July Starts with a Scream

After the success at Holyhead the previous week, I decided to end June with an attempt at a shore tope. Unfortunately when me and Paul got to the mark, near Rhoscolyn, we planned to fish, the wind put us off trying to climb down. A quick rethink and we pitched up at an alright looking spot just around the corner. Despite being somewhat prepared for snaggy ground, we weren't prepared for it to be so snaggy. A big rod was put out with half a mackerel, getting stuck both times and losing everything, leader and all on the second. I did have slightly more success fishing close in with bits of rag, catching a few small wrasse before the last fish being species 15 for the year, a poor cod.


Fast forward nearly two weeks to Tuesday just gone, with the big tides I decided to have a crack at some bigger smoothounds. After spending the day getting all my gear sorted I made the drive up to penrhos to try and collect some crab for the session. This is when my optimism started to drop as even after two hours searching I barely had 10 crinkly crabs, but with a couple of squid for back up I thought I would just manage for the session.

Had a little explore around a couple of beaches just outside Valley before picking my spot, however I got "the feeling" that it could be a difficult night. The couple of hours in daylight went by with no action so I set up just away from the rocks where at least I wouldn't lose any gear. Out went one of the softer crabs I had managed to collect, along with squid on the other rod, and I sat down considering an early finish get get to bed before midnight. I decided to leave everything out and tuck into my last buttie to lighten the rucksack for the walk back. At the point when I was mid bite the ratchet on the crab rod screams and just keeps going. I lift into the fish, and after a few minutes when it makes 2 more runs I see the leader, then a nice smoothound in the shallows. A quick dash down and my prize was I my hands. It wasn't big, maybe 6lbs at most, but I was over the moon and glad to get one bigger than a pup this year.

This obviously lifted my spirit no end and I decided on one more cast to try and prove it wasn't a fluke. It took a while, maybe 30 mins, when the line dropped slack and I was in again. Unfortunately this fish decided it didn't want a photo and dropped the bait about 15 metres out. With no bait left I had to call it a day there but I was happy to land one and know that it wasn't a fluke so will be back again on the next big tides.