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itching to get out and play with my new toy, I was going to head to Sarnie bay on Sunday night but the cold ENE put me off considerably!
What to do then? I'd heard of a couple of rays the last day or two from Herne Bay but with quite a big tide and h/w at nearly 4am it was far from ideal!!
By 2030 I was poised to leave home and still undecided but once I started driving I really couldn't be arsed to go far so Herne Bay it was despite l/w not until 21:45.
I got to my spot and set up, the water was not as far off as I thought it would be, in fact it was nearly at the break water.
I waded out a few yards and cast.
I continued setting up base and fannying about as you do and by the time I looked up the little water that was there had gone!!!
I walked out on the sand to see how far and found a lead.... With a live ray still attached to the trace! A good sign I thought!!! I unhooked her and carried her back to the water then watched it swim off in 6" of water!!
The tide had gone off a fair ways by now so I went back to the rod and wound in, as I wound I walked out and eventually right up to my trace which was sitting in about 2" of water
I walked a few more yards and cast out again, by the time I got back to the edge of the beach I had very little line left, just a few turns!!
![Product Tire Pipe Wheel]()
Kinda hoping I didn't get anything too big at this point!!
Back to walking the sand again and picked up another lead, as I did I could hear a disturbance in the water in front of me, I walked over to find the ray I'd liberated had turned round and beached itself!!!
Back it went again, and as it was virtually dead on low by now I figured it'd be ok and I walked back to the shore for a coffee and to set up my second rod ready for the tide.
I wasn't waiting too long and by 22:45 I was up and running with both rods.
20mins went by and I had a couple of little rattles on the new rod with all the line out, had an arm aching time retrieving it all but eventually landed a very skinny but sizeable whiting. 2nd cast and I get a fish on it, at least it's not a Jonah!!
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Out it went again and it was fairly quiet. I was fishing both rods with bluey and up n overs purely for the rays. With the cold wind, rough sea and fairly big tide I was sceptical!!
However...... 01:45, I'd had a bit of an iffy cast on the second rod and had to sort out a bit of an overrun, I'd returned it to the rest and was just winding on a bit of tension when the other pulled right over! I virtually fell arse over tit scrabbling over the shingle to get hold of it but eventually struck in and Ray on!! I didn't think it was very big but it's hard to tell the first time out with a new weapon, a short but spirited fight and a 4lbs male came up the beach.
![Fish]()
No.10 for the year and definately a happy sight!!
Another half hour went by and a classic slack line bite saw a second male come in at 3lbs 8oz. No.11, just two behind my whole tally for last year.... And we're in March!!
Small fish but beats blanking or dozing on the sofa!!!
![Fish Recreation]()
That was my lot for the night and my phone battery died so I had no idea what time it was, what state the tide was and wouldn't be able to take pics.... Not to mention I was shattered!!! Got back to the van and it was 02:58. Late enough I thought!!!
Was well happy with my new acquisition, 2 rays and a ting on its first outing can't be bad!!
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What to do then? I'd heard of a couple of rays the last day or two from Herne Bay but with quite a big tide and h/w at nearly 4am it was far from ideal!!
By 2030 I was poised to leave home and still undecided but once I started driving I really couldn't be arsed to go far so Herne Bay it was despite l/w not until 21:45.
I got to my spot and set up, the water was not as far off as I thought it would be, in fact it was nearly at the break water.
I waded out a few yards and cast.
I continued setting up base and fannying about as you do and by the time I looked up the little water that was there had gone!!!
I walked out on the sand to see how far and found a lead.... With a live ray still attached to the trace! A good sign I thought!!! I unhooked her and carried her back to the water then watched it swim off in 6" of water!!
The tide had gone off a fair ways by now so I went back to the rod and wound in, as I wound I walked out and eventually right up to my trace which was sitting in about 2" of water
I walked a few more yards and cast out again, by the time I got back to the edge of the beach I had very little line left, just a few turns!!
Kinda hoping I didn't get anything too big at this point!!
Back to walking the sand again and picked up another lead, as I did I could hear a disturbance in the water in front of me, I walked over to find the ray I'd liberated had turned round and beached itself!!!
Back it went again, and as it was virtually dead on low by now I figured it'd be ok and I walked back to the shore for a coffee and to set up my second rod ready for the tide.
I wasn't waiting too long and by 22:45 I was up and running with both rods.
20mins went by and I had a couple of little rattles on the new rod with all the line out, had an arm aching time retrieving it all but eventually landed a very skinny but sizeable whiting. 2nd cast and I get a fish on it, at least it's not a Jonah!!
Out it went again and it was fairly quiet. I was fishing both rods with bluey and up n overs purely for the rays. With the cold wind, rough sea and fairly big tide I was sceptical!!
However...... 01:45, I'd had a bit of an iffy cast on the second rod and had to sort out a bit of an overrun, I'd returned it to the rest and was just winding on a bit of tension when the other pulled right over! I virtually fell arse over tit scrabbling over the shingle to get hold of it but eventually struck in and Ray on!! I didn't think it was very big but it's hard to tell the first time out with a new weapon, a short but spirited fight and a 4lbs male came up the beach.
No.10 for the year and definately a happy sight!!
Another half hour went by and a classic slack line bite saw a second male come in at 3lbs 8oz. No.11, just two behind my whole tally for last year.... And we're in March!!
Small fish but beats blanking or dozing on the sofa!!!
Was well happy with my new acquisition, 2 rays and a ting on its first outing can't be bad!!
