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- Jul 15, 2021
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- Shore
I was contemplating a late drive Thursday night or an early start Friday to beat the possible easter traffic. With a 2 or 3 day stay on a campsite I was heading back to hordle cliffs after last weekend catching a few rays there. Got to work Thursday morning to be told that the 2 fellas I work with (both on the cards) had to see the boss in the afternoon so as I'm self employed I joked no point me being there on my own if they were off come lunchtime and they agreed, happy days. Home by 10-30am, a rumble in the freezer and I find a few wraps of blacks, some squid and sprats so bait sorted and van soon loaded. Some roadworks in the new forest was the only traffic I encountered so with plenty of time before the flood at hordle a pub lunch was to be had before fishing. Not unsurprisingly a busy beach greeted me with holidaymakers etc but I got a bit of beach to myself, set up, made a few sprat/squid wraps and started fishing at the start of the flood. One rod up and over size 2/0 with ray bait and the other a 2 hook loop rig size 1s with blacks tipped with squid. Recasting every 20mins , after a couple of hours biteless I had a good rattle on the loop rig and a 36cm plaice came up the shingle, happy days. I had 2 more plaice in the next 2 casts then as the sunset all went quiet. An hour into dark and both rods now with ray baits I had a pull down and smack liner which a doggy was the culprit. Rod back out and within 5mins a slow pull round and a bit of line pulled off the reel I was into something better. In the moonlight I could see the wings of a ray breaking the surface. Saw a wave coming so ready to bring it in when the ray did an about turn, rolled in the surf and gone, gutted. I finished with one more doggy before calling time. 
The next evening I decided to try Barton on sea as hordle was very busy with holidaymakers, only fished it once before so thought it was time for another go. The 2 longer sections of beach were already busy with anglers when I arrived so I tucked myself on a bit of shingle next to a rock groin. It was a very slow evening with apart from a nice sunset to see a strap conger was a blank saver for me. I've often found that after a half decent session the next day is often not as good and this time was no exception.
For my last evening there I went back to hordle as I was kicking myself for not going back there the previous evening but it was busy and I do like to try new places. Once again a busy beach with holidaymakers and also fishermen I set up roughly where I fished on the Thursday. Nothing doing in the last of the daylight apart from another nice sunset and then full moon rising. Sadly my phone died at this point and me then realising my charger was in my tent on the campsite. Luckily I didn't need it for anything decent but I did have a few fish. 1 schoolie bass, 2 dogs and umpteen pout on the scratching rod, a few of which were deployed as livebaits but all to no avail.
Tight lines.
The next evening I decided to try Barton on sea as hordle was very busy with holidaymakers, only fished it once before so thought it was time for another go. The 2 longer sections of beach were already busy with anglers when I arrived so I tucked myself on a bit of shingle next to a rock groin. It was a very slow evening with apart from a nice sunset to see a strap conger was a blank saver for me. I've often found that after a half decent session the next day is often not as good and this time was no exception.
For my last evening there I went back to hordle as I was kicking myself for not going back there the previous evening but it was busy and I do like to try new places. Once again a busy beach with holidaymakers and also fishermen I set up roughly where I fished on the Thursday. Nothing doing in the last of the daylight apart from another nice sunset and then full moon rising. Sadly my phone died at this point and me then realising my charger was in my tent on the campsite. Luckily I didn't need it for anything decent but I did have a few fish. 1 schoolie bass, 2 dogs and umpteen pout on the scratching rod, a few of which were deployed as livebaits but all to no avail.
Tight lines.
