Tweet
Just got back from our family week in Coldingham. Being with the wife and the dog meant a much less intense fishing week but one that allowed us to discover some things I had never bothered with over the last 50 years (Ayton Castle, Coldingham Priory, North Berwick’s hidden gardens amongst them).
To the fishing. First thing I forgot was the camera so apologies for not being able to report back visually. I got enough crab for a session last Monday and got up early to catch low water, Tuesday morning. Mark of choice was the north side of Coldingham. As I got to the bottom of the cliff the wind was from the south, straight into the face and with a steady roll of about 5 feet things looked tricky. First cast a bite that never came back, second cast a bite that never came back, then nothing but fast hads until there was so little water in the hole at the bottom of the roll that I gave up and marched over to the south side. First cast a bite that never came back then nothing but more lost gear. In fact I was fast every cast. I packed up fishless and considerably lighter in the basket.1-0 to the fish.
Got some more crab on Wednesday for a session on Thursday. I must admit I’d forgotten how big the cock doggers are, so used to now fishing in August when it’s more carriers and smaller hens. The quality of my bait was outstanding so no excuses in that field. I opted to get up early again and fish the whole of the ebb. The morning was one of those you dream of, not a breath of wind and hardly a ripple on the water. I opted to go down Bell Bank, under Bell Hill, north of St Abbs. I must admit the main reason for choosing to fish here was to see if the 64 year old legs could still get down (and more importantly up) 200 feet of bank and across the rocks. Down successfully achieved I set up and first cast got a bite that never came back (I see a pattern emerging here). I then sat for an hour biteless before opting for breakfast......as Sods law dictates I had one bite of my Scotch Pie before the rod nodded and a codling of a couple of pounds was landed. From then on it was a bite or a fish every hoy until I ran out of bait. I caught 4 fish from the high tide rock and 3 more once the tide ebbed enough for me to hop across to the seaward side. One fish was undersized, 5 were between 2 and 3lb and the best might have made 6lb. Having no intention of trying to get back up the bank with nearly 20lb of fish I managed to get most of them back alive. Pleased to say the legs held up and the wife wasn’t too critical of the big red face.
Good to be back in the Borders.
To the fishing. First thing I forgot was the camera so apologies for not being able to report back visually. I got enough crab for a session last Monday and got up early to catch low water, Tuesday morning. Mark of choice was the north side of Coldingham. As I got to the bottom of the cliff the wind was from the south, straight into the face and with a steady roll of about 5 feet things looked tricky. First cast a bite that never came back, second cast a bite that never came back, then nothing but fast hads until there was so little water in the hole at the bottom of the roll that I gave up and marched over to the south side. First cast a bite that never came back then nothing but more lost gear. In fact I was fast every cast. I packed up fishless and considerably lighter in the basket.1-0 to the fish.
Got some more crab on Wednesday for a session on Thursday. I must admit I’d forgotten how big the cock doggers are, so used to now fishing in August when it’s more carriers and smaller hens. The quality of my bait was outstanding so no excuses in that field. I opted to get up early again and fish the whole of the ebb. The morning was one of those you dream of, not a breath of wind and hardly a ripple on the water. I opted to go down Bell Bank, under Bell Hill, north of St Abbs. I must admit the main reason for choosing to fish here was to see if the 64 year old legs could still get down (and more importantly up) 200 feet of bank and across the rocks. Down successfully achieved I set up and first cast got a bite that never came back (I see a pattern emerging here). I then sat for an hour biteless before opting for breakfast......as Sods law dictates I had one bite of my Scotch Pie before the rod nodded and a codling of a couple of pounds was landed. From then on it was a bite or a fish every hoy until I ran out of bait. I caught 4 fish from the high tide rock and 3 more once the tide ebbed enough for me to hop across to the seaward side. One fish was undersized, 5 were between 2 and 3lb and the best might have made 6lb. Having no intention of trying to get back up the bank with nearly 20lb of fish I managed to get most of them back alive. Pleased to say the legs held up and the wife wasn’t too critical of the big red face.
Good to be back in the Borders.
Comment