Im claiming fish of the day... ANOTHER of the fabled cod...
The day started early. I had not intended to sail, but one Frequent Flyer wanted to play, and I managed, with the lure of codling, to get another who's trip later in the week was definitely going to be cancelled on the forecast to swap. So, even before the 07:30 intended sailing time, we were headed out. We were going to repeat the previous days routine. In fact, to save repetition in future blogs, we will basically be playing "run around the deeper reefs until we find some fish" as the standard strategy. Its good fun with much variety at this time of year. There was a bit of lump, but nothing to stop BIF cruising at her customary 25 knots. A fast ride, and I think we all enjoyed the sharp chilling freshness, of the odd spray taken hopping off a bigger swell. All deliberate. James clearly hadnt woken up yet, when we slipped the mooring. But now he had... I do like to cater for all my clients needs, even without them needing to ask...
I could not believe how much this 2lb Gurnard battled to not be fillets!! 75gm HTO Frolic.
Today started as the previous two sailings. With bass. Today more bass, but the biggest only 40cm. A total of 8. And one much later in the day bought the bass total to 9. I have an observation to make here. As anglers, we use technology, and the people providing weather forecast use technology (Super computers no less...) to predict the weather. Anything more than 3 days, is not really to be trusted. I am suspicious, that once again, nature is laughing behind the hand at our pompous behaviour. Because I suspect, the bass got an advanced weather warning, a full description of how this winter is going to go, some months ago. Neptune clearly has all of the sea briefed. Why? Well, the bass stopped coming up for surface lures on the spots we fish in September. Linked. Dont know. Might just be they stopped looking up coz everything they were after was down. But the big shoals came through the shingle in October, and in November, usually the best of it, already there were not many in close. The big shoals were now out on the rocks. And already, we are down to totals of 9 bass, from totals of 90 bass just a few short weels ago. Linked? Well, the inshore water temperature is already below ten degrees mostly. And now look at the weather forecast over the weekend. Some proper polar air. Mostly sub zero temperatures forecast for Brighton. This is truly a very different autumn and winter than last years very mild affair. And somehow, the fish knew it.
What does this mean for us? Well, we prospect for whatever is down there, and to the point, tailored to the customers requirements. Its a good time for foodies to be afloat, with great variety of very tasty fishes indeed. There is always the chance of a bass, or as we discovered yesterday, other unexpected specimens such as pollack. And the fable cod keep showing... James and Lionel were my clients for the day. And they both returned with fish for the table, and big smiles on faces. Those chunky pout were again the most prolific. Wrasse and Gurnards ever reliable. No pollack showed today. But yours truly managed another of the fabled cod, just to show they do exist, and clearly in enough numbers for it to be happening to us twice in two sailings. Perhaps some hope for the future. These will be 5lb + fish this time next year, should they be fortunate enough to survive.
Romeo and Juliet ... (the fish.. the fish...)
I was wondering if the Gurnards are swimming in courting couples at this time of the year. Something happened today, to contribute further evidence. I was retrieving a good tub, when I noticed another following it. I let mine dive a bit, and called Lionel over to drop his lure. He did, wiggled it (HTO Frolic for everything today) and the bigger male took... (mine was a slightly smaller female, but another observation is they do seem to pair in similar age groups) . I'd like to say it was a happy ending for them. It was I suppose, in a romeo and juliet kind of way...
Two spaces available on tomorrows sailing. 07970 112774 if you want to get on board. Nothing currently planned after that. Keep an eye on our facebook page BRIGHTON INSHORE FISHING for last minute sailing announcements. And be safe, and warm, and seriously consider fitting winter tyres. Its going to be a brutal winter. The bass told me so...