JUNE CLOVEN HOOF RUM WINNER

Finally, it was happening... Our first Great Ormond Street Hospital LOVE charity ball winner was going to get out on BIF1. The combination of an intense working life, and the British weather, meant that this was perhaps the 7th or 8th date to get Hugh out fishing in the last 14 months. And now, although I had done a complete wobbly after yesterday mornings session, and offered Hugh another postponement, he was determined that as long as it was safe, it would be on. So, Hugh, his pop Darra, and his young lad Charlie (9 years old) found themselves donned up in life jackets, and bouncing across a stiff ENE breeze to find some fishes...

How cute???

The session was 2 x 3 hours fishing. Hugh had expressed a desire to take fish for the table, so I thought we would spend the first session on such a warm day chasing bass, then the dinners contributed as part of the prize by "THE MASTER MARINER" Public house, over the back of the marina square. Then, back out to get party food for a proposed bbq the following day at Hughes house. A common request at the moment. The reasoning being, the fish kept just 3 hours max in our fish wells, would be at their prime for travel back to Sevenoaks.

The day started much better than expected. Almost first drop, young Charlies rod doubled to a reasonable bass. But the combination of shock (for all of us... I had drummed on about how poor the session might be) and bouncy swell, meant a little too much slack got in, and the fish departed. It is so important to maintain the right tension on a hooked fish when fishing non stretch gear. Also so important to raise the rod, to allow the compression of the blank to become the shock absorber. What is the correct tension? Not too much. Not too little... you work it out... or come on board... ;)

It took the push to the bumpier west before we found some more consistent fishing. On the way out, I had asked Charlie what he wanted to catch most on the first session, "Bass" he had exclaimed, with some excitement. So I think I was possibly happier than he was to finally land one, a nice chunky schoolie.

More schoolies fell, although the fish seemed to dislike Darra. Nothing had hardly bothered his line. With the wind swinging more East than NE, it seemed a good time to splash back to the marina and get the lunches under way. I also bought two loaves of bread from Asda once the guys had joined the rest of their family (having a Brighton shore day) at the pub. Returning, I showed the kids how to crumb and feed the bread. Wasnt too long before it attracted the attention of an old friend. Pretty sure it has to be the same fish the speed he reacted to the bread. I believe I first met him in this way, when he (likely she) was around 7lb. I would imagine she pushes clear of double figures now... A great spectacle for the whole pub beer garden...

I ran off to other business, and returned an hour later. The kids now had a shoal of good mullet feeding hard... Naturals... Off we went, and it was time for some slaughter. I prepared the plaice feather rigs with isomes, and we went at it. The predictable happened. Very soon we had 29 mackerel in the wells. Plus a cuttlefish from earlier. Gurnards were also frequent visitors. The action really bought Charlies attention back to focused, and he was also catching regularly.And Darra couldn't stop catching fish... I think the pint at lunchtime switched him on nicely...

Darra off the mark...

Finally, I suggested, that as the plaice were not going to play (being pushed along at up to 1.8 knots) we finish the final hour back on the bass. A very good call. A few bangs, and then, as last cast was called, that magic everybody hopes for. A really good fish on the final retrieve. Hugh played it perfectly, and slipped the net under the first ever CLOVEN HOOF rum winner. 7lb 4 - 8lb weighed on board. I settle for the lower weight. A great fish, and a fantastic reward for a man who payed way too much for BIF1 time, all in the name of a fantastic cause. Win win all around, and we are very proud to be associated with the GOSH LOVE charity ball.

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