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North Wales Another Llyn Adventure

Timbc2

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Thursday 29th July - First beach attempt at tope of the year at Gimlet. Met top caster Steven Moffatt from the Wirral and Mersey FB groups. If your reading it was good to meet you buddy, will probably see you round with Rich Steel at some point (y)

It was dead as a dodo and we both thought with no runs in the first hour or so it would be a slow night. I decided to up sticks and get to Dinas for the second half of the tide. It was like Vietnamese Ramen without the egg. It cleared about half 3 in the morning and I gave it another half hour but I was cream crackered :sleep:. Got back to the caravan at 5 am.

Friday, unsurprisingly I had a lie in till mid afternoon and wasn't going to fish but in the end, after having tea, I thought I'd go and try Criccieth down the road for convenience because otherwise I'd have just sat in the caravan using up my Old Speckled Hen supplies. Had a natter to the only other fisherman there who was telling me about a couple of good nights he'd had in the past, one catching a couple of spotted rays and another where he'd had a fantastic beach conger in the mid teens. Blanked again but it was nice to hear the tales of good catches from the venue.

Saturday the tides were not as good but I had a spot where there was still some chance of a tope I could try. Didn't get a run and just got pollack spinning again like my previous rock mark outing. Not even one mackerel though. Was a long gruelling day - I don't think I'd properly fully recovered from the virtual all-nighter on the first night of my trip.

Behold, ...... one of the pollack:

Pollack.jpg

Sunday I found myself without any motivation to fish whatsoever ? and I almost came home, but with the dry weather and winds not too bad I thought it would be an ideal time to go and explore a couple of places where I'd been wanting to check out possibles marks to fish. It can be a bit hairy getting down some of the banks of the Llyn in a strong wind if you don't know whether there is a cliff at the bottom of it or not.

It was a productive day. Whilst out exploring I met an old guy of nearly 80 (looked about 60) who has been consistently catching mackerel, whereas everyone else has been struggling the last couple of weeks from what I hear. I won't be saying where out of respect for him, I'm lucky that he chose to share some of his knowledge with me. I'd hate for him to have his pristine marks littered and stinking of urine like all the other popular mackerel spots.

Monday, again I had no inclination to fish but it was still ideal exploring weather. This time it was a headland that I'd only ever explored one side of so it was an opportunity to do the other. After finding a parking spot and walking up the track I veered off left to have a look at the cove and the first area where I thought there could be possible fishing marks. This time I only ventured so far down the bank as the bank was looking like it was ending too high up above the sea for my liking ?.

In the distance though, it looked like there was some other rocks that might make a decent platform to fish off. Only trouble was there was a huge expanse of bracken to negotiate between me and the top of the descent above the possible mark, and even then I didn't know if there was a way down when I got there. After a good while of pushing through neck high bracken I came to some sheep netting with barbed wire across the top, running down one side of a tall stone wall.

I'd ascended one side of the netting and was stretching my leg over the barbed wire, and on to a big boulder the other side of the wall, when I felt something stick in my leg. At first I thought one of the prongs on the barbed wire must have penetrated my leg and ignored it but once back down on the floor I felt a wet patch above my knee. I put my hand on it to see if it was blood but it was clear. Then I noticed where it had gone in had swelled to the size of half a gold ball within seconds!

I knew it had to be an adder bite as that is the only thing capable of making a puncture wound big enough and causing a reaction like that, having been stung and bitten by everything else out there in the past, plus I was in prime adder territory. Straight away I squeezed the hell out of it to try and get as much venom out as possible. This seemed to help a lot as after that it never swelled again as much. After a while it didn't hurt much so I decided to carry on with my mission to see this other possible mark, now that I'd come so far. Turning back and having to face all the awkwardness of the route I'd just done a second time was completely unappealing - even after the adder bite.

The adder bite no longer hurts but it has caused a big area of bruising. I think it'll take a couple of weeks to clear. I was lucky really as only one fang got me. The other fang emptied over my trousers - hence the wet patch, and it has now discoloured the fabric.

Anyway, what I thought would be a continuation of pushing aside bracken became a battle with brambles too, and several times I ended up in boggy areas wondering how far I was going to sink, or stepping down unexpectedly into hidden holes with a jolt. A couple of times, I'd followed the clear gravelly runs of springs down to the edge only to find impassable drops and had to turn back up.

Eventually I found the only possible access route to the top of the rocks. It was very steep and if you slipped you'd be doomed but it was definitely doable, so I made my way down. Once at the top of the rocks I needed to see if it was possible to get to the fishable platform below. It turned out there was only one possible route down the rocks as well but the puzzle was finally cracked and a large roomy fishable platform was the prize for my efforts.

As was commented by a friend who I was discussing this with, I'm calling this mark Indiana Jones, as it was an absolute quest to get there and it's guarded by snakes!

I spent ages trying multiple routes back up the slopes to find a better way to get to it, only to find impenetrable walls of prickly gorse higher up, but eventually the most efficient route was mapped out and it's going to be a real adventure returning to fish it one day.

Tight lines and cheers for reading
:)
 
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Cracking read, shame that you didn't get a tope but you did find a new mark which is some reward for you efforts, bet your glad you didn't go home so early in the end, well, bar the adder bite!
 
Excellent report mate, well done on your perseverance with the bracken! You were lucky that the adders aim was a bit off!
 
Blimey, that was one serious effort! Snake as well!. Certainly get your money's worth with you.
Cracking report ? ?
 
Cracking read, shame that you didn't get a tope but you did find a new mark which is some reward for you efforts, bet your glad you didn't go home so early in the end, well, bar the adder bite!

Excellent report mate, well done on your perseverance with the bracken! You were lucky that the adders aim was a bit off!

Cracking read. Edge of the seat stuff. Get yourself a drone

Blimey, that was one serious effort! Snake as well!. Certainly get your money's worth with you.
Cracking report ? ?

Cheers guys, yeah it was very lucky the bite wasn't worse. Good luck with your next session. Tight lines (y)
 
Sounds lik a mission, man! Jaaaysus! Adder bite is some cool pub ammo, but scary!
 
Sounds lik a mission, man! Jaaaysus! Adder bite is some cool pub ammo, but scary!

Hi Stu, good to hear from you. Aye it's just about cleared up now. Went proper bruised and dark looking for a while.
 
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