The tides were perfect, the winds had eased and the seas were flat calm. A great day for fishing. Except nobody had told the fish!
I left Amble marina a couple of hours into the ebb, and headed north. The seas were a bit lumpy but it was ok. I had company too. There must have been a couple of dozen dolphins all heading north too, tracked by gannets, which I took to be a good omen.
I started fishing the reefs around Boulmer, but the water was the colour of coffee. Shame, as the drift was around 1 knot and the sea temp 11.6 degrees. I didn't even get a single bite. I tried from 20 feet to 90 feet in depth, but the same result.
I figured I might see if the water was clearer further off, and spent the afternoon visiting different wrecks. The water was fractionally clearer, maybe viz of 4-5 feet, but no cod around at all. I tried different lures, jellies, fresh worm and even some frozen launce that I had in case there were Pollack about. All I got was coalfish to around 1lb - some of the wrecks were covered in a shroud of them and they were even foul-hooking themselves. One coughed up an inch-long herring, which made me wonder if that's where are the cod are, because there were shoals of baitfish showing up on both the Dragonfly and the Raymarine.
Anyway, it wasn't a completely wasted day. It was a gorgeous afternoon and this bit of coast is stunning when viewed from a few miles out. I'd seen all manner of wild life, such as the dolphins, and gannets and puffins. And of course seals. I reckon one young one followed me onto every wreck. Maybe he too was wondering where all the cod had gone! I read in the shore reports that it is mainly whiting winning the prizes, so inshore seems no better.
No fish in the photos, but some days are like that.
I left Amble marina a couple of hours into the ebb, and headed north. The seas were a bit lumpy but it was ok. I had company too. There must have been a couple of dozen dolphins all heading north too, tracked by gannets, which I took to be a good omen.
I started fishing the reefs around Boulmer, but the water was the colour of coffee. Shame, as the drift was around 1 knot and the sea temp 11.6 degrees. I didn't even get a single bite. I tried from 20 feet to 90 feet in depth, but the same result.
I figured I might see if the water was clearer further off, and spent the afternoon visiting different wrecks. The water was fractionally clearer, maybe viz of 4-5 feet, but no cod around at all. I tried different lures, jellies, fresh worm and even some frozen launce that I had in case there were Pollack about. All I got was coalfish to around 1lb - some of the wrecks were covered in a shroud of them and they were even foul-hooking themselves. One coughed up an inch-long herring, which made me wonder if that's where are the cod are, because there were shoals of baitfish showing up on both the Dragonfly and the Raymarine.
Anyway, it wasn't a completely wasted day. It was a gorgeous afternoon and this bit of coast is stunning when viewed from a few miles out. I'd seen all manner of wild life, such as the dolphins, and gannets and puffins. And of course seals. I reckon one young one followed me onto every wreck. Maybe he too was wondering where all the cod had gone! I read in the shore reports that it is mainly whiting winning the prizes, so inshore seems no better.
No fish in the photos, but some days are like that.
