Wet, wet, wet!

[Malc]

Out in mild drizzle and the river was pancake flat.

The north sea wasn't, wind over tide meant a bit of a chop. The rough ground seemed empty even though there was plenty of surface action and guillimots in rafts of 10-20. I was using a flying collar with a small shad on the end which didn't get anything and eventually I changed to a lighter rod and single SG sandeel as my friends were getting a few fish. I got a few rattles on the drop from mackerel but no solid takes until I was reeling in to try and pass the net over when I was hit in mid water by a decent pollock which was returned, I then just dropped to the bottom and started a slow retrieve and got smashed again by a bigger pollock. 

(Not mine but that was the general size we were getting)

When it was quiet I decided to drop the lure to the bottom and have retrieve a couple of metres and then open the bail to free fall it back to the bottom as it sometimes provokes a fish, and eventually it did and I got my first codling of the day. 

Not a fast and furious day but fun and fish for all and the smoker is about to go on the stove top so we can have some smoked mackerel pate tomorrow. 

[daio web]

great report  bud good pics 🐳

[Malc]

First batch of smoked mackerel 

[Andy135]

Nice work. It's often the way that flat conditions which promise much makes for hard fishing. Glad you got there in the end though, and a hopping eel did the business for that codling. Good thinking 👍

[Malc]

1 hour ago, Andy135 said:

Nice work. It's often the way that flat conditions which promise much makes for hard fishing. Glad you got there in the end though, and a hopping eel did the business for that codling. Good thinking 👍

The 2 codling we took were full of crabs and tiny 2-3" sandeel and its sometimes hard to get their attention if they have a lot of other foods that are easily available. Just a day of trying other methods and seeing what happens I suppose.