Now, considering some of the more recent blog posts it would be easy too think on reading the heading that someone is in trouble or about too get a public blasting but today is not such a case.
The title is more a bit of irony, Mark (the boss) has just started a holiday and with this year so prominently standing out as such a poor year for showing fish this year there is a touch of Irony that the daytime fishing has finally and properly come alive and so, where the cat could be mark the mice are not the the wardens but more the fish.
Cat away and the mice came out too play.
Now If ya think I’m going a little bonkers and don’t quite understand English humour or even my weird humour I will but it another way for everyone.
Shit year so far for daytime fishing. Night fishing has been on the increase for a week or so but the daytime on occasion has been truly awful and very hard work.
And so, Mark gears up for a holiday and the out too sea shoals of mackerel start too get a bit closer day by day tempting us all and frustrating everyone that they are just out of reach.
Mark travels and boom we get a long afternoon of small mackerel shoals buzzing both walls fairly much from mid day onwards until sunset.
Now while not huge shoals them there fish were in decent numbers on the west for everyone too catch their fill perhaps for the first day this year and they have also returned on todays morning high tide.
Like last weekend I did stay on the west into darkness hours, part monitoring arrivals part doing what wardens do re keeping an eye on anglers and the fishing reminding anglers of wall policy that has over time slackened off too the point that we were reminded what was expected by way of wall management and angler behaviour.
Yesterday evening was a dropping tide with the high tide close too 6pm so we had a fair few arrive for the high tide and the news of Mackerel during the day had been on the “jungle telegraph” so as too speak and there was a good number on the wall joining in with the mackerel collection!.
I am pleased too say that this Friday was vastly different from the issues highlighted last week culminating in what I will refer too as “that picture” that was met by quite a large response that I hope the wardens collectively are responding too and with a little bit of reminding, a little bit of encouraging and very occasionally telling it straight anglers are responding in a positive manner on the wall.
Late afternoon into early evening the mackerel were still active some hours after the high tide and it was clear that similar was happening on the east with small shoals of fish buzzing up and down close too the bend of the wall.
Now I hate too be a dumper on good news re the changes but as expected not everyone has got the message that wardens are chasing anglers too bag and box their catches as they go. Over on the east as the session was swinging towards the sunset one of our regulars when leaving did take the time too remind a small group of teens fishing too bag their fish up and dispatch them as they go.
Sadly the advice was ignored and I know he reads the bloke so I will publicly say now. While most of mine and other wardens focus is on the west night activity it also applies during the day that anglers are expected and should treat catches with more respect and care.
The wardens do indeed actively pick up anglers on this but the east sometimes doesnt get the focus as much as the west wall does part due too warden times/ tides/focus and numbers in particular if there is only one warden about their focus can sometimes get drawn too the wall of most potential issues.
With silly season now upon us there will be a greater focus on fish care as it is a large area of public focus and it is very easy for anglers too get carried away feathering in the fear of the fish vanishing before they get their fill what ever that may be. Today (saturday) there is a duty warden on both walls and if needed they will remind anglers they are expected too sort the fish as they go.
Back to the fishing last night as dusk arrived the tide had tuned and Mackerel continued while having some horse mac mixed into the catches as well as a shad or two. Now Shad are a protected fish and should be returned but we do get quite a few who don’t realise what type of fish this is and so using my brains workings they can be described as looking a bit like large herring.
Often mistaken at first for bass and even Mullet they have quite large scales that can be finger nail size and shape and the fish overall silvery similar too bass or as said an over sized type of herring. These scales come of ((shed)very easily so should be handled with a lot of care, gloves or a damp/wet cloth do reduce scales being lost. Shad as facially similar too thick lipped mullet and the lower jaw has a ridge that looks a bit like a mini bird beak. While often around 40cm these fish are quite delicate and prone too dying if simply chucked over the side when returning them. Please handle with care and if you can get one use a net too return the fish down the “V’s”. Take your time once the net is in the water and WAIT for the fish too recover. Often what seems like a dead fish can and will recover in the net allowing the fish too stay safe from the current and recover.
I say take your time because I assisted with a return on the east a couple of years back and after 10 mins in the water was convinced it wouldn’t make it. credit too the angler as they stuck at it and after 20 mins the fish was showing signs of recovery and against all the odds the Shad did indeed swim of strongly after near 30 mins inside a drop net recovering in the water down the “V” of the east wall. Stick with it, it can feel very rewarding as they swim off.
As the mostly Mackerel catches on the west faded into Mostly Horse Mackerel here and there a Bass was caught. most in the 45-55cm range and I can confirm at least 3 caught before 10pm.
I will catch up with Ali later too get some night catch info later.
This mornings warden tells me the west was busy when he arrived somewhen about 5.30 with a mix on new and night anglers and Mackerel had put in an early show on both walls. Are they still coming out as I type this at 12.30 ? dunno, I guess I will find out later.
Final topic today, how did it go on the west last night while I was there.
Well, Im happy too say visually things were very different. Plenty of fish and in general all being bagged or boxed mostly as people went with only an occasional reminder in daylight.
Would it continue into the darkness ?
Well, yes it did I’m pleased too say and I didnt here of any erm shall we call it “shit show” from the morning dudes as they took over from the night so it looks like the message on fish care is getting over with anglers.
Light levels on the wall were massively different from last Friday I am pleased too say. A few underwater lights in use all on smaller power packs or small battery packs and not a car battery too be seen or carted off the wall unwanted. At about 10pm after the east wall had been shut for the night I did a walk through checking on anglers but also checking the various lights in use, lights needing a filter were dealt with and the difference was huge indeed.
No over sized spot lights glaring over the wall and minimal lighting near peoples kits, anti glare filters sorted on lights and all of a sudden the light levels from the wall was mostly tip lights . Another benefit of the low light levels was in the general overall noise coming off the walls anglers. Subdued chats meant anyone guessing at numbers on the wall would have been hard pressed too guess as the sound level was very low.
One other difference some fishing may have noticed last night, we are now closing the main gate at 9ish and only allowing anglers onto the wall. General walkers will be stopped at the gate once dark. This is a safety reasoning that will benefit anglers.
Often in the past, once dark, we would get walkers on the upper level ignoring the requests too stay on the upper level away from anglers swinging rods and hooks in the dark who would then venture carelessly onto the lower fishing level putting themselves and other anglers needlessly at risk. Once dark it is much harder for wardens too monitor numbers and maintain a level of safety for all.
Anglers can still come and go, but once settled on the wall should try and reduce their off wall visits and entry will be via the night warden after 9pm.
Thats it for today, I will again be on the wall late afternoon into some of the night and until the next post i will as usual bid you all ADIEU
F
