Finally, afloat again. But a rather green day all day. The water of course. After an entire spring of mostly offshore winds, a few days of westerly has bought what is left back to visit our shores. Some quite dense clouds of it around as well. Why is that important ? It is not such a problem for bait anglers, other than the thick water meaning sometimes impossible to keep a lead in position, as bait anglers like when viz is low. But for lure fishing. Well, you have to let the dog see the rabbit. And when the rabbit is hiding in balls of uuurrgh, there wont be much seeing going on.
Very much the wrong day to happen as well. I was very proud to receive two bookings, with a third next weekend, from a Portuguese fishing facebook community. And even more flattered to learn that these guys followed my blog through my Portuguese adventures these past couple of winters. So, I was absolutely gutted as Augusto, Joao, Pritesh and Ricardo fished their arms off, for just five small bass. We then went on the plaice, which were feeding OK, but hardly on fire, and just three plaice for the table from what was landed.
Next sailing, the group was Pedro, Joao, Miguel and Paulo. Pedro is very much an all rounder. As well as being handy with a rod, he is fierce with a twelve bore, and is a regular shooter of flying foods. He also managed that less and less unusual, although in this case quite unusual as it took the Axia Mighty Minnow, Thornback ray on the lure. He also caught the only table bass of the day, only just at 44cm. A couple more small bass, and then onto the plaice. Again, not much doing, and what was, all small bar one. Plus an actually tidy dab!
Final sailing, and a friend from way back in carp puddles in Essex, had bought his friend John, Johns son Johny, and friend Stuart along. For more of the same. Actually, not true. The bass count was better, but then, all we did was bass. I dont even remember the final tally. It wasnt double figures. Eight perhaps. All in all, a very disappointing result, although wind and sun was well behaved, and it was a pleasure to be afloat again. Stiff Northerly all night, so lets hope the green water is an EU problem by the morning.
