Boxing Day Blues

[My Alibi]

I seem to be getting into a habit of blanking!

Headed out of Amble at 09.30 with my son Oli. We decided to go south to Cresswell because the breeze was gusty with a hint of south in it , kicking up a lumpy sea and we would get some protection down there. It was a big tide (5.2m) and on the ebb the drift was a fast 1.3-1.4 knots, but we figured we could move around until we found the fish and then anchor up.

We tried the reefs without a single bite. We didn't have any fresh bait and were using frozen black lug, unwashed squid and some smelly old frozen mackerel.

Next was the rough ground off Lynemouth. Then close inshore in 10-15 feet in the gullies off Seal skears off Cresswell, then back to the reefs to see if the flood had brought anything on to feed, then to the Pinnacle off Druridge and finally fishing the gullies off Hauxley. Same result. Not a single bite between the pair of us. We got back to the marina at 15.30.

Conditions today looked favourable but I had an appointment I couldn't get out of so maybe we try again on Friday if we can get some fresh bait. But it may be that the fish are chasing the shoals of sprats that we were picking up on the screens. Be interested to hear if anyone else had any better luck.

[lingking]

hard lines on that,but if you dont try you will never know.

unfortunately, in all my years of interest in amble boat fishing i have never heard of anything much being caught in winter,despite great catches fom the shore/rocks etc.

im sure now there will be a flurry of"some of my best catch" posts ha ha.

i would still keep trying,you may just hit them right one day!!!!!!

[My Alibi]

I fear you could be right. We were indeed the only angling boat out from Amble that day.

Still, we might try different tactics and see if that works - I saw in the shore reports that some decent Pollack were caught up Newton way, so maybe that's what we've got to do instead. It's perhaps just a case of experimenting.

[Davey1970]

At least you were out, and fished. Nice to see a report in difficult conditions, good luck on your next trip, and I look forward to seeing a catch report. Davey.

[Kev1n]

Ah well, it gives the boat a run and blows the Christmas cobwebs away. Good luck for the New Year.

[dt1]

The old saying never get two days alike , Sun morning very early off hadston anchored up between two of us on the yaks had a lot of codlings kept 9 each to 4lb threw many more back . This morning 5 of us struggled to catch a fish worth keeping only small just above size probably 10 between us all returned . Was a few bait balls showing on the sounders today . Wind today was much stronger than forecast .

[My Alibi]

Thanks for the encouragement lads.

This is only my 2nd winter where I have kept the boat in the water all year round. Previously, I was down at Royal Quays for 4 years and hauled her out at the end of October every year. I keep a log of my trips and looked back to 22nd Dec last year. I had 25 codling and half-a-dozen decent coalies, also off Cresswell in similar conditions.

Good to see you still landed some fish yesterday. It gives me hope for the next trip. Which is not going to be hunting Pollack off Newton as I thought - I misread the date of that report, August - LOL !