Yea ya know who you are but im in a fairly decent mood so I wont be naming ya 🙂 But, I must admit If I had read the blog and facebook posts I also would have thought … oh heck WTF will todays post be like if someone eFF’s up over night so, lets get at it.
First a quick round up…
Im not sure (without reading back on blogs) If I have mentioned Red Mullet, aka Goat fish this year but we are starting too see an occasional one caught. yesterday wall regular Chris posted his most recent visit too the east that included one of which most regular may be thinking it is a bit unusual as most reported are catches on the west extension. It would be nice too think that they are locally starting too spread their range and numbers as in 26 years or so I have only know of a couple on the high bays east side and yesterdays was near mid wall, perhaps a sign of recovery, lets hope so.
Also reported by Chris a couple of Wrasse some Bream again numbers seem too be spreading over the east sands and a blenny which is not bad going for the current level of catching during these stupidly hot summer days.
Again I can add too the species list of catches some decent sized Mullet have been caught which seem too me a bit slow starting this year. We do have a few regulars who actively target Mullet & it’s always good too hear they are being caught as they do seem a little elusive this year.

As i looked through a few Facebook posts today I see a bit of Irony that had me chuckle as Mullet Dave was indeed out there hunting Mullet and managed too land himself (ON BREAD) a decent size erm … BASS 😂😂
Now I know there will be a few reader waiting on news of Mackerel. I do indeed have some news, most will be aware by now that there is a very big change in the stock numbers this year and many of the usual early reports through July & even June simply havnt been there. The mackerel this year seem not only late but in much lower numbers so the news on this species is cautious but we ware starting too get some small shoals much closer too the walls.
Please be aware estimating when they will be there is as tricky as F***. They flit in and out some tides so fast you can blink and they have gone again. if you want too improve your chances I would say first thing in the morning is a stronger bet than late evening at the moment , yes that may change and the shoal may build and get stronger.
Time wise as an example Id say be at your venue from early light IE 4.30 ish you may get a few lingering horse mackerel in the twilight of dawn but those rapidly clear out too deeper water and can be replaced by the early run of small shoals. It isnt a guarantee but if I was after the buggers that would be my choice of when to go.
Late evening is your second stand bye on the marina, elsewhere it may be a different pattern and these fish atm are a bit unreliable. Yesterday evening a small shoal was spotted off the west but it never made the jump in as so anglers had too wait until the light dropped and then a steady increase of horse mac happened.
Below todays rambling post I will post up my fb report on how things went last night on the west so bear with me a bit longer, im nearly done here.

In general some things are trying too get back too what most call normal re fishing but we do still have a large amount of spider crabs on the west with many still peeling, if they are your target IFCA guidelines are if keeping they need too be 12cm across the shell and 20 may be retained per collector. Friday the IFCA officers did a visit on the wall and chatted too many anglers giving advice and checking catches so please stick too the rules as the only ones that lose out will be the wall users and the venue itself.
bass still continue their tick over being mostly caught at night on the west. There are still congers active on the walls and most active it seems atm are Bream (day and nightime) and horse mac. I have seen a few plaice but most are at distance and quite skinny with probably the end of next month usually better for them. recently some very decent sole have also been caught but one clear missing atm is Flounder. We dont get many and most tend too be a day or so after decent levels of rain.

other species over the last couple of weeks have included, blennies & gobies, scorpion fish seem very absent, we are seeing Ballion and Cork wing Wrasse numbers slowly climb also. Absent it seems are rays of any type atm and the squid still remain in deeper waters although now and again some cuttle get caught when the water is seemingly flat calm and not running a hard tide.

A newer arrival (in numbers at least) is GAR FISH. Friday morning saw a strong run of them on the west for sure, unsure if the east got a glimpse but there were as I understand it quiet a few decent ones caught. Oddly the mackerel that Gar usually travel with were missing and they arrived as a shoal on their own.

I think I have fairly well covered most things happening over the last few days with the obvious omission of how things went on the wall last night after various shall we say , social media postings.!
For me it is easier too simply copy over from the book of face my pre sleep post regarding myself helping out on the west last night of which was super busy & we actually needed too close the gate for a big chunk of the night as we rapidly reached capacity.
judge for yourself …
–>>

Well look at me posting at 3.30am.

As promised i spent a very large chunk of this evening on the west wall.

Mark Robinson and then Phil aka pieman took over from mark doing tickets.

From 5pm i manned the gate and had a chat with everyone coming onto the wall to fish.

Clear instuction to bag as they go if and when horse mac arrived.

Further advise on lights used on the wall. Headlamps filtered

Now white light on front wall aimed at water and all requested not to use car batteries.

Intermittent checks through the night saw 6 or 7 lights turned off and reminders not to bring car batteries

Im pleased to say that most complied happily once reasoning was explained.

As to the fish …

Things were quiet until about 8.30pm and sliwly horse mackerel showed up in most areas on and off slowly til midnight.

30 min lull then saw numbers pick up as we headded towards the high.

I personally did 3 full runs on the wall after 10 pm just to keep an eye on things and having a chat here n there. 2pm horse mackerel were still being caught.

We had closed the gate at 9.30 as wall was full and there were plenty arriving hoping too fish that we simply had to turn away or direct to the beaches .

By this time it was clear most on thevwall were there for the night and at least until or after the 2am high tide.

So. What happened to all them horse mac being caught ?

Im please to say that theyvwere not being left too flap on the wall and tonight the message had been recieved.

As i left i did a full run through and all fish were being sorted mostly into cool boxes and a few buckets

One bay only needed to be reminded and the dudevwas asked to put his rod down and sort the dozen or so fish which he did.

It may take a while for everyone too get the message and i realise tonightvwas just the start of that.

Tonight was a busy one with the wall filling fast !…

Time now for a kip

Well, that’s it for today, no doubt you can guess where I will be this evening 😉
and so, until the next one, I will Bid you all ADIEU
F