OVER. Its back!
One or two of you out there may have noticed the website was down for a couple of days but I doubt anyone really got a case of cold sweats while unable too look at it but hey its back. Was a simple fix but simply didnt have time Tues evening too sort as was sorting stuff & getting ready for an early start and travel down too Plymouth for the Funeral of former boat skipper (Lady of the Lake) John Barrow who died at the end of last month.
I would be remiss If I didnt say a few words here and although nothing too do with recent catch reports he had been involved in portions of info for the reports in the past and more importantly not only a damned good friend too myself but also too my wife and 3 now adult children.

John as many may know owned and ran the big white charter boat in the marina. Lady of the Lake is no doubt a familiar memory sat at its berth for many having been there since 2003 until recently the boat moved too Shoreham under a new skipper(Jamie Paige) and underwent a full overhaul and refit. Lady of the lake and skipper details can still be found still on the charter boat list on this website and can be found—>>
—->>> HERE<<
I have known John 26 year as a skipper, friend, and family friend, he genuinely enjoyed taking my youngest son out fishing quite regularly and often remarked how “JNR” would be the 1st too catch.
Not seeing Lady of the lake in the marina when it moved was a strange sensation almost like a brain niggle that something was missing as indeed it was. For a Month now that he is not with me that feeling remains but now not because of the boat but because of the loss of John.

The funeral on Wednesday I guess was a straight forwards affair, but I think like many funerals felt like it was lasting forever and as many started cracking I simply wanted too bolt and hide from it all and perhaps pretend this wasnt real. Im grateful too Johns family for allowing and welcoming us there to mourn and remember John even though it still has an unreal feel in my head and I suspect that for some years too come I will continue too look over too the former berth of lady of the lake and remember the man he was.
A husband, father and Grandfather first, but also, a boat skipper and long time friend who will be missed by so so many but also leaves lasting and life long memories for all those that knew him and called him friend and more.
The wake was a remembrance and celebration of the man that was and is John Barrow and in its own strange way will stay with me a damned long time and also for those that were there, it perhaps, will be remembered for 2 other things alongside John…. RUM and a GUITAR, which perhaps is somewhat apt and Im damned sure the big man would have found it funny !
There & back, 550+ miles in 2 days was knackering but had too be done,
Good night John, sleep well my friend, sleep well.

And so we come back too the website, fixed and up & running in 10 mins and in a strange way covered a life time.

Now, for those starved of marina news I guess I should dig back too Sunday just gone especially as there is actually something too report on. I will steal some piccys from facebook in a day or two but brain cells are still trying too catch the rest of my body up.
As many will know the inshore fishing and more directly on the marina has been bloody dire and seemed for a while almost fishless but I think regular John H singlehandedly perhaps has signalled an end too the crap fishing as he managed (with a bit of help) too land a PB for him with a 21+lb conger and followed that up with 2 quality looking sole that were larger than the average sole caught on the wall and yes I will get the pics up on the galleries in a day or 2.

Now 3 big fish in a day of struggling on a wall may be unusual but most will think yea, but what else ? well tbh not a lot BUT coz we all know there is always a but(with me anyway) so… BUT, Monday on the wall started too show something else even if the weather and more directly the winds have caused a few issues at the weeks beginning.. but,… there was less crab interference even if a few were still being pulled out on lines hanging onto baits there genuinely seemed like less and the brain was thinking well, if the crabs have been a pest too use could they have been an issue for some types of fish ? the bottom feeders surely must have been having issues with them carpeting the ground so logic says , surely if less crabs , perhaps the likes of Bream & Wrasse may just, possibly, probably start too increase.. wouldnt it ?

Tuesday I stayed at home sorting a few things but Mark had rung asking if I had any black lug as people were asking for baits.. hmmmm a fish response maybe ? but didn’t have time or thought for the time being.

And so, short cutting the long way around while waffling I did go down too the marina yesterday after a few hrs on the sofa too recover from the long haul back from the Plymouth area yesterday early morning.
I was greeted by Ali on the start of the west wall and promptly asked have I got any worm .. ! erm ok Hi!
Nope sorry no worm why says I. Bream, Bream man I need some worms ! ah erm squid works says I aannnnd sooo, I got some news from the west wall.

While things have been quite windy making the walls a bit lumpy the crabs were indeed thinning out and the Bream were getting active, at some times very active. Now Ali isn’t one too exaggerate , well not with me anyway and I regard his catch info reliable so dug a bit deeper and indeed Bream over the last 2-3 days have got very active, especially during the days high tides with quite a few decent sized one easy big enough too keep.

When I got down there it was still quite choppy with coloured water on the west and closing on low tide but looked very bassy and on chatting too the few anglers that were there dodging some quite large water spouts there had indeed been quite a few bream catches on the main wall.
The weather wasn’t playing very nice as the forecast had indicated the windy conditions should be easing by 6pm but that wind was definitely over the forecast of 14-20 and nearer like 18-20 constant still and with the low tide now passed it was looking like the extension would stay shut if the wind held.

By 8.30pm it was still quite lumpy and I was heading for home as the light was rapidly dropping but by time I was heading up the hill home it clearly eased.. I can now hear in the background (in my head) fek the wind what about them fish.
Hmmmm them fish, Thursday on the east wall early evening was choppy and somewhat quiet and I cant big up how by then it was the quietness on the fishy front, I don’t know about earlier but by 7pm the east was lacking many anglers and lacking fish also.
So were the fish reports a dream ? well no but also bear in mind that conditions.
Thurs late afternoon were very poor and the tide was dropping fast but no one had mentioned crabs other than myself ! fluke? co-incidence ? or a sign that the crabs were actually clearing out or cleared out.

Ali, for the last 2 weeks had been saying how dead it was even the burst of days that had a few mackies and horse mac seemed a thing of memory so this was unusual him suddenly asking for bait and only talking about how many bream had been caught.
ok it is easy too big up 2-5 fish but 20-30 keepers ? he isn’t one for stretching truths like Eddie & Dave could and so I feel that this is reliable and the Bream are indeed here too play and we now get a clearish patch of weather that should make things clearer.
No mention of mackerel yesterday nor Wrasse, yes there was a Bass or two and now those that look too the book of face in particularly this morning on the marina group will know that there were indeed plenty of MACKEREL of the horse variety over night. hopefully Ali can give me an update later when I go down.

It is starting too look up & Im very aware of the old saying that 1 swallow doesnt mean summer is here but, sod the swallow Im gonna take gulps as it actually feels like them crabs have finally done one and the fish can come back too the wall and feed on all them lovely worms that the shop and other bait suppliers will now be able too pass along So in summing up Ali tells me the Bream on Tues Wed were caught in good numbers , less so Wednesday but conditions were poor and them horsies arrived yesterday too play in numbers and I fill confident that the crappiest month I have ever known in 26 years of walking up and down them marina walls may, just maybe finally behind us, so I say, thank fcuk them bliddy crabs are/have fekked orf

Yes todays blog is long winded but tbh I had a few things I wanted too get said and for me needed too be said and I know we gave John a sending off that he would have loved.
And so for today I get too stop inflicting my waffling on everyone although yaz all got lucky coz I could have honestly waffled much longer about the passing of a friend but for today those stories and events will stay in my head swirling around mixing joy and sadness until only the memories of joy remain. 🙂
Thats it folks for today(aint you so lucky eh) I will be on the wall later so if ya see me say hi If you aint… I wont;)
And so I will close ( i promise) today by simply saying
Until the next one, I bid you all ADIEU
F