Mr Fish
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2020
- Messages
- 21,375
- Reaction score
- 74,024
- Points
- 116
- Location
- North Devon
- Favourite Fishing
- Shore
Went out for a comp Saturday night, picked a relatively easy North Somerset spot, moderate walk, shingle bank of Zumerzet sand and the chance of huss or rays, in theory!
For once, my aches and pains weren’t TOO bad and I was fairly optimistic about the session.
It was a neap tide and the plan was to fish down to low at 11 then as much flood as I could be bothered with.
Nothing fancy, whole squid on one rod, half a mackerel fillet on the other, interspersed with fillets of the last herring I had.
Well, the first hour the rod tips didn’t even twitch.
Second hour I had a half decent bite but struck straight into a snag.
The other rod had been nodding and rattling but reeled in to find most of the bait stripped.
A couple more half hearted bites followed, it was as if the fish were half asleep.
Yet another rattling plucking bite and I reeled in to discover there was actually a bit of weight.
Not a fish but a crustacean! Not actually hooked but tangled a bit in some lost line.
I released the little fellow and put him - or her - back.
It was clearly undersized but I must admit I have a bit of a soft spot for the things and have never kept one. I’ve been known to put a three pound lobster back before ?
That was all the excitement then, all the way down to low ?
As the tide turned, I finally had my first fish, the obligatory dogfish.
Nowhere near any size worth even weighing for the comp (it’s weigh and release), but anything was welcome at that point.
I had a couple more in quick succession and thought maybe the fish (and perhaps the better fish!) were starting to switch on, but then everything slowed down again.
Shame as there was actually a decent bit of tide pulling through, but the rods remained motionless.
Enough was enough. It was just after 1am, I’d had two hours of flood and it really wasn’t happening, plus I was feeling pretty knackered.
On the walk back I noticed my knee was a bit sore - it has been for awhile, since a trip to Chesil before Christmas.
Just another ache to add to the collection, I thought.
Well, 6am I woke up needing a pee, went to ease out of bed (so as not to disturb the cat ?) and ow, ow, owwwww!
The knee had stiffened at an angle and I couldn’t move my leg either way, seriously feckin painful!
My ouching and shrieks woke the cat up anyway and she headed off for a quieter sleeping spot, meanwhile I managed to manhandle my recalcitrant leg out of bed and once I was up on it, it wasn’t so bad, though felt hot and sore.
No huge drama - stretched tendon or ligament or something. If I went to the docs they’d just say rest, take painkillers etc etc. Been there before with knees, they usually improve, eventually, just takes ages.
Which is neither here nor there except I’d thought I’d got away with a relatively pain free night for once and hadn’t given my knee a thought while I was actually there, but I guess the clambering about on pebbles and boulders upset it.
If you’re still awake, I’d recommend saving this thrilling report for the next time you have insomnia! ???
For once, my aches and pains weren’t TOO bad and I was fairly optimistic about the session.
It was a neap tide and the plan was to fish down to low at 11 then as much flood as I could be bothered with.
Nothing fancy, whole squid on one rod, half a mackerel fillet on the other, interspersed with fillets of the last herring I had.
Well, the first hour the rod tips didn’t even twitch.
Second hour I had a half decent bite but struck straight into a snag.
The other rod had been nodding and rattling but reeled in to find most of the bait stripped.
A couple more half hearted bites followed, it was as if the fish were half asleep.
Yet another rattling plucking bite and I reeled in to discover there was actually a bit of weight.
Not a fish but a crustacean! Not actually hooked but tangled a bit in some lost line.
I released the little fellow and put him - or her - back.
It was clearly undersized but I must admit I have a bit of a soft spot for the things and have never kept one. I’ve been known to put a three pound lobster back before ?
That was all the excitement then, all the way down to low ?
As the tide turned, I finally had my first fish, the obligatory dogfish.
Nowhere near any size worth even weighing for the comp (it’s weigh and release), but anything was welcome at that point.
I had a couple more in quick succession and thought maybe the fish (and perhaps the better fish!) were starting to switch on, but then everything slowed down again.
Shame as there was actually a decent bit of tide pulling through, but the rods remained motionless.
Enough was enough. It was just after 1am, I’d had two hours of flood and it really wasn’t happening, plus I was feeling pretty knackered.
On the walk back I noticed my knee was a bit sore - it has been for awhile, since a trip to Chesil before Christmas.
Just another ache to add to the collection, I thought.
Well, 6am I woke up needing a pee, went to ease out of bed (so as not to disturb the cat ?) and ow, ow, owwwww!
The knee had stiffened at an angle and I couldn’t move my leg either way, seriously feckin painful!
My ouching and shrieks woke the cat up anyway and she headed off for a quieter sleeping spot, meanwhile I managed to manhandle my recalcitrant leg out of bed and once I was up on it, it wasn’t so bad, though felt hot and sore.
No huge drama - stretched tendon or ligament or something. If I went to the docs they’d just say rest, take painkillers etc etc. Been there before with knees, they usually improve, eventually, just takes ages.
Which is neither here nor there except I’d thought I’d got away with a relatively pain free night for once and hadn’t given my knee a thought while I was actually there, but I guess the clambering about on pebbles and boulders upset it.
If you’re still awake, I’d recommend saving this thrilling report for the next time you have insomnia! ???
I always carry some rapid hardener in the van and a box of tampons I’ll let you have them next time we meet ????
