Mukiwa
Well-known member
Good afternoon guys,There is nothing like the thrill of expectation over the first cast in unfamiliar waters, in that failure only excites hope of a fortunate throw next time ;Charles Dudley Warner.
So I thought I was going to post this post with the update of my fishing over the past week, but it would be amazing to be one of the first to post on the lure section.
Having worked for so long, like many in lockdown, weekends included, it was time to take some time out. with my thoughts turning to a glorious week of chasing one of my favourite quarries. however I didn't plan on the weather being as it was, with easterlies and rain. So out came the box of lures that I had started during lock down, choosing four of them to finish, what ever the finish and fish them.
Off I went to my local hardware, bought some spray cans of colours that looked ok and epoxy resin, and started. I forgot how much fun I had making the lures. my choice of colours was along the AYI theme, not that they did in the end. Not a great finish, but With them done to a level I could cast them I packed a rod and headed for the water to see if they sink or swim
Casting the lures was a real treat, finally a lure I can cast a long way, and strangely some really good action. satisfied I packed up. Thoughts turned to where I could fish them, so both me and Merryleggs decided Hayling island. I could start with fly fishing for mullet and change to bass on the ebb, with Merryleggs doing her beading.
so the weights from the top , spitting wire copy is 26.8grams, next is 30.4grams and bottom is 22.2grams, the one I caught on is 35.4 grams finished. the epoxy is bad, and also off colour.
well the mullet were not there, I saw two fish only, a far cry from the weeks before. so back to the car for some lunch with Merryleggs, after beating the water to a foam, and set up the lure rod.
walking down the path, fields of swampy grassland, covered with red and black berries of autumn, I made the mark, rod held with great expectation , studying the foreshore, as I entered the water, with the cool water tightening round my waders as I went deeper.
First cast, fluffed.......... bugger, second cast was a flyer touching down and taking up the slack line, I started to retrieve, working the water, 35.4grams of lure dancing, gliding , popping the surface, what was not to like. suddenly locked up, snag!!!! ........ no surely not...... the snag is pulling back........ really, well I could have been blown down with a feather. with the fish fighting in protest, a lovely bass graced the shore. shaking I unhooked the bass, with bad shaky photos and returned to its watery world.
Time was running out before it came to shallow to carry on, changing the direction on every cast another hit, was it weed...... I paused then first turn of the reel, a full on hit, landing another lovely bass. with the water turning to mud as the tide emptied the bay of water I packed up, holding head up high for the sense of achievement for a brief moment. I can only guess the first fish was 48cm and the second 46 ish, but still so chuffed.
My next session was a local mark along the Southampton water, I knew it had to be a good session at some point, with the storm Alex due to arrive, watching the air pressure and moon setting , and low water. Arriving to a mill pond, low tide was going to be interesting, taking a long cast from 20 feet from waters edge, just so see what happens before I entre the water, as there were signs of fish every where...…… nothing. As I entered the water, it exploded with mullet, just amazing to see so much, should have bought the fly rod..... lol. well three hours later not a sign, bump or tug.
Packing up, merrylegs suggested I try somewhere else, Itchen then, my banking mark. arriving at the mark, I was given the green light to fish all night, perfect, as LW was 04:18 am. but that's a long time to wait, testing the cold water, and mist coming in, nothing was stirring, the longer I waited the colder I got. The tide dropping slowly and more wading and testing the more I was shaking with cold. Oh COME ON...…… I thought, I couldn't have got it that wrong surely!!!!!
02:45 am came, I waded chest deep giving it my all, suddenly a bump, with cold hand , struck in to a fish, which took off. landing a lovely bass. warmth returned and senses sharped again, I started seeking the quarry out. second and a third fish..... just awesome. by this time my phone died, so sorry no proof of what happed next...……. utter mayhem, for the next hour to low it was a fish every other chuck, at times a fish a cast. average size was 2lbs to 6lbs loosing count at 14 fish.
LW had arrived, the water returned to calm, mist closed in covering the water, as I withdrew from the mud, that I was left in, silence of the morning returned.
My last session, was in the middle of Storm Alex, well that was a far cry from what I had experienced, …...one word...……..dead, I love fishing heavy air, driving rain, but sadly with the air pressure so low and the amount of flood water, I couldn't expect anything else.
Challenge complete and thank you for reading,
tight lines to you all.
Mukiwa
