First customer of the day, was another piece of the puzzle, as to how I became a floating fishing guide. Back in the day, my main angling buddy was Nigel, who was (and still is) a plumber. He sometimes worked with a bricky called Dave. Dave liked to go fishing, and was always looking for people to join him in chartering a boat. Chartering a boat called "Moonshine" skippered then, as now by a guy called Peter Churchill became addictive. And it was Peter who sowed some of the seeds, or at least contributed the compost, for the birth of Brighton Inshore Fishing. So, it was all Daves fault really...
As many at the moment in these strange times, it wasnt really the fishing he wanted, but more to be out of the house, and away from the routines, if only for a few hours. So, we decided to make it fun. With the rot ever improving, I was hopeful of something close in. But the rot decided that was not going to happen. compressed from the previous days onshore breeze. We went out beyond the rot line but not so much happening. A single net fish.
Plaice next, with the new flood fresh and strong. And finally, they wanted to play. Sizes were mostly small, and actually, they were in half hearted mood, with many dropped. More signs of lack of effort followed when I had 3 hooked well down the body on the trot. But one nice plate sized one to go back up the road to Essex.
We went to the bream spot, and, lo and behold, we found bream. Been tweaking around with the rig and it is, I feel, about as efficient as it can be, Certainly the big smile on Daves face suggested it was as much fun as it could be, with the rod often being doubled and the stiff drags squeaking in the maddest moments of their frenzied efforts to escape. It certainly rounded off the session nicely and I am pleased to say, weather and mid term MECAL inspection permitting.
Next up was Richard. I could feel the excitement emanating from him. He really wanted just to focus on Bass. Not something I have been doing too well with in the green seas. But such a request does rather sharpen the focus. Green was still a big problem in close. But the deeper marks were hinting at perfectly.clear. Found one shoal in 60; of water, and the new HTO 56gm Mighty Minnows proved their worth. We nailed a few, a couple of 41's and one around 45. Nothing amazing.
By now, we had some ebb, and I went off to a mark that I consider the spot where I meet my first better fish every year. And it did not let me down. Well, it let me down totally, but happily, a new PB for Richard, the only fish of the repeated drifts. But it didnt matter. We didnt find another fish for the rest of the session, but I think Richard left a very happy man. He certainly left with a head full of Fishyrob advises for his shore fishing, and learned much about the importance of feeling what his lure is up to. One of the silver linings of the current situation. I can give you 100 percent focus, instead of 25 percent in the old times of 4 anglers on the boat.
Final session was a back to back 6 hour extravaganza with long time client Clint. And wow. How much the sea had changed when we headed out. Green much reduced, and suddenly, lots of inshore available... We got into it and found lots of bass. Stacks of small bass. No big bass. But action galore. Worried about losing the tide, and equally worried Clint wouldnt be going up the road with a feed, we did the Bream thing, and happily the bream obliged. With that out of the way, we got back on the bass. And it got sillier and sillier. Except at one spot, where in the morning with Richard we had found those three fish in 60'. Just one fish here, with great length but not so much girth, a common theme in early fish up this end.
As the sun lowered, and the new flood got some pace, so the amount of bait and bass coming through got stupid, to the point that I was quite pleased to hear the final cast alarm go off. A lot of fun, but its not really what we are all about. However, the way it works when the baot floods in, tomorrow could well all be quality fish. Time will tell.
Comments