After exchanging messages for a couple of weeks, Shane, Rob and a couple of their lads came for some guidance on Saturday just gone. They had a tiny bit of experience between them but were very new to fishing heavy ledgering. Combining all factors, and Shane wasn't sure how long his lad would last I arranged for us to fish Moel y Don on the Menai Strait. Its relatively safe, short distance from the car and a chance of some fish. In order to maximise the possibility of catching we agreed to fish into darkness, however that brings the cold and a lack of light.
With hindsight it would have been better to try somewhere in the day, I think we could have got everyone a properly handle on the casting and see the gear being used. The balance being keeping the kids interested and like I was at that age, having fish biting definitely helps, and best chance of that happening, fish at night. Sadly the fish didn't bite. I was explaining to Shane and Rob about different marks locally when one of the rods started to twitch. Sure enough it was a definite fish bite. As the lads had gone back to the car to get out of the cold, Shane went to get them, before I reeled in one of the smallest codling I've ever seen. I must admit I was quite relieved that I was able to show them a fish, and hopefully that is enough to ignite their enthusiasm for the sport. The Strait doesn't seemed to have fished well recently, I've seen very little coming out and to prove a point yesterday (22/1) I spent a good 4 hours around Menai Bridge without a single bite.
Once they had departed, I headed up the coast to meet Paul for a bash at the coalies. Conditions looked fairly reasonable with a nice swell but not unfishable, and little wind. We got there in plenty of time to fish over high and things started off promising as within an hour we were into whiting and I had a bonus pouting. It wasn't long before Paul holds up a better fish which was our target. We thought we were in for a good night but a couple of whiting later things just went to pot. We couldn't buy a bite until right on high tide Paul had a decent take with something putting up a bit of a fight. Unfortunately it seemed the line rubbing it against the shingle caused some weakness and a breaking swell snapped his line like cotton. A highly disappointing end as it looked like a reasonable fish.
I had one more cast but in truth I had lost all motivation, figuring we should have caught several coalies by this point. The cold had also become a factor, and it turned out it was the coldest night for 2 years, and it definitely felt it! Sorry for the lack of pictures, camera was way up the beach on both occasions.
Tuesday, 23 January 2018
First Bassing of the year
Its taken a little while to get round to this but here goes. Last Monday the weather was looking pretty gnarly and I was on a time limit but thankfully the tide coincided just with darkness. I managed to get out to the mark where I was relying on being able to dig my bait there. It was a tough start, I couldn't make out many casts and the worms were generally small, I found a good patch and had enough for the session in about 30 minutes.
I hurried the extra couple of hundred yards over to where I would be fishing, promptly setting up as the tide was already flooding. Being down the bank I was comfortably out of the wind, the rod tips however were shaking all over the place. I'd opted to fish light, bass rods with 2-3oz weights just being enough to hold bottom but a little movement every now and then to help locate any gulleys.
On went the "bait shops" as I call them, small blow lug that you usually get at the shops, and I cast out aiming for the main channel. After missing the first bite I changed to newer, sharper hooks and what do you know, it did the trick. Not a monster, it was never going to be, but the first bass of the year was soon on the sand. Once it was released the action continued, missing a few, landing a few but in all I was pretty chuffed with landing 5 bass, the last 2 being of a better size, maybe 1/2lb at a push.
With the bass out of the way I turned my attention to codling the next day. I fished a mark on the Straits and despite managing to get out of the wind it was bloody freezing! I nearly didn't bother but apparently fortune favours the brave, just no-one told the fish that day. With crabs robbing every bait thrown in, I've never known it so bad, as it got dark something fish shaped hit the surface on the retrieve. Sadly whatever it was bounced off as it hit the rocks. In all likelihood it was a whiting but it would have been nice to have something to show.
I hurried the extra couple of hundred yards over to where I would be fishing, promptly setting up as the tide was already flooding. Being down the bank I was comfortably out of the wind, the rod tips however were shaking all over the place. I'd opted to fish light, bass rods with 2-3oz weights just being enough to hold bottom but a little movement every now and then to help locate any gulleys.
On went the "bait shops" as I call them, small blow lug that you usually get at the shops, and I cast out aiming for the main channel. After missing the first bite I changed to newer, sharper hooks and what do you know, it did the trick. Not a monster, it was never going to be, but the first bass of the year was soon on the sand. Once it was released the action continued, missing a few, landing a few but in all I was pretty chuffed with landing 5 bass, the last 2 being of a better size, maybe 1/2lb at a push.With the bass out of the way I turned my attention to codling the next day. I fished a mark on the Straits and despite managing to get out of the wind it was bloody freezing! I nearly didn't bother but apparently fortune favours the brave, just no-one told the fish that day. With crabs robbing every bait thrown in, I've never known it so bad, as it got dark something fish shaped hit the surface on the retrieve. Sadly whatever it was bounced off as it hit the rocks. In all likelihood it was a whiting but it would have been nice to have something to show.
Tuesday, 9 January 2018
Start to the New Year
It had been a couple of months since I had managed to wet a line for various reasons. However, with everything largely out of the way it is back to focusing on fishing! The big news that I seemed to miss out on was that due to low numbers in the wild stocks, tackle shops had mostly run out of sandeel late last year. The other big news was that bass fishing would be catch and release only this year which was a big relief to hear, as it meant I can use the new plugging rod I acquired over winter for its main purpose!
Often in January the weather conspires to prevent access to some of the more favourable marks on the more productive tides. However the weekend just gone the storm had past and the wind swung easterly meaning it was time to get out after the rays. In the past I thought January was a bit early for them but the odd one shows up, and after a couple of false starts in the Menai Strait, I was itching for my first proper session of the year.
Its normally pot luck whether the mark I had chosen was already taken but I arrived with no other cars around. I'd arrived early enough to have a pick of the ledges, take my time getting down and setting up in daylight meant I could blow away some of the winter cobwebs. A couple of unnecessary tangles and minor birds nests later I was much more settled come the night shift, setting up three rods, 2 were going for rays, one left very close in after conger and huss. Daylight resulted in a single dab and a few whiting which would be used as bait later on.
There was a lull in activity just after darkness fell. I left a couple of whiting bites to develop, as often rays will take the whiting if you leave it long enough, and for a short while one retrieve felt a little heavy before the weight lifted. Sure enough it was a whiting that had a couple of wounds in the flank where something had tried to make it dinner. I took this as a sign that the bigger fish had switched on, and out went the precious sandeels that I had found in amongst my frozen baits.
I didn't have to wait long and, with a decent pull down a fish was taking line against the ratchet. Being so long since catching rays from deep water I had forgotten what they felt like. Hugging the seabed I felt the strain might pop the line, but once the fish was moving the familiar feeling was back. Rays often stay deep right until the waters edge but soon the unmistakable diamond shape emerged from the depths. A nice fish around 4/5lb and it was mission accomplished.
Then for the next hour I was averaging a ray every 15 minutes, ending up with 5 in a flurry of action, the biggest being possibly 8/9lb. I did take photos of all of them but not many of the photos are great, bit tricky on your own! Activity slowed down after this which is sometimes to be expected here. I was waiting longer for bites and for a couple of casts it was just whiting. My last mistake of the night was to tighten down to a whiting bite and leave the reel in gear. Luckily I was stood by my rod and was able to grab the butt before it ended up in the sea! That was ray number six, and number seven followed on my very last cast, making it a great start to the year.
I had planned on fishing today but unappealing weather and tide times mean catching up with the guiding admin and knocking a few rigs together for future sessions. Till next time, I'm sure it wont be as long!
Often in January the weather conspires to prevent access to some of the more favourable marks on the more productive tides. However the weekend just gone the storm had past and the wind swung easterly meaning it was time to get out after the rays. In the past I thought January was a bit early for them but the odd one shows up, and after a couple of false starts in the Menai Strait, I was itching for my first proper session of the year.
Its normally pot luck whether the mark I had chosen was already taken but I arrived with no other cars around. I'd arrived early enough to have a pick of the ledges, take my time getting down and setting up in daylight meant I could blow away some of the winter cobwebs. A couple of unnecessary tangles and minor birds nests later I was much more settled come the night shift, setting up three rods, 2 were going for rays, one left very close in after conger and huss. Daylight resulted in a single dab and a few whiting which would be used as bait later on.
There was a lull in activity just after darkness fell. I left a couple of whiting bites to develop, as often rays will take the whiting if you leave it long enough, and for a short while one retrieve felt a little heavy before the weight lifted. Sure enough it was a whiting that had a couple of wounds in the flank where something had tried to make it dinner. I took this as a sign that the bigger fish had switched on, and out went the precious sandeels that I had found in amongst my frozen baits.
I didn't have to wait long and, with a decent pull down a fish was taking line against the ratchet. Being so long since catching rays from deep water I had forgotten what they felt like. Hugging the seabed I felt the strain might pop the line, but once the fish was moving the familiar feeling was back. Rays often stay deep right until the waters edge but soon the unmistakable diamond shape emerged from the depths. A nice fish around 4/5lb and it was mission accomplished.
Then for the next hour I was averaging a ray every 15 minutes, ending up with 5 in a flurry of action, the biggest being possibly 8/9lb. I did take photos of all of them but not many of the photos are great, bit tricky on your own! Activity slowed down after this which is sometimes to be expected here. I was waiting longer for bites and for a couple of casts it was just whiting. My last mistake of the night was to tighten down to a whiting bite and leave the reel in gear. Luckily I was stood by my rod and was able to grab the butt before it ended up in the sea! That was ray number six, and number seven followed on my very last cast, making it a great start to the year.
I had planned on fishing today but unappealing weather and tide times mean catching up with the guiding admin and knocking a few rigs together for future sessions. Till next time, I'm sure it wont be as long!
Monday, 30 October 2017
Little Update
So due to a few reasons I haven't been able to fish or indeed write as much as I would like but I have had a couple of trips out.
Towards the end of September I hit the beach I took Dan and Chris to, hoping again for rays. Conditions weren't ideal but at least they were fishable. An easterly wind had knocked the swell right down and the water was looking very clear. I didn't expect much action with the flat sea, not least from any small eyed rays, and if there were any around it was unlikely they would find the bait with the presence of doggies.
However when its calm there's always a chance of a thornback so I stuck it out a bit longer than usual. As the tide was dropping fast I was wading as far as I could, and sticking to single sandeel to maximise casting distance. I noticed a small rattle which after 10 minutes or so developed into a slack liner. On reeling in though everything went light, and I found I had caught a whiting which had a couple of 'chew' marks on its side. One more cast it was, again at maximum range. The same thing happened, this time a good pull down and I could feel a bit of weight this time. It felt like ages reeling in due to the distance, I don't know how people can fish at 150+ metres every cast in a session - spend more time reeling in than anything else! - but eventually the eyes appeared in the torch light and a reasonable thorny was flapping in the shallows.
After running up and down the beach to get my camera I got a quick photo with it before wading out to release it into deeper water. I packed up satisfied that it wasn't a wasted journey.
Nearly two weeks ago now I returned to the same beach. I was very time limited, planning on 3 hours fishing max over what should be the most productive time. Despite being busy the lull in wind between the two storms was too good an opportunity to miss. On arriving to the beach I found a familiar face set up, it was Richard Butcher who I had seen here a few times over the last couple of years. After a catch up he said the weed had been especially bad, and that he was only casting occasionally to see if it had passed. Not the news I was hoping for but it was great to see him again and having made the effort I set up and got cast out.
Fortunately the weed had eased up by now, though the side currents and undertow made holding bottom a little tricky, even with 7oz weights. With the surf raging I thought there would be a chance of a bass before the rays came on the feed, but everything for the first couple of hours came back untouched. I carried on unfazed as "the window" was fast approaching and sure enough I saw what looked to be a bite, a stronger pull down followed by slack line. Striking in I felt the weight pull out of the sand and that horrible light feeling when there is no fish on the end. I cursed my luck before getting another bait out. Same again, only this time the line is lying virtually on the sand in front of me. I thought it could be the waves pulling the lead out but that would be a much more gradual easing of tension on the line.
I had just cast out a massive sandeel and squid wrap, that soon attracted another slack liner. I wound in as much slack as possible before ripping the rod back as hard as I dared so as not to miss another opportunity. It seemed to work, I could feel a good weight heading off to my right, using the undertow to take a few yards of line. Without rushing I soon had what I had gone for, a decent small eyed ray was on the beach. As my camera had ran out of battery Richard kindly took the photo and sent it over. I had hoped for more, but after two more casts the weed came back with a vengeance. On his last cast Richard also managed a ray. Both of us were happy to catch but given the timing of the session just after the first storm we thought we might have been in for a much more productive evening.
Since then I've had a couple of short lure session but nothing producing. I committed the sin of keeping my head torch on, looking out for signs of bass in the clear water but despite loads of bait fish, and some distant splashes there was nothing going nearby to raise the adrenaline. Thanks for reading, won't be long till I can get out regularly again!
Towards the end of September I hit the beach I took Dan and Chris to, hoping again for rays. Conditions weren't ideal but at least they were fishable. An easterly wind had knocked the swell right down and the water was looking very clear. I didn't expect much action with the flat sea, not least from any small eyed rays, and if there were any around it was unlikely they would find the bait with the presence of doggies.
However when its calm there's always a chance of a thornback so I stuck it out a bit longer than usual. As the tide was dropping fast I was wading as far as I could, and sticking to single sandeel to maximise casting distance. I noticed a small rattle which after 10 minutes or so developed into a slack liner. On reeling in though everything went light, and I found I had caught a whiting which had a couple of 'chew' marks on its side. One more cast it was, again at maximum range. The same thing happened, this time a good pull down and I could feel a bit of weight this time. It felt like ages reeling in due to the distance, I don't know how people can fish at 150+ metres every cast in a session - spend more time reeling in than anything else! - but eventually the eyes appeared in the torch light and a reasonable thorny was flapping in the shallows.
After running up and down the beach to get my camera I got a quick photo with it before wading out to release it into deeper water. I packed up satisfied that it wasn't a wasted journey.
Nearly two weeks ago now I returned to the same beach. I was very time limited, planning on 3 hours fishing max over what should be the most productive time. Despite being busy the lull in wind between the two storms was too good an opportunity to miss. On arriving to the beach I found a familiar face set up, it was Richard Butcher who I had seen here a few times over the last couple of years. After a catch up he said the weed had been especially bad, and that he was only casting occasionally to see if it had passed. Not the news I was hoping for but it was great to see him again and having made the effort I set up and got cast out.
Fortunately the weed had eased up by now, though the side currents and undertow made holding bottom a little tricky, even with 7oz weights. With the surf raging I thought there would be a chance of a bass before the rays came on the feed, but everything for the first couple of hours came back untouched. I carried on unfazed as "the window" was fast approaching and sure enough I saw what looked to be a bite, a stronger pull down followed by slack line. Striking in I felt the weight pull out of the sand and that horrible light feeling when there is no fish on the end. I cursed my luck before getting another bait out. Same again, only this time the line is lying virtually on the sand in front of me. I thought it could be the waves pulling the lead out but that would be a much more gradual easing of tension on the line.
I had just cast out a massive sandeel and squid wrap, that soon attracted another slack liner. I wound in as much slack as possible before ripping the rod back as hard as I dared so as not to miss another opportunity. It seemed to work, I could feel a good weight heading off to my right, using the undertow to take a few yards of line. Without rushing I soon had what I had gone for, a decent small eyed ray was on the beach. As my camera had ran out of battery Richard kindly took the photo and sent it over. I had hoped for more, but after two more casts the weed came back with a vengeance. On his last cast Richard also managed a ray. Both of us were happy to catch but given the timing of the session just after the first storm we thought we might have been in for a much more productive evening.Since then I've had a couple of short lure session but nothing producing. I committed the sin of keeping my head torch on, looking out for signs of bass in the clear water but despite loads of bait fish, and some distant splashes there was nothing going nearby to raise the adrenaline. Thanks for reading, won't be long till I can get out regularly again!
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