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When a plan doesn't come together... (more video)

1K views 15 replies 5 participants last post by  ivafatRRRs 
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#1 · (Edited)
Rob & I have talked about "The curse" of the two of us fishing together and we had hoped last night would put it to bed with conditions and tides looking perfect for a Hampshire trip. The weather forecast hadn't exactly been accurate as when we pulled up at the car park we could see it was looking a tad windy out and on departing the car it seemed like a 25mph wind speed and whilst the sea looked really fishy I was beginning to think this maybe a tough night.

So en route I handily remembered I had taken my tripod bar and cups off the tripod to fit in the back of Steve's motor early on Tuesday morning.... and.... yes... hadn't put them back on for this trip. FFS
So being pragmatic I made the best of a bad situation, always take electrical tape with you fishing and make the best of some driftwood, the end product, the new deer antler hybrid tripod.
Sea Sky Ocean Windmill Wind

Even had space for the spin rod on the end....

Now I had taken the Saltist 20 multipliers out of my bag and opted to use fixed spools and braid as I had anticipated this mark would be weedy and not only does the braid hold better it tide but it cuts through weed nicely and makes the removal quicker. That was the good news, the cross wind speed I hadn't accounted for and after putting together a wonderful looking bait up I hit it and "snap", I looked round at Rob and he was just shaking his head and smiling. I had an awful ring wrap and knot, great start....

So I managed to get two rods out, one a portsmouth loop rig with 2 x size 1 hooks on for bream and mackerel strip and on the other rod a nice ray bait. The bloke just down the beach had a couple of small bream whilst Rob and I had our baits pecked but what was obviously juvenile bream. The weed was a right pain when we started off and I was staring at the sea with disdain as I could see on the rod tips that I was picking more and more of it up. It wasn't unfishable but it was a real chore picking off knots, rigs and components after every retrieve.

I wasn't really enjoying the whole spray off the sea thing that was gradually soaking my hoody and bang in the face though I didn't hide in the shelter like Rob and make a series of phone calls to loved ones, I just focused on the task in hand. We both had a few casts for mackerel as you could see them jump and rob had 4 or 5 on his feathers while I ring wrapped and snapped off more braid on the spin rod.... great! I did have a go with his multi and feathers which picked me up a fresh mackerel and more importantly a scad which I put out as a livebait on a pulley.

The bream rig was retired and I felt pretty happy with a live bait kicking away and a side of mackerel on the other rod whilst Rob was up to his nuts in cuttle ink to my right like some sort of sorcerer or demon, a crazed look in his eyes , darkness was upon us and the weed had eased. I had remembered the wise words of Steve not to go fishing without mackerel and cuttle in your bait repertoire in spots where they maybe congers and I was to rue those words in a short time.

Rob shouted he was in, he gradually began to work a fish at distance on his tuned up reel with 20lb line and a cuttle strip... I whipped the dog and bone out and began to record the sequence of events, he wasn't entirely sure what it was on the line as a big clump of weed may have been masking the serpents lunges and head shakes but at the waters edge I spotted a conger eel and carefully eased the ell up the beach a little bit so Rob could grab it. I didn't want to do anymore than that as he was on a light snood and if the eel span it would stand a good chance of going through the hook length. Anyway, a lovely strap of 9lb 5oz was landed and we were both pretty encouraged by the start.

*video at the bottom if you would like to watch
Fish Fish


So spawny bowlocks was cast back out even before I could sort the camera and photograph it, he wasn't wasting anytime. Funnily enough where he was fishing he repeatedly got snagged and lost some gear on what seemed to be a reef at around 80 yards and we began to think maybe that is what houses the eels. I was persevering with the mackerel and I checked on my scad which was still alive but I decided to swap it for a dead bait. No sooner had I cast back out with fresh bait Rob shouts he is again in and this time it's bigger, bloody hell! So I start recording again and I can this is playing up as he is retrieving and I grab the gaff just in case to see if it's required and I am watching the water eagerly only to see a larger eel which looked about 15lb kiting in the surf. Initially I had intended to use the gaff to stop the fish from slipping back into the water with my left hand whilst I continued to record the events with my phone but that plan went all to hell when the fish had swam across Rob's other lines and I had line all tangled round by legs, a conger trapped between my heels that had spun off the hooks and Rob way above me on the shingle. Eventually after some chaos it was all under control and the fish was being weighed in a sack and this one was 13lb 14oz, a much better fish. I think you'll probably agree that Rob looks rather happy and smug in his photo. Like the previous eel it was released and swam off fine, probably one of those most resilient fish going.

Reptile Python Scaled reptile Snake Burmese python


Sam (Mudsta) was fishing next up the beach and he stopped by for a chat as I was packing up, it's the first time we've met, smashing chap but you can tell that from the kind comments he leaves here. We'd both packed up as the weed was now a real pain again over low and just made things a misery. Now while we are chatting a way a munching mint humbugs spawny bowlocks (the only one with rods still in the water) spots his line is at 45 degrees down the beach, quite likely with the rafts of weed but then from 80 yards away we hear a faint calling down the beach, he has another bloody fish, an undulate that should have been around 13 or 14lb but as it had just spawned only came in at 9lb 9oz. A lovely fish all the same, we took a couple of pics and video'd the release, lets talk about that for a second. Bear in mind I am ankle deep to video it, can you all put into words what you think of Rob's retreat as the white water approaches? :)

Rays and skates Fish Leaf Skate Stingray


Fur Outerwear Recreation Beard


My curse continues... but under analysis Rob was further out with one rod and every fish came on that one and to cuttle and sandeel. I did try a bit of cuttle after the 2nd conger but It was perhaps too little too late. So trudging back along the shingle with wet feet to the car I'll be honest, my night couldn't have gone any worse really, there I was thinking getting off the wire tope traces and 6/0's would end this bleak run, it just compounded the misery of it. It's important though when you've had a hammering to use that as determination for the next session and to learn from any shortcomings in your own game.

So well done Rob, great session.

Video link:


Hope you enjoy guys.
 
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#8 ·
Nicely written up mate, and. Think everyone will agree a very manly release of the Ray!!
Swam off strongly so all's well that ends well (plus I had dry feet :) )
Chris...Your current run of bad luck will be all forgotten when you hook into that first Dogtooth Tuna.;)
Great write up Chris and pics top notch. Was good to meet you and have a natter, The humbug went down a treat ;)
Best part of last nights fishing for me was being there to see rob's run/prance back up the shingle after releasing that undie great laugh! Well done rob on the fish cracking mate
Great write up, pictures and video as always Chris, shame you can't catch anything though mate ;)
Nice to see a few congers coming from the local beach, although I've never seen a grown man run so fast from a little bit of water:rolleyes:
I am admiring the eco-friendly biodegradeable tripod head as much as the catch.
Great report and cracking fish Rob..... Chris your turn will come.
I hope you kept that rest its a cracker.....
Its nice to see two venues kicking off at the same time, it shows that there are fish to be had everywhere!.
Cheers guys, Rob stole the show.... awful hangover today but i'll be back.
 
#4 ·
Great write up Chris and pics top notch. Was good to meet you and have a natter, The humbug went down a treat ;)
Best part of last nights fishing for me was being there to see rob's run/prance back up the shingle after releasing that undie great laugh! Well done rob on the fish cracking mate
 
#14 ·
So en route I handily remembered I had taken my tripod bar and cups off the tripod to fit in the back of Steve's motor early on Tuesday morning.... and.... yes... hadn't put them back on for this trip. FFS
So being pragmatic I made the best of a bad situation, always take electrical tape with you fishing and make the best of some driftwood, the end product, the new deer antler hybrid tripod. View attachment 517706
Even had space for the spin rod on the end....
I had decided to grab a chance to fish my local beach for a couple of hours without a rod rest but when I arrived I saw what looked like a driftwood fencing timber nearby, remembering and inspired by your post, I planted it in the shingle. I would probably never have even thought to do that before, thanks for the idea.


Fishing rod Shore Sea Tree Sky
 
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#16 ·
I had decided to grab a chance to fish my local beach for a couple of hours without a rod rest but when I arrived I saw what looked like a driftwood fencing timber nearby, remembering and inspired by your post, I planted it in the shingle. I would probably never have even thought to do that before, thanks for the idea.


View attachment 532802
tis a bugger if your on the move that mind :D
 
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#15 ·
Haha - Ray Mears would be proud, there's usually plenty of that green strong washed up on beaches and its very easy to get another piece of wood and make a 'V'. Fortunately I always take electrical tape. :)
 
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