Happily managed at least one job, with the forecast changing quite late to indicate winds from 1100, which as I write I can confirm arrived. And yet another birthday gift, from Mitch to his dad Paul. With the tide high, and the seas quiet, I decided to focus on the inshore marks before they got busy with other water users. One of the really great advantages of starting at 0600.
First mark, and Mitch's rod was first to slam over, and instantly off again. Complete with the lure which had somehow managed to leave the clip. A first after many thousands of takes on these clips. Another drift through, and Paul opened his account, with a feisty fish of 45cm. But next drift, nothing doing, so on with the hunt. Next mark, not happening. Next mark, happening. Each drift seeing action for myself and Paul, but strangely, Mitch was not connecting.
About this time, I noticed a crease in the water a way off. Usually these are from boat wakes, but this one looked somehow different. As I watched, the tell tale sign of a huge bottlenose dolphin broke the surface. It slowly dawned on us that we were watching a super pod stretching about half a mile long, and just half a mile off of Hove shingle. Amazing. I asked the guys if they wanted, I would invite the dolphins to wake board with us. They were game. We slipped out and I found the speed of the shoal, and increased, bringing the boat to run parallel with them. I call this "inviting" them to play. Driving into them directly, tends to see them leave. It needs to be their choice. And boy did they choose. At one point I counted at least six in our wake. Some surfing the wave, others really enjoying the displacement at the stern, with their noses inches from BIF1's rear end. Stunning. But, back to the fishing...
Another session of picking a few off and moving on. By the time I got to the end of my inshore marks there were already 2 brace of bass in the livebait well, with less big fish released. Time to look furhter out and in deeper waters. Happily Mitch joined the results board with bass, and then on a rock mark, proceeded to bash out jumbo pout after jumbo pout. Still a lot of fun on the light lure gear. A wrasse also featured in the by catch. Not so many mackerel bursting either, and although we did encounter some messing with the shads, none landed today.
By the end of the session, the wind was only just beginning to build, so we ran on a bit longer. A cuttlefish came to the boat attached to my Mighty Minnow, when something, with a mottled tail, suddenly turned and scarpered about ten feet below it. With a friends dad landing a codling yesterday, just half a mile in front of the marina its got me wondering if this years main theme - everything happening a month early - will be continuing, and those wreck cod will be inhabiting the rocks sooner than expected. Time will hopefully tell.
Indeed, time has told, and the forecast currently looks like I will be sailing all the way through the rest of the week. If you fancy your chances for a Dolphin tour, or simply wish to catch bass, I do still have the entire boat available tomorrow (Tuesday) at 1400, and a single place available on the 1000. NW breeze so all four sailings should be happening. 07970 112774 if you wish to enjoy the BIF1 experience.