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Norway Feb 2022

Shirleycodlin

I am the god of hell fire
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Where to start?

Its been so long since Jax and I returned from Norway that compiling some kind of report is going to be difficult.
I made a few notes whist there but about halfway through my writing mojo abandoned me so I will have to rely on my ever-failing memory. I wont recount every session but will do my best to pick out the best bits.
The reason for the delay is twofold. I really have struggled to engage the creative writing part of my brain and I have not wanted to allow myself to think of Norway. Being stuck in the Codless waters of Dungeness is bad enough without being reminded of what I am missing.

Enough rambling, whingeing, and moaning. Let’s come up with some kind of report. My mind is being taken away, far far away from the shingle, may rot and east winds of Dungeness. Everything is turning white. A bright brilliant white and its cold, oh so very very cold……………….





Its snowing. Really snowing. So hard that Jax and I can not see the opposite side of the fjord only 1000 yds away. Oh yes, its only happened again. Jax and I have escaped Blighty and found sanctuary at Skarnsundet fjord centre.
It was a narrow escape by all accounts. Some poor woman by the name of (Storm) Eunice was suffering a bout of extreme flatulence and was causing some disruption at Gatwick airport but against the odds, the terrific pilots at Norwegian Air got the job done.



First session: The Landing.

A slow start scratching around for tommy cods and coal fish is interrupted by a cracking bite to me.
Fish on. A weight. Lots of weight. I cant move the dam thing. Bugger. Snagged. Reel into freespool and see if the fish will unsnag itself. Five minutes later and line is coming off the reel. The fish is free from the snag and battle can commence. COD ON!!
As I bring the fish close, I can-not decide if it’s a high single or a low double. Opting for discretion over valour, I ask Jax to lower the drop net, which promptly gets entangled in the metalwork of the landing.
Feck it! Ive two options, clamber down the rocks or haul it up. Normally Id clamber down the rocks, but I had promised Jax I would not do that as apparently its bloody foolhardy and dangerous. So I wound down and heaved! Total shambles! Got it completely wrong and the Cod hit the top of the landing wall and splashed back into the water 6 metres below. By utter luck, fate gave me a second chance which I managed not to balls up. I really am out of practice on guessing sizes as the scales said 7Lbs 4ozs. Not even a high single never mind a low double! I know one thing, bollocks to the drop net, Ill climb down next time!
The fish fed sporadically, and our catch was supplemented with more Cod, Haddock and a single sizeable Coalfish. After a good few hours fishing our last hour was very quiet and so off to the apartment we headed.

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The Apartment Pier: Lure Fishing

What on earth is happening to my fishing? Bait bait and more bait.
Distance distance and more distance.
Big hooks big baits big distances, that’s Cod fishing. Not flicking out bloody lumps of rubber and plastic. So why oh why am I letting this happen?
Jax.
Jax really has developed a fetish for all things rubber latex and plastic. Fine, but why do I have to be dragged into it as well? Its not right I tell you. I must have been lured into it….
A fruitless hour tossing and bouncing shads across the bottom turned into a slightly better hour fishing metal lures high in the water for Coalfish.
Forth cast on the metals and a Coalie nailed it. The look of shock and panic from Jax had me in fits of laughter, even more when the fish threw the hook. Undeterred, Jax cast again, and this time was ready for it. A really good fight ensued, and I was soon acting ghillie to retrieve a plump 3Lb coalie from the base of the rocks.
Another cast and another Coalfish. I guess Jax had got the hand of this lure lark!


We fished a variety of venues, some good, some not so good.

An eventful session on my beach found us catching Cod, Dabs, Haddock, Sea Trout and Coalfish.
Many were on bait some by other methods. I am ashamed to admit it, but fish of the session was a near double Coalfish on a shad. I am even more ashamed to say it was me who caught it. I was bloody tricked into it. A real case of entrapment. Jax got snagged, I freed the lure and as I went to pass the rod back, a fish nailed the lure and Jax refused to take the rod back.

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On two different sessions on Stus point, I managed low double figure Cod. Even more pleasing was the fact I was targeting bigger fish by casting into a very snaggy gulley with whole Mackerel baits. Played for and got!

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Highlight had to be one evening at the slipway.

We had drawn a blank on where to fish and flipped a coin to decide. On arrival another group was already there but were using one rod each sharing two tripods. Plenty of room, you can easily fish 10 rods on the slip. If you know what you are doing……..
We asked how they were getting on. Blanking was the answer, followed by a ‘don’t think you’ll be able to fish as well, our lines are running miles down tide.
Ok, I said. I promise we wont tangle, and if we do, we’ll leave immediately.
I knew we were not going to tangle. I could see the problem they were having and the cause. Casting way way to far. Often on the slipway the fish are under the rod tips, I kid you not, quite often your shock leader knot is out of the water when you are in the zone.
As this was the other groups 1st trip I did offer this hard fought knowledge of the venue, and to their credit, they did try a few short casts.
It turned into a manic session for Jax and I. Only able to manage one rod each, often having to take turns of just one rod in the water, such was the pace of the fishing. We packed up totally shattered and thrilled at the same time. I cant remember the exact numbers but twenty fish each up to eight or nine pounds with a five pound average would be about right.

When we got back to the apartment, I found the other group to see how well they had faired. Total blank. Eventually we got to the bottom of the problem. Bait. They were using herring, Jax and I ragworm. I felt awful, if I had known (it was dark when we were fishing) I would have given them some rag. But, I felt far better when they said ‘we had rag, we just didn’t try it!’ Oh well!



It was another great holiday at Skarnsundett and even after twelve years of going, the magic still has not vanished. I just wish it was a little closer. Id be there once a month! February seems so far away, I wonder if I can talk Jax into a trip before then!
 
Fantastic report and photos Shirls - well done to you and Jax! (y)(y)
 
Good report and some nice unicorn pics Shirley. ?
Don't know why you're down on the lure fishing side of things, the fish fight better on the lighter gear. ?‍♂️
 
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