts and webcams were varied so first stroke of luck was simply to get out. The swell was long and lazy and the winds light; a warm jacket took care of the rain and the fishing activity kept things warm.
I headed to the usual rough ground mark, inshore of the yellow can at StMary's. The anchor reduced the slow drift to zero, allowing a couple of 3oz weights on uptide set-ups to hold the bottom. I tried a third rod but the fishing was too fast to cope with it, honest.
A steady stream of small coddling up to three pounds came in. It became routine, tap tap tap and in comes another one, until a surprise doggie (surprise for me and it) interrupted the flow. That's the first one I've had from this coast.
I tried a mixture of baits, and all caught well, lug, mussel and squid. After the doggie on a fillet of squid, a whole squid lashed to the hook went out and was soon picked up. This felt like a better fish, the light rod had a wild bend in it and needed pumping to get line onto the spinning reel. Unusually, no white flank appeared in the water as it neared the boat. It was a thornback ray, weighing in at just under 8lb. That's another first and caught only minutes after the doggie.
The fishing grew quieter as current from the small tide faded away, along with the bait supply. The last lug went onto one rod and a whole squid went onto the other. The lug soon had a 2lb coddling rattling then came a bigger fish to the squid. This last cast brought in a cod estimated at 8lb before it was released back over the side, just like all the day's other fish. Not a bad start to the season.
First surprise of the session
A bigger second surprise, complete with sharp edges
And the more familiar, the Dulux white bellied colour of a fresh run fish.
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
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