Joined
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650 Posts
Hi all. Just got back fom the pescatorial oasis they call Dungeness.
Arrived at about 5pm on Friday , walked to the rear of the power station, to find the usual oriental family spread out and feathers missiling into the ebbing sea. They were out in numbers again but I really couldnt see any makkies being caught. Well I thought I would have a go and this time I had a fine array of feathers, sabikis and all sorts of spinners, wedges and artificial fish like bits. No improvisation today I thought. Well first cast produced a monster makkie but the next 20 or so failed to produce anything. 3 anglers fishing to my right were pulling them in 3 or 4 at a time, me , nothing.
I thought I'd better look around for discarded silvery bits and make my own but I persivered and located a shoal. None of the majestic headdancing of Wednesday, these makkies were afraid of the light and kept deep. Not a sprat or fry in sight. Still the makkies began to play and very soon I had enough for my needs. I took the feathers off and from experience knew that I would have to wait for the light to fade before a bait was touched so thought I would have a play. I tied on a dexter wedge and almost as it hit the water something connected. A bass I thought , some deep dives , boring to the bottom,. My catch didnt want to give in too easily so a little pressure was appled, not too much as I didnt want to lose a half decent bass through bullying . And then there it was , not a silver bar of loveliness but a huge and skinny green bones, a gar. It must of realised I was not so happy as it decided to entertain and it gave a leap , like a minature marlin. Soon it was on the beach and had somhow managed to snap it lower beak. Not much point in returning my prize so he was retained as a bait of of delicate taste for something a little bigger later on in the year.
The light was fading so the rods were prepared to fish for sole. Inch long pieces of black lug on one rod whilst similar sized morsals of rag were tempters on the other. The rag gently guided to an area of sand that was being exposed as the tide reached its lowest point.No casting here the fish can be right by your feet. The lug cast into the distance . Rattle, stop, rattle then a steady pull and my membership to the Dungy Sole Brigade was renewed.Not a big fish , about a pound with that sad little smile on it. Back to grow bigger. The other rod knocking like mad and up came the first of many whiting.Oh no. Then it was whiting followed by whiting and in between I caught whiting. A few were real grownups, I had one of about a pound and half.This now laying in a very cold place in my freezer.This species was interupted by a few pout, big uns at that and a rockling, slippery and ugly as hell.
I then had a couple of dabs, transparent, I wonder if they had recently spawned and had not yet put on any meat.
Then a very small schoolie, so pretty and beautifully lip hooked so she was quickly returned.
A slow tugging of the lug rod followed by a few gentle plucks revealed that something was pulling at my bait. Very soon a second sole was lying on the shingle. this one bigger but longer and of a size that allowed me to take him home.
And that really was about it .2 of my target species,lots of makkies, huge amounts of whiting,possibly 80+, a basslet I fell in love with and lets not forget that energetic green bones.
Excellent night and very enjoyable.
On my way back along the beach I met up with Ragworm 2008 or Len to his mates. What should I call him. He had fared about the same in the makkie and whiting staked but was trying like mad for that elusive sole.Anyway great to meet up with forum members. He had noticed my bronze Mk 111 Cortina in the car park. A bit jealous I thought as he only had a merc. ha ha.
As we were talking we saw one of the oriental chaps, cutting bits off of a makkie that he had caught earlier, not cooked but raw.Uhhhhghhhh
Next time I think about a forum sole meet it would be nice to have more than two.Come on boys lets get on the beach together. .......................
Why the hell havnt I gone to bed. I must be mad just like the wife says....................................:busted_co
Arrived at about 5pm on Friday , walked to the rear of the power station, to find the usual oriental family spread out and feathers missiling into the ebbing sea. They were out in numbers again but I really couldnt see any makkies being caught. Well I thought I would have a go and this time I had a fine array of feathers, sabikis and all sorts of spinners, wedges and artificial fish like bits. No improvisation today I thought. Well first cast produced a monster makkie but the next 20 or so failed to produce anything. 3 anglers fishing to my right were pulling them in 3 or 4 at a time, me , nothing.
I thought I'd better look around for discarded silvery bits and make my own but I persivered and located a shoal. None of the majestic headdancing of Wednesday, these makkies were afraid of the light and kept deep. Not a sprat or fry in sight. Still the makkies began to play and very soon I had enough for my needs. I took the feathers off and from experience knew that I would have to wait for the light to fade before a bait was touched so thought I would have a play. I tied on a dexter wedge and almost as it hit the water something connected. A bass I thought , some deep dives , boring to the bottom,. My catch didnt want to give in too easily so a little pressure was appled, not too much as I didnt want to lose a half decent bass through bullying . And then there it was , not a silver bar of loveliness but a huge and skinny green bones, a gar. It must of realised I was not so happy as it decided to entertain and it gave a leap , like a minature marlin. Soon it was on the beach and had somhow managed to snap it lower beak. Not much point in returning my prize so he was retained as a bait of of delicate taste for something a little bigger later on in the year.
The light was fading so the rods were prepared to fish for sole. Inch long pieces of black lug on one rod whilst similar sized morsals of rag were tempters on the other. The rag gently guided to an area of sand that was being exposed as the tide reached its lowest point.No casting here the fish can be right by your feet. The lug cast into the distance . Rattle, stop, rattle then a steady pull and my membership to the Dungy Sole Brigade was renewed.Not a big fish , about a pound with that sad little smile on it. Back to grow bigger. The other rod knocking like mad and up came the first of many whiting.Oh no. Then it was whiting followed by whiting and in between I caught whiting. A few were real grownups, I had one of about a pound and half.This now laying in a very cold place in my freezer.This species was interupted by a few pout, big uns at that and a rockling, slippery and ugly as hell.
I then had a couple of dabs, transparent, I wonder if they had recently spawned and had not yet put on any meat.
Then a very small schoolie, so pretty and beautifully lip hooked so she was quickly returned.
A slow tugging of the lug rod followed by a few gentle plucks revealed that something was pulling at my bait. Very soon a second sole was lying on the shingle. this one bigger but longer and of a size that allowed me to take him home.
And that really was about it .2 of my target species,lots of makkies, huge amounts of whiting,possibly 80+, a basslet I fell in love with and lets not forget that energetic green bones.
Excellent night and very enjoyable.
On my way back along the beach I met up with Ragworm 2008 or Len to his mates. What should I call him. He had fared about the same in the makkie and whiting staked but was trying like mad for that elusive sole.Anyway great to meet up with forum members. He had noticed my bronze Mk 111 Cortina in the car park. A bit jealous I thought as he only had a merc. ha ha.
As we were talking we saw one of the oriental chaps, cutting bits off of a makkie that he had caught earlier, not cooked but raw.Uhhhhghhhh
Next time I think about a forum sole meet it would be nice to have more than two.Come on boys lets get on the beach together. .......................
Why the hell havnt I gone to bed. I must be mad just like the wife says....................................:busted_co
