Xcweather.co.uk was being a bit of a wind up again. I do take on board it is an aviation site, but actually, it and WINDY.COM are probably the best. Yet, we are an island, and these days, and island that likes to attract the jet steam bouncing all across us, whereas in my youth, Scotland mostly got the unpredictable stuff as it tended to run further North. I guess all the site err towards worse case scenario when the actual prediction cannot be tied down to one scenario. Whatever the reasons I awoke to light NE breezes, instead of the double figure SE winds that I had seen before I slept.
As such, I had already cancelled the first group, and re-scheduled, but I did happen to know the second group were coming to fish the marina walls before joining BIF1, so I sent a message if they wanted the earlier sailing, to which they readily accepted. And so, Wagy, George (newbie) and Gary stepped aboard, and we were out by 1930.
Seas are distinctly less green to the West. I tried a couple of inshore reefs, but was rewarded only with mackerel. Off out. Still tough with the small tides, but at least we had the breeze giving us movement in the right direction. Certainly fish around, as dolphins were everywhere from the marina to Shoreham on the 2 mile line. Never conducive to good bass fishing, and yet, we still all lighten at their presence. Truly mystical creatures.
It took a long time to find silver, and we found one shoal perched on top of some rock. Finally. First drift, a table fish. Second drift, a schoolie. third drift, two dolphins and no more shoal on the rock. Suddenly, less mystical and erring towards annoying. For the last 45 minutes we went onto the plaice. Eager to feed, we quickly assembled half a dozen or more, plus a grey gurnard. But, small, though fat. Plenty there, despite the red trawler taking a sweep across the bank just an hour or so prior. And that was first sailing.
Because of the lack of silver, I decided to see if my crews for the last sailing minded a switch, to 1700, that we can make the most of the East to west breeze assisted current. And they were all game. Also, tides starting to grow, which could make a big difference. Which left me with plenty of time. I popped out solo for 30 minutes just to check out a spot. I had five schoolies, which tells me all functional on an ever less green sea.
The five o clock sailing saw Paul, Steve and Lee out with me. Again just one spot with consistent fishing, but the wind / tide situation meant at least we could fish it quite well. Five bass from those three hours, plus a bream that chased the shad away from the nest with violent intentions. Not terrible for three hours early season, especially as four of the five were 45+
