Stormtrooper
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2020
- Messages
- 287
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- Location
- Herne Bay
- Favourite Fishing
- Shore
Hi all, so I’m not long back from my holibobs with the family. We spent 5 days in Burry Port near Llanelli, South Wales before travelling around to near Watchet in Somerset for another 5 days.
We couldn’t have asked for better weather, the whole time was scorchio!!
Being a family holiday and the car being packed to the hilt, getting my usual set up in is never an option. Not being one to miss out on an opportunity though, I made sure my trusty 12’ telescopic rod and rest as well as a bag of tackle was stowed in the roof box for the trip.
Our first location was an air bnb static caravan based at Shoreline Caravan Park in Burry Port.
It was lovely and clean and our host had even put up banners and balloons for our sons birthday.
Straight away I took the dog down the closest beach (about 200yds away at the end of the road!) to check it out.
There was a small gulley at the bottom of the beach which was alive with small fish, I think they were sand smelt but I’m not certain, a couple even looked like possibly juvenile bass. The gulley was about 3’ deep at its deepest but there were a couple of spots that were only a couple of inches deep.
Beyond the gulley was a sandbank that stretched on for miles, I could just make out the sea in the distance.
The following night, I decided to give the beach a go, armed with all the gear I had, a pack of small sandeels and a pack of squid and wearing just beach/wet shoes.
It seemed to take an age to walk across the bank but eventually I got to the sea and walked to my right. Navionics showed some slightly deeper water there and I’d seen locals fishing it earlier in the day.
As the light faded, I was amazed how warm it was and how peaceful, there wasn’t another soul in sight!!
An hour so in and my rod buckled, the butt flying up in the air despite my ratchet being set. Luckily, I was right next to it and caught the rod, the tip folding seaward.
After a short fight, I claimed my first welsh fish of my travels, a smoothhound of around 2.5lbs. It gave a far greater account of itself than it should’ve but I guess I’m not used to such a light rod.
I fished on, the sandeel was doing nothing but I was getting a few knocks on the squid. Another half hour or so elapsed and fish no.2 came out, not nearly as voracious as the first but a better hound of 4lbs 3oz was gratefully received.
I had really hoped to have landed something different from back home in Kent but I was at least pleased not to have blanked. As the tide flooded, I was steadily moving back with it, conscious of the possibility of the gulley filling up a bit behind me. The tide was still a long way off though so I was safe for now.
A short while later and I had a different looking bite, I was tentative in striking but after a while, I knew it had hooked itself and started to retrieve. Most of the time, it was coming towards me but didn’t feel very big when it fought. I was adamant it was a schoolie but was absolutely made up when I got it in. My first shore caught tope!! It was obviously just a pup, probably no more than a few days old but I was genuinely ecstatic!!
I gave it another hour or so but with nothing happening, I decided to call it a night.
I gathered my gear and walked back across the bank. As I neared the beach though, something didn’t look right.
Oh dear.
I had made a monumental error of judgement. The gulley had more than filled up, it was huge!! I tried to wade across but I got less than 1/4 of the way across it, the water was up to my waist already and it was only getting deeper.
I scouted around and looked on Google earth but seemingly, my only way off was to swim (not happening!) or to walk nearly 5 miles around the western end. I decided to just sit tight and wait for it to ebb.
It was less than an hour to high tide. I couldn’t be bothered to walk back out and carry on fishing, so I flicked a couple of small baits into the gulley to try and catch one of the numerous fish swimming around in there. I was losing baits but couldn’t hook them, size one hooks were just too big and I had nothing smaller with me.
Eventually the tide started to recede and after a few failed attempts I finally got back to the mainland just before 5am! Even then, I waded above the top of my shorts!!
I won’t be making that mistake again!! ???
Unfortunately, I never got another chance to fish this area before we moved round to Somerset but we had a fantastic time nonetheless.
We got round to our digs in Somerset, a lovely little cottage with a private pool but I was itching to get to the beach and night 1, I carved an opportunity.
Totally unfamiliar with the area, tide, spots, baits, species etc, I ventured out completely blind. I ended up in Minehead and went to the Calvern Cliffs area. (I think that’s what it was called!)
The beach was horrendous to walk on, massive great rounded, grey boulders. I’m amazed my ankles are still intact!!
As I started fishing, the tide was ebbing and I followed it down to try an avoid walking on the stones more than I had to.
About an hour before low and I had a small flutter which resulted in a pouting, blank avoided!
Low water came and I was treated to a patch of sand in front of the rocks, comfortable fishing if only for a short while!
The tide turned and as I got back up on to the rocks of hell again, my rod went ‘ping’! Slack!!
As I lifted up, the tip smacked over and line was peeling off my reel at a rate of knots!!
This was no pouting!!
The fish was kiting around to my right and made several runs, it was all I could do to hold on and steal line back where possible. After what felt like forever, I got the fish close. It was made very difficult as my headtorch was dying, I could only have it on the lowest setting. Balancing on the rocks added to the drama but nevertheless I kept at it. My leader knot eventually passed my top eye, I was poised to pounce on the fish but it had other ideas, there was an almighty splash as it turned and just like that, it was gone.
I wound my rig in to find it had snapped both the 4/0 main hook AND the 3/0 pennel. I was absolutely gutted.
I’m fairly sure it was a big hound but I’ll never know for certain. I’m still crying about it now!!
I had another cast after that but with the tide flooding and it was getting late, I cut my losses and packed up.
I only managed one more outing before it was time to come home. I headed for the same area but walked much further along the beach as I’d been told there was a good sandbank. I found it but the tide was too late and the session ended in a blank. It was pretty hairy getting there in the dark!
After a stressful drive home at the end of the holiday, it seemed rude not to hit a local mark and see what’s been happening. No hounds it seems but I missed a good bite and landed a bass just shy of 42cm. Good to be home in some respects but not nearly as adrenaline fuelled!!
We couldn’t have asked for better weather, the whole time was scorchio!!
Being a family holiday and the car being packed to the hilt, getting my usual set up in is never an option. Not being one to miss out on an opportunity though, I made sure my trusty 12’ telescopic rod and rest as well as a bag of tackle was stowed in the roof box for the trip.
Our first location was an air bnb static caravan based at Shoreline Caravan Park in Burry Port.
It was lovely and clean and our host had even put up banners and balloons for our sons birthday.
Straight away I took the dog down the closest beach (about 200yds away at the end of the road!) to check it out.
There was a small gulley at the bottom of the beach which was alive with small fish, I think they were sand smelt but I’m not certain, a couple even looked like possibly juvenile bass. The gulley was about 3’ deep at its deepest but there were a couple of spots that were only a couple of inches deep.
Beyond the gulley was a sandbank that stretched on for miles, I could just make out the sea in the distance.
The following night, I decided to give the beach a go, armed with all the gear I had, a pack of small sandeels and a pack of squid and wearing just beach/wet shoes.
It seemed to take an age to walk across the bank but eventually I got to the sea and walked to my right. Navionics showed some slightly deeper water there and I’d seen locals fishing it earlier in the day.
As the light faded, I was amazed how warm it was and how peaceful, there wasn’t another soul in sight!!
An hour so in and my rod buckled, the butt flying up in the air despite my ratchet being set. Luckily, I was right next to it and caught the rod, the tip folding seaward.
After a short fight, I claimed my first welsh fish of my travels, a smoothhound of around 2.5lbs. It gave a far greater account of itself than it should’ve but I guess I’m not used to such a light rod.
I fished on, the sandeel was doing nothing but I was getting a few knocks on the squid. Another half hour or so elapsed and fish no.2 came out, not nearly as voracious as the first but a better hound of 4lbs 3oz was gratefully received.
I had really hoped to have landed something different from back home in Kent but I was at least pleased not to have blanked. As the tide flooded, I was steadily moving back with it, conscious of the possibility of the gulley filling up a bit behind me. The tide was still a long way off though so I was safe for now.
A short while later and I had a different looking bite, I was tentative in striking but after a while, I knew it had hooked itself and started to retrieve. Most of the time, it was coming towards me but didn’t feel very big when it fought. I was adamant it was a schoolie but was absolutely made up when I got it in. My first shore caught tope!! It was obviously just a pup, probably no more than a few days old but I was genuinely ecstatic!!
I gave it another hour or so but with nothing happening, I decided to call it a night.
I gathered my gear and walked back across the bank. As I neared the beach though, something didn’t look right.
Oh dear.
I had made a monumental error of judgement. The gulley had more than filled up, it was huge!! I tried to wade across but I got less than 1/4 of the way across it, the water was up to my waist already and it was only getting deeper.
I scouted around and looked on Google earth but seemingly, my only way off was to swim (not happening!) or to walk nearly 5 miles around the western end. I decided to just sit tight and wait for it to ebb.
It was less than an hour to high tide. I couldn’t be bothered to walk back out and carry on fishing, so I flicked a couple of small baits into the gulley to try and catch one of the numerous fish swimming around in there. I was losing baits but couldn’t hook them, size one hooks were just too big and I had nothing smaller with me.
Eventually the tide started to recede and after a few failed attempts I finally got back to the mainland just before 5am! Even then, I waded above the top of my shorts!!
I won’t be making that mistake again!! ???
Unfortunately, I never got another chance to fish this area before we moved round to Somerset but we had a fantastic time nonetheless.
We got round to our digs in Somerset, a lovely little cottage with a private pool but I was itching to get to the beach and night 1, I carved an opportunity.
Totally unfamiliar with the area, tide, spots, baits, species etc, I ventured out completely blind. I ended up in Minehead and went to the Calvern Cliffs area. (I think that’s what it was called!)
The beach was horrendous to walk on, massive great rounded, grey boulders. I’m amazed my ankles are still intact!!
As I started fishing, the tide was ebbing and I followed it down to try an avoid walking on the stones more than I had to.
About an hour before low and I had a small flutter which resulted in a pouting, blank avoided!
Low water came and I was treated to a patch of sand in front of the rocks, comfortable fishing if only for a short while!
The tide turned and as I got back up on to the rocks of hell again, my rod went ‘ping’! Slack!!
As I lifted up, the tip smacked over and line was peeling off my reel at a rate of knots!!
This was no pouting!!
The fish was kiting around to my right and made several runs, it was all I could do to hold on and steal line back where possible. After what felt like forever, I got the fish close. It was made very difficult as my headtorch was dying, I could only have it on the lowest setting. Balancing on the rocks added to the drama but nevertheless I kept at it. My leader knot eventually passed my top eye, I was poised to pounce on the fish but it had other ideas, there was an almighty splash as it turned and just like that, it was gone.
I wound my rig in to find it had snapped both the 4/0 main hook AND the 3/0 pennel. I was absolutely gutted.
I’m fairly sure it was a big hound but I’ll never know for certain. I’m still crying about it now!!
I had another cast after that but with the tide flooding and it was getting late, I cut my losses and packed up.
I only managed one more outing before it was time to come home. I headed for the same area but walked much further along the beach as I’d been told there was a good sandbank. I found it but the tide was too late and the session ended in a blank. It was pretty hairy getting there in the dark!
After a stressful drive home at the end of the holiday, it seemed rude not to hit a local mark and see what’s been happening. No hounds it seems but I missed a good bite and landed a bass just shy of 42cm. Good to be home in some respects but not nearly as adrenaline fuelled!!
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