Big fish Marine Drive.

I ve just had a nightmare weekend at work......7 hours kip in 72 hours....so was knackered but thankfully given a short notice day off Monday. I ve had a few codless trips on the beaches and really didn t fancy the river so it was a drive up North.
I was due to go on my own but Ozzy on the forum had mentioned he fancied a trip upnorth so a couple of texts later and the short notice plans were in place.
My two usual fishing partners were I guessed either not available or not fishing Rock....Sos was at his Monday dance class and Rob had told me it was beaches for him now .

Anyway ater a slow start on the Drive in front of "rockfall" I moved a bit further along the front and second cast got one on.....not a big fish but a fish ! Soon to be gone though as it got stuck and with a heave it came off !

Next cast nothing.......then next cast young Luke (littlecod on Whitby site) popped by for a natter and while chatting I watched the rod tip nod a couple of times...I let the bite develope and was soon into a better fish, this one giving a few good firm pulls and shakes. I got it almost in when it managed to go to ground. Eventually I had to pull for a sh!t or bust attempt.....but it wasn t bust that I got but a bare hook.......one good fish lost !

It went quiet after that so a further move was called for ......off to see if the tide ebbed enough to get down on Coffee pot scar......a few chucks later and now well into dark but despite bites no fish and the tide wasn t moving.....so move number four was next. A short drive back south along the drive to near pumphouse for the mid ebb.

First cast and it was clear there was a lot of tide at that spot.....and we were both soon fast up in heavy ground with a strong pull on.
Next cast and after not too long I saw a slight rattle on the rod tip....the braid giving great feedback to the Conoflex lionherat tip.....then nothing. I left it out for a while with no more movement and ater 20 mins decided to pull in and re bait. Biats being cart,worm and oyster.

As I lifted up to reel in I felt a weight, then a kick then a lunge....that rattle must have been a fish.I wound in and there was a few dives but nothing too exciting, then about 50yds out all hell broke loose and this became clear it was a good fish.

It was soon at the foot of the acropods and gilled and lifted up....a proper un this time and a proper grin from Jelly.......beating my previous rock pb of 11lb 8oz by a pound a half almost. 12lb 12oz on the spring balance scales.....get in !

So after a few trips up north since Christmas after a big one I d finally managed one.....a beach double before March is next in my sights...lol


The fish next to a 535 penn(not a small reel)



I managed one more small one so two in the bag....should have been 4 but hey ho,

A dash up North.

A last minute decision was made late yesterday seeing as the sea had lifted and I managed to get today off. I thought Rob was working so the new rock apprentice Sos Steve asked if he could tag along. As it was Rob was off  but could only manage a few hours fishing and I was up for the full day . Next time matey 

A couple of venues were in mind but I needed to see what size the sea was first up at Scarborough. After popping into Bill Costins for some bait and a quick butty at the Oasis Cafe my mind was made up on Hawsker, Iron Springs.
At the parking spot I had a natter with the farmer and he told me four other lads went down earlier, I d been on lates so couldn t manage a real early start and so it was very late in the flood when we finally got down to the bottom. The get down was very very slippery and has obviously been getting some attention of late. My heart sank a bit when I saw four rods all gathered around the rocks at the bottom of the rope and the swells crashing right into the backs so the options were limited.


So I decided on a spot on a nice grassy bank inbetween Iron Springs and Green Springs, which gave us a height advantage over the swells and was really comfy safe fishing. A full on pendulum with good footing was possible and the baits were soon out into the deep black water past where the swells were breaking.

After about 3 casts I was stood rod in hand nattering to Steve when the rod was nearly pulled from my hand, fish on ! I managed to surf it in on the big swells to the rocks below where Steve then waited for between sets and dashed down and got the fish for me.

5LB 4oz it took Steves digital scales to.




The tide was quickly easing as it neared top and we had no more action from that spot. The four other lads had called it a day so we decided to go and have an hour into the hole of Iron Springs for the early ebb.
First couple of casts each resulted in nothing. I said to Steve, I m going to blob a big bait just past the white water into the deep hole but not far out. I whipped together a bait of 2 big pieces of art 3 or 4 worms half an unwashed squid and 4 big mussels. That baits was blobbed out about 40 yards. I didn t have to wait long before I got another really positive bite again slamming the rod tip down. The Sonik sk4 and 35lb mono still giving a good indication. It was nice to be back to basics using 'proper' rock tackle, of late I ve been favouring braid but it was just too heavy today and it was great having a change.
Again the swells helped get fish number 2 into the rocks below where I was fishing and it was soon lifted up and safely onto a rock. This one almost identical to the first with a slightly smaller head, going 4lb 12oz.

It was getting dark and we decided on one last cast before a move to Stoupe beck in Robinhoods Bay. Nothing to the last cast so gear packed and the lung bursting haul was thankfully soon over and we were back at the van

Stoupe Beck.....well not a lot to say other than Steve missed a few really good bites ? I think he needs some hooks on his rigs  Although he did have a mini moplet codling, so one more for him in the challenge 



As we reached low water I wandered onto one of the outer scars and readied another big cart and worm bait. I gently swung the lead out, pulled the rod back turned into the cast and then hit it late....CRAAAAACK !!!! True to form another Sonik bites the dust, top foot of the tip snapped....lol......what a load of sh!!te they are ! Thin wall feel fragile and guess what ? They are ! 

Oh well despite enjoying using it of late I won t be buying another one !

So that was just the signal we both needed, 9 hours hard fishing with only 2 cod and 1 micro cod to show for it....but great to be back in two of my favourite venues and another grin just for poleyyy....



Thanks for reading and tightlines. 

River Humber 09/11/11

After a few hard days at work I was ready to get out and have a go in the river, I was going to head over the bridge to Stallingborough for a go as it's years since I ve fished that side but I just couldn t be arsed to drive all that way. A few texts from Sos Steve and the decision was made , we would have a little stroll and fish the North bank instead. A nice fresh south East wind and a decent sized tide there must be a fish to be snaffled .
A couple of mates had gone fish chasing yesterday down at Paull and reported that despite a lot of rods not much had come out, I think a 7lb and a 3lb to all those rods, so I don t think cod fever has hit the river yet !

Anyway after our stroll we set up on the muddy rocks with the tide about an hour and a half into the flood and the wind not too bad but definitely pushing straight into our faces, just as I like it on the north side of the river.

Baits were big baits of unwashed squid,crab and lug (Thanks Graham for sorting me out with some last minute worms, Hull Angling Centre.)
Rigs for me were pulley up n over with 3/0 Koike hooks to give plenty of hook point clear of the big baits.

First chuck and a good sized whithog came in and on the next and the next...lol Oh dear it wasn't going to be whiting soup here as well was it ? I poured a cup of tea and wandered over to Steve for a natter. We were nattering about with the strong run you usually only saw the rod tip drop back as a fish lifted the lead and not any delicate bites. With that my right hand side rod stood up to attention as if on command..lol .
I went hopping and skipping across the mud and rocks and picked up the rod and was soon in contact with a fish , nodding away on the end. After a short but spirited scrap the fish was at the foot of the rocks and Steve gilled it nicely for me  .

I quickly re- baited and re-cast back out and then had a couple of pics taken and set about sorting out my rig and bait. As I glanced up the same rod dropped back again ! I lifted the rod and again wound down into another good fish, this one pulled the rod right over.As I wound the fish in against the strong tide The line from my other rod was across the one with the fish on and a clump of weed had also joined in to make things difficult and as the fish neared being number two on the bank, all went slack ! I found out that the hook had straightened ! Bugger a good fish lost !
After that though despite trying as hard as we could all went very quiet and we got little else right up to top of tide, so we made the decision to dash to Paull for a few hours of the ebb. It was a pointless dash though as we only managed a few whitings.
Still at least I got one and there is always tomorrow  .

The fish I did manage to land , weighed straight away went exactly 6lb.

A day of two marks.

I ve had a few pm's asking about rock angling, I m certainly no expert but do enjoy my rock angling, so I ve put this little report together so that a few people who have asked the questions can have an idea of a day out on the rocks. Remember though if you don't now the marks always go with someone who does, they can be very dangerous places in the heavy sea that some of the marks need to fish.

1st mark.
After a disappointing match in the Hornsea struggling to find one of the few elusive codlings that appear to be very thin on the ground on the beaches at the moment, I got the chance to take the day off on Tuesday to do a few jobs but also snatch some fishing as well.
I know the beaches were not very nice with the big South Easterly swell but my hopes of a few fish from the rock marks were high as I knew there would be plenty of colour at some of the marks.
I considered Robinhoods Bay for the evening ebb but it is a bit of hike from Hornsea up there for only a couple of hours fishing and in the past at this time of year it can be hit and miss with some of the marks being full of weed and building tides as well.

So my mind was made up first few hours in Cloughton Wyke and if the fish showed then I might stay there, if nothing then dash back to Flamborough. I guessed that Bempton would be busy with Filey club night and I m trying to learn a bit more about the Flamborough marks as well for future reference.

For those who don't know Cloughton Wyke this is what it looks like looking across from Saltpans (old picture)( the mark to the North side of the Wyke)


Cloughton when I arrived looked superb a very heavy swell steaming in onto Saltpans and then washing round the back of the Wyke, colour as thick as guts in there , would the weed be there or not ? Only one way to find out , so I scrambled down the short rope and into the back of the Wyke. It's so good to be back rock hopping this season after my cut short rock season last year, so I carefully picked my way around the side of the Wyke. It was tricky getting round to a spot nown as big rock because the swells were washng well up the rocks and so for safety sake I kept well up the rocks. Eventually I got to the spot I wanted to try and got the bait on, just as a huge swell broke over the rocks about 30 yds in front of me sending a huge wall of spray right up over the top of me ! I wasn't in any wash or danger but got a right soaking to start the session off  . The sting of the swell when in that direction is taken out by the big scar on the south tip of the Wyke, unlike North or North West swells that thunder straight into the Wyke and can mean over high you can't even go down and have to fish off the liff tops.

First cast and I was soon into a good thumping bite, lifted into the fish and felt the weight of the fish but then nothing, it let go. So another bait was readied, half an unwashed squid, a big piece of cart and four or five mussels and a big slap black was whipped into a bait the size of your fist. No messing about with little baits in the heavy sea, I wanted a bit scent trail to wash about in the heavy swells with plenty for the fish to home in on. Gear I was using was an AFAW Rock rod with a Penn 525 loaded with 30lb Daiwa Sensor fished straight through with no leader as you don't need to cast more than a blob into the middle of the wyke with an overhead lob, no big swing pendulum casts needed in the backs of the Wyke !

My rigs were single hook Mustad Viking uptiders in size 6/0 a big strong hook with a wide gape so that I could strap plenty of bait on but still have a good hook point clear of the bait. The rigs a just about as simple as you could get, my preference being a two foot length of 80lb rig body joined by back to back grinners to 40lb amnesia hook snood a swivel and a hook, a very simple pulley rig.

So next cast was blobbed out to the same spot and after a short wait and a move higher up into the backs away from the advancing flooding tide and swells and it wasn t long before the rod tip was nodding again, I decided to leave this bite to develope, but it never came back.

That was about it for Cloughton, next cast resulted in a rockling, which for me is the kiss of death, if they are about you rarely find any codlings in the same spot. So I picked my way across the huge rocks in the Wyke back to the rope and up the short cliff, I was chugging a bit by the time I got to the top of the rope and steps but it is always a nice feeling to be out there working at your fishing.

2nd mark.
The plan was to dash back to Flamborough and fish one of the Southern marks for the ebb, when I arrived, the spot I wanted to go on was already occupied and another lad was walking off having had nothing and so he had decided to head up to Bempton. He had fished daylight and I new that despite the thick colour night time could make all the difference. Is it because the fish are creatures of habit in that they visit the inside every night whatever the colour and so even with thick colour in daytime some won't come inside until they now it is dark ? Who nows but my confidence was high again as the sea had a nice reasonably clean sth east swell rolling in and the water was thick colour again  .

No secrets with the spot I decided to fish, it was at Flamborough  . A nice cliff top perch giving shots into tide or into the backs for a fish out of the tangles. First cast was out into tide and was again a good sized bait of cart and mussel and worm. Nothing from that cast but it was still just daylight. Next cast and seeing as the colour was thick and the ebb only just pushing through I decided to drop short so blobbed the cast out about 40-50 yds. Soon the tip was showing a delicate bite and I lifted up into a fish. The fish pulled hard a couple of times and so was a reasonable fish I guessed by how it was banging the tip down. Then all went light fish gone ! I wound in and re-baited and blobbed back out into the same spot.

This venue I had decided to opt for braid on a fixed spool as there was a fresh cross front wind blowing and so I new the reduced diameter of the braid would help reduce being dragged sideways into snags, rodwise, nothing special really, a 14ft AFAW Big Beach that I ve re-built for fixed spool. So much nicer to fish with than the 'Long Rods' like the Affinity or Red Metal, it is easy to cast and you still wind it up and smash it without it folding on you, if you want to. For anyone thinking about changing from a 13ft multi set up to fixed spool and braid and you have a reasonable cast, before you go for a 16ft 'laggy band' rod give a 14ft Big Beach a go 

Next cast I didn't have to wait long before the tip was nodding, I let the bite develope this time until I got three or four really firm pulls down on the tip and lifted up gently into a fish, I don't like to 'strike' when on braid , more just lift into the fish so that I don't rip the hook from the fishes mouth with the harshness of the braid you really do have to adjust your fishing style. This fish was well on and gave a few good pulls. I got it to the foot of the cliff and then all went light ! Oh no not again ?  But no it must have just been the swells lifting the fish because the weight then came back, The rod was well hooped over as I wound it up the cliff but the power in the mid section of the BiG Beach came into play and so soon I swung a nice fish over the cliff edge onto the deck. A nice plump codling of just over 5lb (when later weighed at home).



I had a couple more casts but the fish had moved on and with the big tide it was emptying out rapidly in front of the spot so I decided that I d had enough and headed for home.

At least it was one more codling to the winter tally, only 6 since September , so I m down on last year but the stamp of fish has been better for me this year so far and I m deliberately staying away from the high cliffs at Bempton so I can develope my Flamborough fishing. 

There you go plenty to think about for those who fancy a dabble on the rock, but stay safe and go with someone who nows what they are doing if you can, oh and let someone now where you are heading and when you will be back always a good idea.

Flamborough cod (late posting)

After a few weeks of summer conditions it was great to find out that the forecasters were right and a bit of sea was running today. Having been at work all day it was a dash home, quickly grab the gear and into the van to dash up to the marks around Flamborough.

The sea wasn't as big as I hoped when I got up there but was still nice and a good colour to it as well so hopes were high. I started off on a mark that is relatively shallow with a good runner along a scaur. It was nice to be keeping things simple with a 13ft rock rod, 535 loaded with 35lb mono  and big baits on simple single hook rigs. No blasting to the horizon tonight. The first few casts didn't result in anything so my confidence in the mark started to wain. I knew I only had a very short window for fishing so it was decision time. I dashed back to the van and drove around to second spot I fancied. This time it was a deeper mark but with some good scaurs either side, I thought that it might give me the option of a cast a bit further for a tide fish or dropping short for whatever might be in the hole infront of the ledge I was on.

First cast, a huge bait made up cart, half an edible peeler and four or five mussels and a big welsh black, was blobbed out about 50 yards.
It was a lovely night with the spot to myself, I could see a couple of headlights in the distance on the high cliffs at Bemmo and had chatted to a mate up there, he was getting nowt but another lad was into a few. The bait had only been out about 10 mins when the tip started to nod away. I lifted up and felt the weight of a fish and started winding in, then all went light....bugger it had come off.

Still at least there was a fish in front of me. So another huge bait was clipped on and lobbed out to the same spot. This time I had a longer wait but then I got three firm tugs on my string and then the rod tip pulled over ! This one was definitely on and was giving a good account of itself, even on the thick mono it was pulling and I suppose the swells always make em feel bigger than they end up. Getting it up the cliff was a bit of a tussle but after a struggle I got it up and a nice fresh run fish flopped onto the ledge.

I was on my own so took a quick shot of it next to my bait flask to give it some scale.


Another bait was readied and put out to the same area and after about 10 mins the tip was nodding away again, but again I lost it as soon as I lifted into the fish...double bugger !

I only had time for one more cast and that was time for the session so another bait was put out as I gathered my gear together, I think I was losing tide by this time and no bite came to the last cast.

Back home the fish has gone just over 5lb so I m happy with the quick short hit on the cliffs and one more to the winter tally.



Roll on the next good Northerly. 

Some fish from the last two sessions on the syndicate lake.

I ve managed to do a couple of sessions on the lake in the last two weeks and have had three 20lb + fish, biggest being 26lb 8oz.

    26lb 8oz (left side)

    26lb 8oz (right side)

Still a few weeks of carp fishing left for me before the sea season kicks off so it will be a full on effort to try and catch the big one in the lake.....we'll see, if not there is always next year.

Quick overnighters.

The big lady ‘Peggy’ has still not graced the banks for a second time this year and so she must be ready for another good feed and hopefully if I can squeeze in enough hours of short sharp overnighters then I might just get lucky .

Thursday.

The skies were very heavy and the air thick which meant the majority of the lake’s fish were cruising around on the surface gulping in air and they seemed to be spread all over the lake. I opted for swim 9 near to the over hanging bush where I had baited heavily with pellets, boilies and maggots, two days before.I was hoping the fish might re visit that spot in search of more bait.

The gear was soon up and rigs readied just as the heavens opened, it proper poured it down to the point where the sand from the banks was washing out across the lake causing a huge slick. The fish continued to show crashing out in various spots so my hopes stayed high and at least the evenings, unlike the days so I was settled in for a good session.

I cast a PVA bag across to where a fish crashed in front of the reeds in between swims 1 and 2 with the intention of leaving that bait in place until just before dark and then moving it to just in front of the bush to the left of the swim I was in. I sprinkled a bit of bait into both left and right hand side margins and the rigs attached were snowman style bottom baits in a pva bag with just liquid in.

The right hand rod was flicked under arm to just off the over hanging bush branches. As the rain had a break I wound in the left hand rod and re baited with a small liquid bag and paste wrapped boilie which was then flicked in front of the left hand bush, I was able to walk the line back to the buzzers making sure the line was laid nicely along the margin.

As the rain finally stopped and the last rays of the evening sun began to shine the Delkims had remained silent so with a last check all was working ok I got settled into the sleeping bag for some shut-eye.

12.30 am and the left hand rod was away, a nice steady run out into the middle of the lake, after a short scrap a plump little common of 10lbs was soon unhooked and away again. Back to bed and a quiet night after that with no more runs. Come the morning and the quick dash to break everything down and get off to work and it was clear that the fish were showing in numbers at the shallow end of the lake.

I’m just starting to think that despite the wind direction air pressure seems to be the deciding factor on this lake as to where the fish will be showing or more importantly, feeding. The heavy thick air of the past two sessions has shown the fish moving about all over the lake but only crashing out in the shallow ends. Is this because they are feeding in the silty shallow areas and not the deeper water due to the heavy air pressure?

I put in a good helping of bait into the corner swim at the shallow end where I had been watching fish crash whilst having my morning wake up of coffee. I do really like these short sharp sessions between work, it breaks up the working week and means I m not sat for hours and hours on end getting bored on the bank.

Friday.

The brolly and over wrap were hung over the van at work, much to the amusement of my colleagues, who are all convinced that I have well and truly lost the plot, they just don’t understand how I can go fishing between shifts !

Anyway back at the lake and a much nicer evening greeted me than the one before. The lake was like a mirror and the evening sunshine was very pleasant, there was no wind and no where near as humid as the past few days. The fish were still mooching about at the Northern shallower end of the lake and so I decided to drop into where I had put some bait in that morning. Rods were soon out, one out onto the middle bar where a few fish were showing. The second was gently swung into the right hand side margin. The plan again was to fish one rod to showing fish before dark and then both rods with pva bags to the margins either side of the swim.

My nightmare tufted ducks were waiting in the wings (pardon the pun), ready to Hoover up any bait they might find and boy can they find the bait !

Night time was soon drawing in and baits and freebies all in place, the second nights sleep always comes easier than the first and it wasn’t long before I was away dreaming of the moment ‘Peggy’ picks up my bait and gives the fight of her life before she submits and glides into the net! With a start the buzzer woke me from my dreams, it was the right hand rod from the margin spot in the corner that was away. The fish took a good run right across the front of the swim and round into the left hand margin. Finally after much thrashing about the fish was netted. Not Peggy but a powerful lean looking mirror that went to 18lb 8oz. I looked at my watch and was surprised to see that it was 01.25am and I’d already had about four and a half hours un-interrupted sleep!

I was soon back over dreaming when the left hand rod was away. It was actually 04.30am and I’d had another 3 hours sleep, it only seemed like minutes though not hours. This time the fish was a lovely looking golden coloured ghost leather carp. Not a single scale on its body, a very pretty creature indeed. I’ve not caught a carp like that before and it was a real shame that there was nobody else on the lake to take a photograph for me and there was no way I was going to telephone home and wake Kim up to come down to do the honours, not on a low double sized fish, more than my life was worth !

So two fish, still not the one I’m after but better than a blank I suppose , or is it ? Should I really be hoping for no runs at all ‘Peggy’ takes the bait as everytime a smaller fish takes the bait I m missing out on the big girl. Could it be she was there feeding near the more confident smaller fish  ? Afterall when the fish were spawning I did see her cruising around the margins with four or five smaller fish at her side, but that was at spawning time.

Not to worry the quest will continue, one more night tonight before the last shift at work and then some rest from both work and fishing.