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It was a half-decent forecast so I headed out of Amble marina at 09.30 and went north to Boulmer to fish the rough ground.
The tide wasn't particularly big at 4.8m but the wind was a gusty SW and with wind and tide together the drift was a very fast 1.7-1.8 knots. Water clarity wasn't that good either so I went closer in to Alnmouth, found the tide line and took a couple of mackerel for bait. They were big ones too.
There are a couple of spots around there where the ground is still rough, but the tidal flow is not as strong as around the point and I was soon picking up codling of 1-2lb. But then it dried up again. I ventured around the point and further north but the flow was still immense.
I figured it should ease greatly towards slack water but then it would be wind over tide, so I scooted out to several 3 mile wrecks while it was still relatively flat.
The wrecks were a little disappointing. It didn't help that the drift was still 1.7 knots so it was at best 1 fish per drift, but often there was nothing. Water clarity wasn't great either, which was surprising. Most of the codling were small at around 2lb, with a few better ones sprinkled around. There were no coalfish this time but still mackerel higher up so it was a bit like mackerel one drift, codling the next, nothing the next, but time spent actually on the wreck was minimal.
The flood eventually caused the drifts to slow, but conditions were a lot livelier as there was more south than southwest in the wind direction, so I headed back into the rough ground. Even then it was very lumpy there and still relatively quiet. I had the feeling that the fish were more aggressive to lures and movement but conditions were far from ideal for lures.
I hadn't seen another boat all day, apart from a dive boat from the marina, and there was nobody about with whom to compare notes when I got back in at 5pm.
In total, I had something like a dozen codling, of which half were perhaps keepers, though they all went back this time in favour of the big meaty mackerel which we had last night and which were really tasty and full of flavour. There were loads of them around too which is encouraging anyway.
The tide wasn't particularly big at 4.8m but the wind was a gusty SW and with wind and tide together the drift was a very fast 1.7-1.8 knots. Water clarity wasn't that good either so I went closer in to Alnmouth, found the tide line and took a couple of mackerel for bait. They were big ones too.
There are a couple of spots around there where the ground is still rough, but the tidal flow is not as strong as around the point and I was soon picking up codling of 1-2lb. But then it dried up again. I ventured around the point and further north but the flow was still immense.
I figured it should ease greatly towards slack water but then it would be wind over tide, so I scooted out to several 3 mile wrecks while it was still relatively flat.
The wrecks were a little disappointing. It didn't help that the drift was still 1.7 knots so it was at best 1 fish per drift, but often there was nothing. Water clarity wasn't great either, which was surprising. Most of the codling were small at around 2lb, with a few better ones sprinkled around. There were no coalfish this time but still mackerel higher up so it was a bit like mackerel one drift, codling the next, nothing the next, but time spent actually on the wreck was minimal.
The flood eventually caused the drifts to slow, but conditions were a lot livelier as there was more south than southwest in the wind direction, so I headed back into the rough ground. Even then it was very lumpy there and still relatively quiet. I had the feeling that the fish were more aggressive to lures and movement but conditions were far from ideal for lures.
I hadn't seen another boat all day, apart from a dive boat from the marina, and there was nobody about with whom to compare notes when I got back in at 5pm.
In total, I had something like a dozen codling, of which half were perhaps keepers, though they all went back this time in favour of the big meaty mackerel which we had last night and which were really tasty and full of flavour. There were loads of them around too which is encouraging anyway.
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