This year I managed to smuggle 2 outfits into the car, my Nash spod rod with a Wychwood Extremis reel loaded with 8lb mono and an Abu 3lbs TC pike rod with an older Sigma Titan loaded with 10lbs mono. To both I attached 13m Daiwa tapered shock leaders 16lbs/65lbs (even though I'd only be casting max 50 -60 yds). I'd stocked up with lug and traces at Southwold Angling Supplies - hope there's a discount in it for me after naming! Just a simple 2 hook flapper was suggested. High tide on Saturday was about 5:30pm so I fished from 3 till 6. I put one rod about 15 - 20 yards out and the other about 60 yards just short of the first of the sand bars which run parallel to the shore line. Caught 2 small eels, the first in a long time, and a couple of nice plaice which I wasn't expecting. I took the larger of the two back to the flat and it made a very satisfying tea.
Towards HT I had quite a few taps which never came to anything. (Probably those same whiting which annoyed Danny some days ago). The other point of interest was that throughout my time on the beach there was quite a bit of Police activity, eventually resulting in one officer stopping people walking along the prom. As this point was 2 yards from the groyne near where I was fishing, in hindsight he might have asked me to move away as well! While I was packing up I asked him what was the problem, to which he replied "Unexploded Bomb". While I was cooking the plaice I heard a "whump" as the Army detonated it.
On Sunday the sea was wild and I'd used all my bait so was happy to sit in the bay window watching the gulls sweeping the breakers for sprats or whatever. Was it the larger fish - bass or whatever herding the tidlers inshore or just the big sea? If I'd had some bait maybe a chuck of about 1 - 2 yards may have brought something.
On Monday I tried a different spot, again suggested by the helpful people at the tackle shop. This time north of the pier.
Similar tactics brought 2 school bass, both returned of course, and several small whiting. I snagged both rods in successive casts and lost both sets of leaders and terminal gear. Went home!
I decided to try the early HT on Tuesday and was on the beach about 6:30am, 1hr before HT. Beautiful sunrise AND a mug of steaming coffee brought down at 7 by my long-suffering wife Chris. Our flat was literally 50 yards from where I was fishing.
After tucking in to some dark chocolate digestives I lost another set of terminal gear from one rod so went back for a healthy fry-up breakfast.
It seemed that the evening high tides were more successful than the morning ones - I suppose because of the darkness - so on Wednesday I tried the third recommended spot which was nearer to the harbour mouth.
HT was about 9:30pm so I got to the beach around 6. (BTW, no signs of Danny's stones. They must all be now in the Tate Modern!) Nothing until darkness. Then I had taps and knocks every cast, a dozen or so whiting around 7 - 9 inches taking lug the same length.
Although the sea looked no different to earlier, I noticed that it was taking both rigs about 30 yards to the right by the time I was reeling in. There was also a lot more weed about.
My last day for fishing was Thursday and I tried the morning HT. It was VERY calm, I had 1 tug (whoops, sorry) and no fish. I spent 30 minutes watching a seal swim between 2 groynes keeping me company. At times he poked his head out only a yard or 2 from the shore.
So a super holiday and considering my lack of expertise in the salt plus the oddly-assorted tackle, I was very pleased. Also, I managed a day in Beccles where I spent an hour or more in Angling Direct and stocked up with some coarse bits and bobs while Chris did the tour of the shops!
Nice plaice Dave. The sea looked a bit moe lively than when I was there.
ReplyDeleteIt's not easy to find plaice fishing from the shore. I heard that South of the pier is good for dover sole at the right time of the year - you need stinky old rotten lug, small aberdeens and wire booms apparently.
ReplyDeleteThat's right Jeff, I was told that there are some nice soles coming out, a simple lob out preferably at night. Mentioning lug, I'd forgotten the mess you get into. My fingers were bright yellow from their spurts and then they turned black and no amount of scrubbing got it off for a couple of days. A chat with a local put me right. Latex gloves, although it was a bit more difficult threading the lug on.
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