Mr Fish
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2020
- Messages
- 19,110
- Reaction score
- 65,979
- Points
- 116
- Location
- North Devon
- Favourite Fishing
- Shore
Had a comp last night and had originally been headed for my local huss mark to try and winkle out a huss or decent rockling.
But then I began thinking about a beach I hadn’t fished for years, which I felt had the potential in winter for decent whiting or perhaps even a good ray, bass or spurdog.
The drawback was low was after midnight and it’s basically a two hours either side spot.
Which meant hanging around until 9pm before going out, something I hate doing these days as the body starts going into lazy evening mode.
My calcium related aches and pains weren’t great but bearable so I thought I’d be okay.
This particular beach is a cove around from a main beach, which can be reached a bit earlier with a hike over some very big boulder, ie sheep size up to car and house size!
Now, I remember that hike from several years ago as being about 10-15 minutes and moderately unpleasant, but doable.
What it became last night was a trip from hell. My heart was trying to jump out of my mouth, my arms and legs felt like spaghetti and various muscle trembling didn’t help either.
Plus wet rocks and it was also changed somewhat as more had fallen from the cliffs since I was last there.
I tend to get stubborn, so once I’d started I was determined to get there, which I did, eventually.
After taking on lots of fluids and a couple of minor heart failures, I managed to set up.
I couldn’t face that again so vowed to leave an hour earlier than planned so I could take the shorter route back to the main beach.
ANYWAY… out went a clipped down flapper with fish strip for whiting, plus a whole squid on the other rod.
The whiting rod went right over not long after and I struck, to bring in a fairly small whiting.
Something must have grabbed it but the ting didn’t seemed that marked and went back okay.
Didn’t see the bites but next cast saw a double shot of ting about the same size, maybe 8-10oz.
Then I had a dog, not big enough to do anything for the comp.
The big bait rod was twitching a bit but no real bites. I alternated between squid and half a herring fillet on it.
As the tide turned it started giving strap like bites and sure enough, the traces were coming back twisted to hell.
I did miss a slow run on the big baits. Picked it up, felt nothing, put it back and watched it, still nothing.
Another dog on the two hook rig, then into the flood I picked up a bigger whiting.
I thought it was over a pound but only went 14oz, not big enough to do anything.
I have enough fish at the moment so put him back. He seemed a bit wonky, but worst case something would eat him.
That was it on the action and just before 2am I packed up, to try and find a shorter route back over the boulders.
Well, it wasn’t great but it was better, but I still arrived back at the car feeling like a squeezed out dish rag.
Wish I’d gone to the easier mark now! I really like that beach but I’m going to have to reassess where I go until or unless they can get these symptoms under control.
But then I began thinking about a beach I hadn’t fished for years, which I felt had the potential in winter for decent whiting or perhaps even a good ray, bass or spurdog.
The drawback was low was after midnight and it’s basically a two hours either side spot.
Which meant hanging around until 9pm before going out, something I hate doing these days as the body starts going into lazy evening mode.
My calcium related aches and pains weren’t great but bearable so I thought I’d be okay.
This particular beach is a cove around from a main beach, which can be reached a bit earlier with a hike over some very big boulder, ie sheep size up to car and house size!
Now, I remember that hike from several years ago as being about 10-15 minutes and moderately unpleasant, but doable.
What it became last night was a trip from hell. My heart was trying to jump out of my mouth, my arms and legs felt like spaghetti and various muscle trembling didn’t help either.
Plus wet rocks and it was also changed somewhat as more had fallen from the cliffs since I was last there.
I tend to get stubborn, so once I’d started I was determined to get there, which I did, eventually.
After taking on lots of fluids and a couple of minor heart failures, I managed to set up.
I couldn’t face that again so vowed to leave an hour earlier than planned so I could take the shorter route back to the main beach.
ANYWAY… out went a clipped down flapper with fish strip for whiting, plus a whole squid on the other rod.
The whiting rod went right over not long after and I struck, to bring in a fairly small whiting.
Something must have grabbed it but the ting didn’t seemed that marked and went back okay.
Didn’t see the bites but next cast saw a double shot of ting about the same size, maybe 8-10oz.
Then I had a dog, not big enough to do anything for the comp.
The big bait rod was twitching a bit but no real bites. I alternated between squid and half a herring fillet on it.
As the tide turned it started giving strap like bites and sure enough, the traces were coming back twisted to hell.
I did miss a slow run on the big baits. Picked it up, felt nothing, put it back and watched it, still nothing.
Another dog on the two hook rig, then into the flood I picked up a bigger whiting.
I thought it was over a pound but only went 14oz, not big enough to do anything.
I have enough fish at the moment so put him back. He seemed a bit wonky, but worst case something would eat him.
That was it on the action and just before 2am I packed up, to try and find a shorter route back over the boulders.
Well, it wasn’t great but it was better, but I still arrived back at the car feeling like a squeezed out dish rag.
Wish I’d gone to the easier mark now! I really like that beach but I’m going to have to reassess where I go until or unless they can get these symptoms under control.
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