Stormtrooper
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2020
- Messages
- 289
- Reaction score
- 2,668
- Points
- 93
- Location
- Herne Bay
- Favourite Fishing
- Shore
Hi all!
I’ve just got back from a beautiful weeks holiday with my family in Pembrokeshire. We were staying in an ideallic static caravan overlooking some stunning scenery on a lovely lady’s estate, it was awesome! So much so, my family and I are genuinely considering relocating to this part of the world to get away from the rapid decline of Kent.
Anyway, I digress. As is usually the case with family holidays, I can’t get my big-boy toys in the car but won’t be put off from fishing and make do with a 12’ telescopic rod and the bare bones of a tackle box. This year, I’d treated myself to a second telescopic rod and went armed with a pair!
My first venture saw me head to Hakin Point at Milton Haven. I was fishing the ebb into darkness and had been told there was a slim chance of a ray there. It was quickly evident however, that very little was going to get past the torrent of dogfish, it was one a cast with little wait time inbetween.
As the night went on, I paused and thought Gondor had called for aid!! There were exceptionally bright lights which looked like fires above the hills on the opposite banks of the estuary… turns out they’re flare sticks from the oil refinery! I was on the verge of taking up arms!!
As the tide ebbed, the dogs slowed and one of my last casts produced a 2lbs strap conger. Nice to get something different at least.
So, a day or so later, my kids were on at me to take them fishing. I figured the point had been an easy venue and would suit them perfectly. We opted for the morning ebb and got down there fairly early. There was already a guy on the end fishing but he didn’t mind us setting up on the opposite corner and it was nice to chat to him.
The session was completely different from my previous endeavour here, we weren’t even getting bites. The other chap (sorry if you’re reading this, I didn’t get your name!!) was catching small corkwing wrasse and shanny’s down the wall on size 16 hooks but I didn’t have anything near that small so continued to attempt bigger gear at range with the kids.
A couple of hours in, the guy called it a day and said his goodbyes, leaving me and the kids to carry on. My daughter and I were looking at something on my phone when suddenly, one of my ratchets screamed off. Without thought, I grabbed the rod and struck in, whatever it was tore around in the water below us before finally surfacing…. I’d only gone and caught a bloody cormorant!!
The tide had dropped significantly by this point and the line was wrapped around the birds body, I couldn’t risk lifting it up the wall without damaging or seriously hurting it. It kept diving deep and swimming off. It took time but eventually, I played it onto the shore. I left my son to watch the other rod and the gear whilst my daughter and I went to free the bird. It pecked the crap outta me but eventually we got it untied and it flew/ swam off fine. It was only a youngster thankfully, a bigger specimen might’ve caused me serious grief!!
As we watched it fly off, my boy yelled at me… I looked up to the pier to see him holding the rod and it was bent double toward the sea! I legged it up to him and quickly realised the drag was still loose so he wasn’t making on the fish despite winding down furiously. I tightened up and he was over the moon to land a very stocky looking dogfish, blank avoided!! After such a crazy 15mins or so, we decided that was a good time to pack up for the day.
Our last day and the 5.5hrs drive home was looming but I couldn’t resist one last dabble on our final evening. It was late, but I set off out about 10pm and went west, down to a rock mark I knew nothing about but had seen earlier that day whilst out with the family and went with a hunch.
I got set up and both rods were sent out. I really wasn’t equipped for this but couldn’t resist the opportunity to at least try.
Things were quiet for a while but I didn’t mind, I was just in awe of the scenery and the peace! An hour or so in and I got my first bite, it was going well so I hit in. It was heavy, especially on my light rod but I persevered and felt some good thumps along the way. I got the fish to within a few yards of the rocks and could see the eyes reflecting at me in the surf, I was fairly sure it was a huss and was super excited as I’ve never caught one before. But then, it dived and before I knew what had happened it slipped the hook and was gone. I was gutted.
Not to be too disheartened, I quickly rebaited and sent it out again. It wasn’t in the rest a moment when it thrashed up and down, I hit in and struck hard, I wasn’t going to lose this one!
It was a nice fish, made all the more difficult to bring in with my telescopic rod but I played it in alright, as it neared the shore I could see it was a huss and it looked reasonable too!
I scrabbled down the rocks and grabbed the fish as soon as I was able, I took a soaking and it unhooked as I grabbed it but I had it!!
I clambered back up the rocks, exhausted, but I had my prize and was doubly made up when it weighed in at 10lbs 2oz!! My first huss ever and it’s a double!! Thank you Wales!!
I carried on and managed a couple more dogs but didn’t care that things died off, my expectations were exceeded in every way!!
Oh, it was nice to find a masked crab too!!
Back to boring old Kent for now…. At least the hounds should start to show soon.
I’ve just got back from a beautiful weeks holiday with my family in Pembrokeshire. We were staying in an ideallic static caravan overlooking some stunning scenery on a lovely lady’s estate, it was awesome! So much so, my family and I are genuinely considering relocating to this part of the world to get away from the rapid decline of Kent.
Anyway, I digress. As is usually the case with family holidays, I can’t get my big-boy toys in the car but won’t be put off from fishing and make do with a 12’ telescopic rod and the bare bones of a tackle box. This year, I’d treated myself to a second telescopic rod and went armed with a pair!
My first venture saw me head to Hakin Point at Milton Haven. I was fishing the ebb into darkness and had been told there was a slim chance of a ray there. It was quickly evident however, that very little was going to get past the torrent of dogfish, it was one a cast with little wait time inbetween.
As the night went on, I paused and thought Gondor had called for aid!! There were exceptionally bright lights which looked like fires above the hills on the opposite banks of the estuary… turns out they’re flare sticks from the oil refinery! I was on the verge of taking up arms!!
As the tide ebbed, the dogs slowed and one of my last casts produced a 2lbs strap conger. Nice to get something different at least.
So, a day or so later, my kids were on at me to take them fishing. I figured the point had been an easy venue and would suit them perfectly. We opted for the morning ebb and got down there fairly early. There was already a guy on the end fishing but he didn’t mind us setting up on the opposite corner and it was nice to chat to him.
The session was completely different from my previous endeavour here, we weren’t even getting bites. The other chap (sorry if you’re reading this, I didn’t get your name!!) was catching small corkwing wrasse and shanny’s down the wall on size 16 hooks but I didn’t have anything near that small so continued to attempt bigger gear at range with the kids.
A couple of hours in, the guy called it a day and said his goodbyes, leaving me and the kids to carry on. My daughter and I were looking at something on my phone when suddenly, one of my ratchets screamed off. Without thought, I grabbed the rod and struck in, whatever it was tore around in the water below us before finally surfacing…. I’d only gone and caught a bloody cormorant!!
The tide had dropped significantly by this point and the line was wrapped around the birds body, I couldn’t risk lifting it up the wall without damaging or seriously hurting it. It kept diving deep and swimming off. It took time but eventually, I played it onto the shore. I left my son to watch the other rod and the gear whilst my daughter and I went to free the bird. It pecked the crap outta me but eventually we got it untied and it flew/ swam off fine. It was only a youngster thankfully, a bigger specimen might’ve caused me serious grief!!
As we watched it fly off, my boy yelled at me… I looked up to the pier to see him holding the rod and it was bent double toward the sea! I legged it up to him and quickly realised the drag was still loose so he wasn’t making on the fish despite winding down furiously. I tightened up and he was over the moon to land a very stocky looking dogfish, blank avoided!! After such a crazy 15mins or so, we decided that was a good time to pack up for the day.
Our last day and the 5.5hrs drive home was looming but I couldn’t resist one last dabble on our final evening. It was late, but I set off out about 10pm and went west, down to a rock mark I knew nothing about but had seen earlier that day whilst out with the family and went with a hunch.
I got set up and both rods were sent out. I really wasn’t equipped for this but couldn’t resist the opportunity to at least try.
Things were quiet for a while but I didn’t mind, I was just in awe of the scenery and the peace! An hour or so in and I got my first bite, it was going well so I hit in. It was heavy, especially on my light rod but I persevered and felt some good thumps along the way. I got the fish to within a few yards of the rocks and could see the eyes reflecting at me in the surf, I was fairly sure it was a huss and was super excited as I’ve never caught one before. But then, it dived and before I knew what had happened it slipped the hook and was gone. I was gutted.
Not to be too disheartened, I quickly rebaited and sent it out again. It wasn’t in the rest a moment when it thrashed up and down, I hit in and struck hard, I wasn’t going to lose this one!
It was a nice fish, made all the more difficult to bring in with my telescopic rod but I played it in alright, as it neared the shore I could see it was a huss and it looked reasonable too!
I scrabbled down the rocks and grabbed the fish as soon as I was able, I took a soaking and it unhooked as I grabbed it but I had it!!
I clambered back up the rocks, exhausted, but I had my prize and was doubly made up when it weighed in at 10lbs 2oz!! My first huss ever and it’s a double!! Thank you Wales!!
I carried on and managed a couple more dogs but didn’t care that things died off, my expectations were exceeded in every way!!
Oh, it was nice to find a masked crab too!!
Back to boring old Kent for now…. At least the hounds should start to show soon.
)!
