More lead hurling

Last week I tried to catch Tench and Carp from a boat again.  When I set up the lake was calm, the sun was shining and I was sat in a warm sheltered spot.  There were Carp about too, cruising just below the surface and something bubbled profusely near one of my baits, a take seemed inevitable.  But the wind picked up from the east and the sky greyed, my spot was no longer a warm oasis and the fish stopped showing.  As I sat, wind blasted and becoming uncomfortable I felt that the possibility of a big Tench was close to zero and I realised the thought of catching a double figure Carp just wasn’t motivation enough.  I was just sitting there for the sake of it so packed up and went home early. The trouble is, even while making ‘plans’ for this trip I found myself considering a morning on the beach, wondering how that would go?  There is nothing about a double figure carp that excites me, it’s everyone else’s bread and butter but to me they are the most boring fish that swims. 

In contrast I’d been looking forward to hurling a lead into the North Sea ever since I wound in last time.  It’s like being a kid again with so much to learn, like travelling into a huge, mysterious unknown region.  Between trips it occupies my mind more than any summer fishing has for several years.  When I’m on the beach every bite is a thrill, every fish beached is an event and I absolutely love it, I can’t wait to get out again.

Friday came around with the forecaster promising dry, bright weather, off shore wind and high tide around 2145.  We met up in the early afternoon and by 1500 Giles, Rich and I were setting up, this time on a stretch of beach that was new to us.  With the tide low sandbars were exposed to the south of us, the water in front we presumed to be a little deeper.  Our rod tips had a bit of bounce with the wind but spotting bites should be easy, if we had any bites that is.  I fished the same methods as I had previously, a whole squid or half a bluey was hurled out on one rod, not particularly far as I am still learning what my tackle can cope with.  The other, lighter rod had a running leger baited with rag and/or squid and was just gently cast twenty yards or so.  All three of us used the close range, running leger rig but Rich and Giles done their own thing on their other rod. 

From the off we all had slight pulls and plucks, the tip would start to pull down but just as my arse left the seat it would slip back.  Something was attacking our baits, whether this was fish or crustacean we couldn’t be sure but ragworm wasn’t lasting on the hook and even pieces of squid were being nibbled.  Despite the sunshine the wind was sharp and with nowhere to shelter it kept the temperature down and we were fully layered up with hats and winter coats.  I am beginning to envy the other anglers with their funny igloos but warmer evenings are coming soon.  Eventually Rich had a proper bite on his lighter rod which hooped over as he pulled into it.  Something long(ish) and shark shaped appeared in the surf, a baby Smoothound is a lovely thing to behold, happy days. 

Fish can often come in flurries but this was not the case today, we continued to be frustrated by pulls and plucks on the light rods but nothing clear and definite though we often struck anyway through annoyance.  We did wind in a couple of crabs which was a clue to the bait stripper’s identity.  As the afternoon wore on a couple more anglers joined us on the beach, setting up a sensible distance away.  These anglers appeared to start catching straight away, fish that from a distance looked small and Whiting shaped.  If I was coarse fishing I would have found this highly annoying but here we should expect to be out fished.  Maybe with small fish and tricky bites I should switch to some kind of paternoster rig with short hooklengths?  Eventually this kind of set up worked for Giles who managed to hook a Whiting though he confessed he hadn’t seen the bite.

As dusk approached we hadn’t added to our score and Rich had to be elsewhere so reluctantly departed.  Darkness saw the wind drop away which increased our comfort levels no end which was just as well as the fish were still elusive, had it been cold we might have jacked it in.  But as high tide approached things started to happen; first Giles landed another whiting which was followed soon after by a Pouting.  And at long last I had a proper rod rattling bite but somehow managed to miss it.  I was beginning to think a blank was on the cards but it didn’t matter as at least I’d seen the others catch fish.

I lose track of time but it must have been around ten o clock with the tide on the turn I noticed a bit of activity on the tip of the heavier rod.  That just had to be a bite but as I stood poised… nothing else happened.  I wandered over to let Giles know of my frustration, chatted for a minute or two then wandered back with a view to putting a fresh bait on.  As I wound on I could feel more than the expected resistance so was not surprised to see something fishy in the surf, it was another Smoothound, small but a perfect shark in miniature.

Not long after this there was a distinct rattle on the light rod so with recent lessons in mind I lifted it from the tripod to see if I could feel anything.  There was a definite pull so I struck and found myself attached to another fish which did make its weight felt on the light tackle.  This was a Dogfish, another shark species bigger than the Smoothound but somehow less impressive?  They are interesting creatures though, tough with rough brown skin mottled with darker spots and blotches and a reasonably shark shaped head.  It was certainly a welcome catch which I enjoyed, I wonder how big they go?  A few minutes passed before Giles was in again and he too bounced a dogfish up the shingle.  This was bigger than mine and certainly the biggest fish of the evening.  The tide was certainly on its way down now and bites decreased though I’m sure I had some interest on the big bait again but it didn’t develop and nothing hook itself.  We packed up around 2300, once again we could have gladly stayed but we were dog tired and have been known to be sensible on occasions.  The walk back wasn’t as sapping as the one at the other beach but two tired anglers slumped into car seats.

We’re already planning our next trip on a favourable tide in a couple of weeks’ time.  Before then I have the option of another mornings fishing.  I should be sensible and plan around the conditions at the time but I can’t get enthused by Carp fishing, I know what I want to do.