First up, and only Richard out to play? Do I still sail with just one client booked on? I still sail with no client booked on... And always a pleasure when it is someone as affable as Richard. The conversation far outscored the fishing, which rather mirrored yesterday mornings session, although with just two rods working, it could be said more action. Plus things like mackerel and garfish also attacking, certainly enough to keep the spring coiled.
As yesterday though, just the one fish for the table. We marked a lot of fish, but the tiny fry remains. I have been studying them feeding in the marina a lot. What triggers them, is never a single little fish, swimming around, but minimum small squadrons of fish, is the only thing that makes them launch. Hopefully many will prefer the easier option of naked crabs very soon, and it is often the bigger fish that prefer the better pay off for energy spent. I would say eight over 50" per sailing, is what I am seeking. We have seen flashes of that sort of quality already. The little fish grow fast. Hopefully it will soon be stepping up a few gears.
Second sailing, my pleasure to welcome back Geoffrey and Roly, who dragged along a complete newbie, John. The only fishing John had done, was for piranha in the amazon, on a handline from a dug out canoe, so he was in my special corner. Not naughty corner, but the corner where I can constantly hassle and harrass until he does it right. Tuition some call it, and it is free on BIF1.
We started on the bass, which was pretty tough going again, so I was delighted when Geoffrey bagged a table fish quite early on. But then smalls, and not so many. Roly wanted some mackerel, so I allowed one set of feathers (Any more, and carnage happens as a full house of mackerel is a lot harder to control in direction, speed and depth, than for example, a single big bass). Two came up quite quickly, but were too small and were released. Then two decent ones flashed in the green gloom below. Except they turned into a double shot of small pollack!!
We finished off on the bream, and even they were quite hard going. We managed five or six, and actually, sizes a little bigger than recently, and certainly bigger than last years lilliput's, with three boys headed for the grill. In summary though, I would have to confess to another pretty slow day, made better only by enjoying the company of such easy going folk. Reasonable forecast tomorrow, but just one lucky guy heading out with me on the 0630 sailing. Lucky? Maybe. If the wind turns out a little less than currently forecast, it looks like THE tide to hunt more 65cm plusses.