Stormtrooper
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2020
- Messages
- 292
- Reaction score
- 2,717
- Points
- 93
- Location
- Herne Bay
- Favourite Fishing
- Shore
Hi all. Tides and weed on the N. Kent coast have been awful of late so I’ve not been out too much. I had an eye on this coming Wednesday as things look to finally improve with no designs in venturing out sooner.
Well, Monday afternoon I get a call from a buddy saying he was planning to fish a mark I’ve not been to in an absolute age, his plan was to load up on ragworm and target a stinger. I was really skeptical that it would fish at all and suspected just a weed fest. I made a half-ass attempt to get some rag but it didn’t happen and I’d all but resigned myself to giving it a miss. Well as the evening came about, I managed to get all my chores done, dog walked, dinner done and cleared away etc and it was still just about early enough to go and meet them.
Despite having no rag, I had a few hardbacks in the fridge so grabbed those and a bag of squid and got down to the beach for around 7:30pm.
HW was 8pm and obviously still broad daylight. My suspicion was that the weed would be too much as soon as the tide turned and I expected to be out no more than an hour or two before being forced to give up. I made the effort nonetheless!
I got set up and threw a crab out as far as I could then a whole squid on my bass rod went out about 20yds.
I wasn’t waiting more than 10mins when the crab rod went over and the ratchet sounded. My first hound of the night went 6lbs 6oz, a reasonable start. This was shortly followed by the 2nd one, a touch smaller at 5lbs 5oz.
My mates were still to register a bite on their rag and were eyeing up my hardbacks with some intent!!
As the ebb started to run, the weed took hold as I expected but it was just about manageable. Just then, my crab rod bent double and line was tearing off the reel, this seemed a better fish. The fight was somewhat ruined by the amount of salad on my trace but I could still feel some solid runs. As I got her to my feet, I was fairly astonished at the size of her, she was very lean but just massive and pulled my scales down to 13lbs 14oz!
This was enough to tip my mates over the edge and I duly distributed them a couple of crabs each!
I wasn’t waiting long for another screaming bite, this one was immensely powerful, making 3 or 4 runs before I dared to tighten the drag. This was probably the hardest fighting fish of the year so far and I was pleasantly surprised to pull out my second double of the night at 11lbs 5oz.
My friends had got in on the action too now, one of them with a 10lbs fish of his own whilst the other had a smaller specimen around the 7lbs mark.
The night went on like this with practically a fish a cast, they seemed to hook up just before the build up of weed forced a retrieve. My next went 8lbs on the nose, followed by another at 7lbs 10oz. My mate had his second double, dead on 10lbs again whilst our other friend landed his second of around 9lbs.
After a short break, my final fish of the night gave a good account of itself and pulled the scales down to 10lbs 15oz, my 3rd double of the night!!
I stayed another hour if for nothing more than a break and a cuppa!!
Needless to say, no stingers were caught but with 11 hounds including 5 doubles between 3 of us, I wasn’t complaining. Very glad I decided to go after all though!!!
Well, Monday afternoon I get a call from a buddy saying he was planning to fish a mark I’ve not been to in an absolute age, his plan was to load up on ragworm and target a stinger. I was really skeptical that it would fish at all and suspected just a weed fest. I made a half-ass attempt to get some rag but it didn’t happen and I’d all but resigned myself to giving it a miss. Well as the evening came about, I managed to get all my chores done, dog walked, dinner done and cleared away etc and it was still just about early enough to go and meet them.
Despite having no rag, I had a few hardbacks in the fridge so grabbed those and a bag of squid and got down to the beach for around 7:30pm.
HW was 8pm and obviously still broad daylight. My suspicion was that the weed would be too much as soon as the tide turned and I expected to be out no more than an hour or two before being forced to give up. I made the effort nonetheless!
I got set up and threw a crab out as far as I could then a whole squid on my bass rod went out about 20yds.
I wasn’t waiting more than 10mins when the crab rod went over and the ratchet sounded. My first hound of the night went 6lbs 6oz, a reasonable start. This was shortly followed by the 2nd one, a touch smaller at 5lbs 5oz.
My mates were still to register a bite on their rag and were eyeing up my hardbacks with some intent!!
As the ebb started to run, the weed took hold as I expected but it was just about manageable. Just then, my crab rod bent double and line was tearing off the reel, this seemed a better fish. The fight was somewhat ruined by the amount of salad on my trace but I could still feel some solid runs. As I got her to my feet, I was fairly astonished at the size of her, she was very lean but just massive and pulled my scales down to 13lbs 14oz!
This was enough to tip my mates over the edge and I duly distributed them a couple of crabs each!
I wasn’t waiting long for another screaming bite, this one was immensely powerful, making 3 or 4 runs before I dared to tighten the drag. This was probably the hardest fighting fish of the year so far and I was pleasantly surprised to pull out my second double of the night at 11lbs 5oz.
My friends had got in on the action too now, one of them with a 10lbs fish of his own whilst the other had a smaller specimen around the 7lbs mark.
The night went on like this with practically a fish a cast, they seemed to hook up just before the build up of weed forced a retrieve. My next went 8lbs on the nose, followed by another at 7lbs 10oz. My mate had his second double, dead on 10lbs again whilst our other friend landed his second of around 9lbs.
After a short break, my final fish of the night gave a good account of itself and pulled the scales down to 10lbs 15oz, my 3rd double of the night!!
I stayed another hour if for nothing more than a break and a cuppa!!
Needless to say, no stingers were caught but with 11 hounds including 5 doubles between 3 of us, I wasn’t complaining. Very glad I decided to go after all though!!!
