08/7/17

So since my previous session I had received information which would help bring my mission to catch a blonde ray a little bit easier. I put it to use Saturday just gone and despite conditions probably being not quite right, I arrived at the mark with a bit of optimism.

First up the heavy rods were set up and cast out with double sandeel, or squid/sandeel wraps. I waited in anticipation but unfortunately bites were slow to come by. This was the theme throughout the day, just the occasional nibble, the odd doggie landed and a couple of snoods snipped by spider crabs. One bite got me a little bit excited as whatever I had hooked stayed deep right to the edge. Unfortunately it turned out to be a doggie and a foul hooked dab that provided resistance in the tide.

To keep myself interested I had took along a pack of ragworm and a spinning rod with the intention of fishing small hooks close in. Thankfully the rock dwellers were happy to bite and I caught Leopard Spot Gobies, Tompot Blennies and Shannies mixed in between a steady stream of Ballan Wrasse up to about 1.5lb.

In the end there were 4 people fishing from the ledges and there wasn't much else being caught. I saw a small ray caught as I got there, and a fella who arrived later got a decent smoothound to the edge. I went down to grab it for him, unfortunately deciding on the wrong ledge to land it from. I slid about 2ft down into the water, and as I did the hook pulled from the smoothound. A soaking and a lost fish wasn't the plan, but I was thankful I didn't go any further into the water.

Ultimately not the day I had planned but good fun fishing close in anyway, and I'll get another chance at the blonde rays in better conditions before long!