Si-fly
Well-known member
After the 10 days away in Scotland I was keen to get out again, so after weighing up the weather, tides etc, I decided to pick up a mate and have a trip to South Wales.
This unfortunately was unlikely to improve either of my species hunts, as blonde rays were the target, but I did keep hooks fairly small as there was a chance of a spotted hopefully, which was needed in both hunts.
Arriving early (0520) we headed out to mark1... Unfortunately as expected the wind was still onshore, and there was a big-ish swell.... Not fishable!
We expected this, but hopefully by high water at 8am it was due to switch 90° and go North, and become fishable on the ebb, which I've been told is the best fishing.
Plan B.... A mark very close, but out the wind, only seconds away luckily, and free!
Out went the baits, squid, bluey, sandeel cocktails on 7&8oz weights.
My mate seemed to have a problem casting over my lines ?.... Was I on the favoured side ?
... No idea... just the strong wind he said ?.... Tripods were only 2ft away so didn't really matter.
He was in first cast, a small SE ray.... Nice, would have given me a point in one of my hunts as well. Poached from my spot too ?
Then he had a strap... Can keep those I said ?
My turn next, and this felt heavy, had to avoid the rocky reef, but got it up and under the rod.
It was then doing a bit of an "in out" in the swell, before my mate managed to net it, and keep dry!
First Blonde of the day, and a beauty going 15lb 9oz....my best this year ?
Soon I was in again, this felt less weighty, and after a similar netting to the first one had a 2nd blonde around the 12lb mark.
Fresh bait out and soon was in again, this one was probably 9ish.
My mate then finally got one... Think it was under 10.
A hectic first 90 mins on mkB.... But now it was nearly high, the wind had switched, swell dropped.... Should we move?
Mate said, he had been told by locals, best to move for the ebb, as spot we were on wasn't great on the ebb. ?
There were now 3 other lads fishing next to us.... Question was were they thinking of moving?
Anyway being my first time on mkB I didn't really feel like I wanted to leave the fish, but as the ebb started our 7 & 8oz leads were rapidly getting dragged towards the reef... Tide was really ripping!..... It was either down to 1 rod and hope it eased or move.
I decided to move while the spot was still free.
This turned out to be a poor decision, on paper it should have produced more fish, but in practice it didn't, just 1 blonde for my mate...... To rub salt in one of the lads moved in to spot B and had 2 small blondes, and when I went over and looked, the tide had stopped ripping... Oh well I know that now at least.
So 4 hrs done and 3 rays apiece... Well happy with that. Off in the van now to another area for low.
Walked out and found the spot empty, first time ever my mate said, however other lads soon arrived, and we ended up fishing with 7 or 8 other lads.
My mate was in first.... A SPOTTED.... ???.... Wow, I really wanted that fish
?.
Next he had a small blonde, then dropped another spotted in close.
Still nothing for me and it was getting towards low now.
My tip then started to pull over... Nice and steady.... Fish on.... A good weight as well. Tip springs back... Fish gone... Nooooo ?
Bait was smashed, hooks still sharp and proud... Just unfortunate I guess.
Mate then gets a good run and loses one to a snapped line ?
Quiet again.
Flooding now and one of my rods goes way down tide... Tide is now dragging 7oz leads..... But its a bit slack as well ?
Wind down and there is weight, a good weight!.... I give it stick and around 100m out a ray pops up on the surface ?
Makes life easier in the strong tide and in she comes down past the lad down tide of me.
A lovely fish going 15lb 4oz...happy days.
I think my mate then had a couple more smaller fish and packed up, as most had now.
I was down to one rod and had moved back to the point I had backing line out and spool almost empty ?. A good 200m +
I really did need to pack now, mate was getting twitchy, had his box on his back, we'd get cut off soon and be wading?
I started winding in a big bow I'd let out and it went solid... Lead was buried I thought, so gave it some solid tension and slowly it came out, but there was still weight... A fish?..... I pulled again and still heavy but comming.... Then it went lighter and way out I could see a fish on the surface!... I was winding and walking back as the tide was racing in... Mate was moving my box back and getting more worried ?.... He's a sensitive lad!
I dragged the fish in mostly across the surface and at my feet I was amazed it wasn't a small one!
A very quick pic and weight showed it between 16lb 10- 17lb 4 ish in the wind.
Lovely ?
It was now a fast retreat, which we just made dry.... My mate survived another day out ?
Cheers Si.
This unfortunately was unlikely to improve either of my species hunts, as blonde rays were the target, but I did keep hooks fairly small as there was a chance of a spotted hopefully, which was needed in both hunts.
Arriving early (0520) we headed out to mark1... Unfortunately as expected the wind was still onshore, and there was a big-ish swell.... Not fishable!
We expected this, but hopefully by high water at 8am it was due to switch 90° and go North, and become fishable on the ebb, which I've been told is the best fishing.
Plan B.... A mark very close, but out the wind, only seconds away luckily, and free!
Out went the baits, squid, bluey, sandeel cocktails on 7&8oz weights.
My mate seemed to have a problem casting over my lines ?.... Was I on the favoured side ?
... No idea... just the strong wind he said ?.... Tripods were only 2ft away so didn't really matter. He was in first cast, a small SE ray.... Nice, would have given me a point in one of my hunts as well. Poached from my spot too ?
Then he had a strap... Can keep those I said ?
My turn next, and this felt heavy, had to avoid the rocky reef, but got it up and under the rod.
It was then doing a bit of an "in out" in the swell, before my mate managed to net it, and keep dry!
First Blonde of the day, and a beauty going 15lb 9oz....my best this year ?
Soon I was in again, this felt less weighty, and after a similar netting to the first one had a 2nd blonde around the 12lb mark.
Fresh bait out and soon was in again, this one was probably 9ish.
My mate then finally got one... Think it was under 10.
A hectic first 90 mins on mkB.... But now it was nearly high, the wind had switched, swell dropped.... Should we move?
Mate said, he had been told by locals, best to move for the ebb, as spot we were on wasn't great on the ebb. ?
There were now 3 other lads fishing next to us.... Question was were they thinking of moving?
Anyway being my first time on mkB I didn't really feel like I wanted to leave the fish, but as the ebb started our 7 & 8oz leads were rapidly getting dragged towards the reef... Tide was really ripping!..... It was either down to 1 rod and hope it eased or move.
I decided to move while the spot was still free.
This turned out to be a poor decision, on paper it should have produced more fish, but in practice it didn't, just 1 blonde for my mate...... To rub salt in one of the lads moved in to spot B and had 2 small blondes, and when I went over and looked, the tide had stopped ripping... Oh well I know that now at least.
So 4 hrs done and 3 rays apiece... Well happy with that. Off in the van now to another area for low.
Walked out and found the spot empty, first time ever my mate said, however other lads soon arrived, and we ended up fishing with 7 or 8 other lads.
My mate was in first.... A SPOTTED.... ???.... Wow, I really wanted that fish
?. Next he had a small blonde, then dropped another spotted in close.
Still nothing for me and it was getting towards low now.
My tip then started to pull over... Nice and steady.... Fish on.... A good weight as well. Tip springs back... Fish gone... Nooooo ?
Bait was smashed, hooks still sharp and proud... Just unfortunate I guess.
Mate then gets a good run and loses one to a snapped line ?
Quiet again.
Flooding now and one of my rods goes way down tide... Tide is now dragging 7oz leads..... But its a bit slack as well ?
Wind down and there is weight, a good weight!.... I give it stick and around 100m out a ray pops up on the surface ?
Makes life easier in the strong tide and in she comes down past the lad down tide of me.
A lovely fish going 15lb 4oz...happy days.
I think my mate then had a couple more smaller fish and packed up, as most had now.
I was down to one rod and had moved back to the point I had backing line out and spool almost empty ?. A good 200m +
I really did need to pack now, mate was getting twitchy, had his box on his back, we'd get cut off soon and be wading?
I started winding in a big bow I'd let out and it went solid... Lead was buried I thought, so gave it some solid tension and slowly it came out, but there was still weight... A fish?..... I pulled again and still heavy but comming.... Then it went lighter and way out I could see a fish on the surface!... I was winding and walking back as the tide was racing in... Mate was moving my box back and getting more worried ?.... He's a sensitive lad!
I dragged the fish in mostly across the surface and at my feet I was amazed it wasn't a small one!
A very quick pic and weight showed it between 16lb 10- 17lb 4 ish in the wind.
Lovely ?
It was now a fast retreat, which we just made dry.... My mate survived another day out ?
Cheers Si.
