Wow... Another six days without sailing. I would have got out again last Sunday, but for an alarm the led to the discovery of water in the fuel. I hadn't kept an eye on the fuel separator, and a build up had led to some getting into the fuel filter. Happily on the Suzuki there is a water sensor, and when that triggers she goes into limp mode. This happened right on the mouth of the marina, and left me no option to return to dock, and leave it for my engineer to sort out. I just don't really get involved in anything but fish.
Sorted, and happily without major complications. I took her for a couple of test runs in the week, and was shocked that all the bass appear to have left the inshore. Well, shocked, because we have had a decade of mild winters, where bass were usually around. Just not in Summer numbers. However, I am suspecting this year, they may have even headed SW in the last seven days, as tagging way back suggested they do. It would explain one huge shoal that overnighted in the actual marina a week ago. They once did merge into mega shoals for that migration, which made them so susceptible to the drift nets, as overnight they would rise to the surface.
Which left me at a bit of a loss for this mornings sailing, welcoming back Richard and Nick. Best I could think of, was to go see if the wind, once again blowing perhaps stronger than forecast, would let us out to where we had good catches last sailing. It just about did, but sadly, no fish, not even micro mackerel, were in residence. Damn. We would need to go hunting.
And it took a very long hunt. By the time I found an area that could in any way be called fishy, there was just forty minutes left of the session. A cod run, and we did find one. Plus plenty of micro mackerel and whiting hitting the shads. Finally tugs. Which is what we all lure fish for right? The bug is in the tug. Especially when it is minus something plus evil wind chill from the wind that refuses to die. Somehow smiles all round, and yet, at times, I was wondering WTF we were doing out there.
Midday sailing, where I welcomed aboard regulars Dave, Mark and Nick, was supposed to be on glassy seas. And yet, that wind refused to die, simply lulling a little towards the end of the session. At least I knew where we needed to fish, and as a result of more time on the mark, lots more fish. Too many whiting, a gurnard, micro mackerel of course, and a further three codling. Not big though.. Just one killed, as it was hooked in the gut and it haf torn badly. But action, and again smiles and laughter, despite the temperature falling quite quickly in the last hour. A great day. Which looks as though it may be the last for perhaps seven days. I do still have spaces, on great tides for the 1200 sailing, 25th December.
