….. another dollar. yea ok I cba too think up a clever title that has some bearing on the post , but hey, shit happens , its only the depths that vary 😉
So whats been happening ?, for those in the know I can happily say the flipping QUAD behaved itself yesterday… thankfully. For those wondering what happened, well the quad should be renamed and called “Christine” because after Saturdays 2 incidents I swear it may be possessed.
I didn’t mention it yesterday as I was waffling on about the great British obsession of weather talk, but I swear the scooter is haunted or summat, thank fk its being given back hopefully as soon as tomorrow! On Saturday as I approached the east side gate I was greeted by the cafe’s two dogs with “Pepsi”(the black one” jumping up onto my lap hunting the dog biscuits I carry and so, a gentle roll too the gate & the mutt jumps off I take my hand off the accelerator/reverse lever and the scooter starts too slowly roll backwards!
The cafe owner’s quick thinking saw him stick his hands on the back of the seat to stop it as im thinking WTF perhaps the “free wheel” plunger on the scooter had worked loose hence the roll back. A swift check to realise it was fine but for some reason it haddnt applied brakes as it should when the motor is as such in neutral.
And thus having rolled back a bit I pushed the lever on scooter to go again forwards a little so I can get off and unlock the side gate… all well and good & smug me figured turn the thing off so it wont roll and then open the gate.
now at this point you just know something’s gonna happen dont ya.. unlike muggins here! Me, I go too turn the scooter off and succeed but did it turn off ? well yes followed by the biggest BUT/WTF in my life because the scooter gained a flipping life of its own and while turned off shot backwards, yes in revers but at the speed it goes forwards at full pelt… fooooookkkkkkkkkkkk get out the bloody way ppl this things gone mad. never ever has the scooter gone reverse at 8mph and trust me in fractions of seconds the freakin thing was firmly aiming at the cafe tables spooking the 2 people sat there, myself, the cafe owner and the lady in the cafe and anyone close by as I shouted warnings (or at least I think I did, hope I did) As this 5 seconds of absolute mayhem was happening and people scattering ive got my feet on the floor drying to stop the beast or at least slow the thing down while grabbing the brake lever.(yes its got a brake lever similar too a bike)
Im fairly sure it was the first time ever that I had grabbed the brake in earnest and as the scooter came too a halt I swear you could not only hear my heart thumping but could also see it hanging out of my gob..wtf, jebus creepus I think the scooter managed too shit about 10 people up in 2.5 seconds. After a rapid turning of the key on/off a few times I carefully let the brake go and the flipping thing thankfully stayed still. How did it happen ? fek knows but even the cafe owner said it was clearly off as he saw the power lights go off so even this morning I have no idea what happened. After that bit of fun I went onto the wall as normal and on way back looked at the ramp out & thought … well here goes and as normal went halfway up the ramp n let the lever go as normal aannnnnnd yep it slowly started rolling backwards & the bloody motor again kicked in at full throttle in revers… ooohhhhhh feeeeekkkk nooooo 2-3 seconds of panic as again I had too grab for the brake and stop “Christine” before it hit the wires on the “V” ! bloody hell why me ! Some dude on the upper level saw it happen and asked if I was ok etc and a bit shaken up parked the scooter on the ramp sideways on taking no chances as I got off & opened the gate too get off the wall. Do I trust the scooter ? no, do I keep using it , well yea little choice as I cant walk far without blowing my lungs but thank fek its finally going. What happened and how I have no idea and I swear the damn thing is cursed !
Why am I telling you all of this ? well tbh the fishing report is not exactly much worth reading.
Lovely clear water, quite miraculous for mid November . only a handful of people on the wall and the entire catch report is summed up in 2 words and no its not “fek all”, its ONE SQUID. I have no idea if anything else was caught but no doubt once it got dark the squid and possibly conger & sole got active as Mark again last minute(posted Sat evening) sorta thing set a 10pm close which is why at weekends in particular it is worth checking for last minute updates either here or facebook.
And with that I will sign off in the usual manner and thus, until the next one… I bid you all ADIEU
F
Author: drenai
My old friend
ive come too talk too you again😂😂😂
No, no, seriously I have ;), especially as I did skip a midweek report when I was down last 9maybe thurs)
So whats the fk is going on out there. bad weather ? not for anglers (overall) it isnt ! I don’t think I have ever seen such clear water of the east arm EVER. yesterday I was on the pper level at bay 74 , ya know, the end bit that no one has erm seen for a while and I couldn’t believe how clear the water was. i could see the bottom! granted it was a lowish tide and I was looking down from a fair height but never mid November have I seen such clear water. usually this time of year the wall has been closed as the algae has reached the unstoppable and it is pointless jet washing. fek as fast as you could jet wash the algae would be back on the next frost or spot of rain.
yes the weather is unusually mild, yes I realise we are about too get a cold snap but in the UK who can recal things so mild mid Nov ? defo not myself. Shining clear water, visible sea bed and sunshine that is actually warming you up, a rarity, for me its a welcome pleasure too be out in, do I worry about global warming ? in all honesty NO,
Im in the camp that records over 2-5 thousand years would be better checked and compared thn what changes have been in a mere 20 years. I believe that we get huge cycles far longer than most specialists care too admit and current changes are part of the normal bigger process. I have even seen some reports suggesting that the polar ice caps are starting too regenerate and are starting too reverse much of the recent “melts”. Now if that is by mankind’s/personkind/humanities deliberate design or not I don’t know but if specialists are out there saying its changing for the good again.
And thus I get too whats being caught before I add a new theory on why the fishing this year has been so crap and RE:-the lack of pilchards in supermarkets .
So yesterdays report is fairly consistent with the past few open days and a word or two on what part of the wall is open… or not.
lets start with what is open , when and why so readers will understand the conditions we have.
The EAST is as most know still open too fish when the weather allows us too have it open.
The west is closed until itt can be jet washed in the spring
This time of year it is pointless jet washing as the levels of algae combined with winter conditions mean that the algae returns faster than we can jet wash and thus the investment in time and effort is pointless.
The east is now restricted at bay 29 and the gates beyond are locked. Anglers are asked too stay off the upper sections of the wall unless specifically directed by a duty warden.
It is extremely unusual that we have part o the wall still open but hopefully we can keep it open for as long as practical and safe.
Shit fishing year theory
So, this year has for the 3rd year in a row had a no show of spring squid and also with that a no show on the run of spring mackerel that often happened for about 10 days in April.
Add too this the general lack of plaice inshore for 3-4 years and this year a no show inshore of spider crabs followed by a virtual collapse in mackerel stock. wtf is going on.
Morocco has had the worst 2 years that most can remember on the fishing front. Why mention North Africa, simple, I suspect by now many have noticed the sheer lack of tinned pilchards on shop shelves, well, Morocco is the biggest exporter too the UK and Europe for tinned pilchards and sardines. their fishing industry has been hit by the worst 2 years most can remember.
Now, it is easy too lay the blame on over fishing but that is only a part reason. In the UK it has been very clear that fishing in the channel has been getting worse for a few years but this year IMo has been the worst i have known on the marina. Yes guilthead bream seem too be re-establishing nests offshore but the fishing has been so poor that things cant be crap for just one reason. Climate, super trawlers, general over fishing, Tuna in the channel eating everything in sight. Increasing seal populations on fishing marks, yes they all have a part too say but, and here it comes, that BUT……
A recent theory I read makes far more sense too me than any other and it involves the entire food chain or chains in the sea !
Call it crazy, call it mad but it is based on science and official figure that probably warped by the counters but here goes.
Phyto plankton & plankton.
There it is, ok, ok, I will explain.
Most food chains in the oceans have a starting point of phyto Plankton or simply Plankton. we all know many whales feed on it but so too many many other species that then in turn get fed on in a bigger fish eats bigger fish process that is easy too understand.
now here is the kicker.
The bio mass of plankton and krill has in essence collapsed. The knock on is being seen in so many species. no food = no fish in the long run.
there is a lack of phyto plankton, plankton and various krill foods in the ocean. so bigger drop is crashing into other stocks and hammering hard.
The most plentiful food in the ocean is dying because of a lack of food and in turn so many other species are at low levels as they need and feed on these micro species.
The biggest feeders of plankton as many may guess is Whales and many Whale populations are now facing alarmingly low numbers. The food stuff for whales is vanishing as it is lacking food stuff and natures best food stuff just happens too be for the plankton… animal fertiliser, yup you are now guessing it… Whale shit.
No whales = no Whale shit = no Plankton, = a collapse in Whale numbers but just as important, all those species reliant on its main food source, plankton.
No I don’t have answers but if this collapse is true the oceans are going too change fast and it paints a grim picture !
So preaching done what the fek has been caught yesterday and/or this week.
Well first news , yes there are still squid, now we have northerlies the water has clamed and cleared and we are again blessed with some decent squid fishing . The bulk of which have been caught in the dark. temps are now dropping too proper winter levels so wrap up even if you have been in T- shirts all week.
Second news, we have been invaded by dogfish, they aint fussy and they are here and hungry. yesterday again saw a small gurnard but, it wasnt Bernard as this one was smaller and on a lower bay ;). next up Our favourite insult fish … ahhhhhhh sole of which a few are showing up in daylight but are very active still after dark. Whiting while not in plague numbers are here and still also plenty of pout down the side of the wall. rays and hounds are still being reported caught, granted most as small but every now and then a plus 5lb ray shows up on the wall too peak interest.
I havnt seen a mackerel alive in more than 4 weeks now but almost in summer numbers I suspect the 2nd most caught fish this year are congers. Silver eels have thinned out (please return as they are protected) and plaice numbers are alo down this month. A few dab have been caught on the wall but like plaice the flounder numbers are very near zero. There are still a few fish too be had down the edges of the wall if you are still hunting the likes of blennies and gobies and as yet I have not noticed any rockling being caught.
Unusually varied still out there and im sure in this type up I have missed a species or two (bream just popped into my head) such as guilt and black bream are still lingering.
it looks like we have again some crap weather looming next weekend so please keep an eye on home page for any changes in openings . I suspect mark as one or 2 late openings still tucked up his sleve being as there are still squid out there too be had.
Thats it for today, and so, until the next one I will bid you all ADIEU
F
..As far as squid are concerned as after today the weather looks like it is gonna truly crap up for at least a week so please keep an eye on the home page for any weather windows where we could possibly get the east open for a session.
Yesterday after bumping into Dave Grinham by the car park and having a catch up chat I rolled the troublesome quad onto the wall mid afternoon to find things a bit sluggish but news that things had been brighter earlier. now when I say sluggish it wasn’t dead as the wall was quite busy although sectioned off at 29. This was done mostly due too the big tides this week slopping water heavily up the “Vs” and soaking much of the wall and being as the algae is starting too take a grip on the wall the higher bays that get less footfall see a faster build up and it simply isnt worth the length of time and effort too jet wash at this time of year due too how many days we now lose through poor weather and blows.
Anyhoo, as I said the wall was quite busy mid afternoon with a few familiar faces along with the newer ones. For the 2nd week of November the weather yesterday was surprisingly warm and almost like an early spring day no doubt confusing the fek out of some peoples garden bulbs(im expecting too see early daffs and bluebells if it stays this mild! )
While I realise many of the new visitors take a while too find this site some do in dribs and drabs so for the family readers I would like too say how refreshing it is too see youngsters on the wall even this late in the year and indeed some of the younger visitors are the ones bringing their parents with them too try this new fishing malarkey out also! go figure 😂 Someone should tell them parents how contagious this “FISHING” thing can be.
Now I do realise at this point there are some waiting on the fishing report and if regulars they will be scanning the lines knowing I often type in key words that stand out and thus a quick identify and they skip all of my waffling and get too the bit they want too rad so no doubt the word fishing earlier in caps short cut em too that n then they groaned having realised im in a real blah blah flipping blah kind of mindset this morning as I type too the bands and trumpets of the cenotaph remembrance parade.
Yup Im an oldish fart and I watch the remembrance service as often as I can. There are many reasons too watch even if mankind often now goes through the motions of remembrance. A shame that many younger now think of it as an almost celebration of war dead rather than a reminder of the death that war will visit upon us.
It serves as a reminder that this sort of carnage should never happen again, sadly much of it is now thought of as old history best forgotten rather than something marking the sacrifices made during conflict not just the 2 world wars but the many many smaller conflicts that have taken lives no matter the side fought for or killed almost as a by-product of those conflicts, not just service personnel but the hidden numbers of civilians killed world wide in conflicts that should have been resolved long before military conflict began. I may be preaching here but I am also making a nod(though small) too all those lost people who served and died, some of whom were in now near forgotten conflicts.
Military bands can be stirring and uplifting but also mark the sadness, the loss and the sacrifice made by so so many. For those unaware, google the “Menin Gate” service aka the last post service or simply follow this link www.lastpost.be so yes I feel it is important that the world remembers the loss and price paid in blood for “peace”
My apology for the history lesson thrust upon you all I type too distractions around me and what my brain drifts over 🙂 Anyway, back too the EAST WALL yesterday. (yes eye scanners its coming🤣)
Rolling along the start of the wall the wet patches were visible again from the big tides and water quality was unusually still quite green, murky yes but definitely not the normal brown wash that is standard for November. Often this time of the year as many regulars know we have more closed days than open as the late Autumn onto wintery weather takes hold and the sea is churned into brown Windsor soup and so expectation of catches is much higher than usual for near mid November. By now most of the fishing is from beaches rather than the marina due too close downs and expected fare once the SQUID have beggared off is the dreaded ROCKLING pout and whiting with the occasional unicorn formerly known as COD or should I say for most …. CODLING or as one marina group regular puts it “fingerpuppets”
And yes I am now deliberately waffling just too miff the scanners looking for the catch report 😉And so yesterday a quick hello on bays one & two and clocking of the decent(for this time of year) I started too see what was about(or not) on an unusually mild November Saturday.
I shall start with bay 1 even though this bit was as I was leaving the wall, the dude had hooked into something that he felt was “large” and started too reel in with drag set (I could hear the fish taking some line). Closer & closer it came with Mark & I speculating some type of ray & I remarked it was in very shallow water bit in it came and I guess the drag or rod holder was just a little too much in its pull as the line pinged as the fish threw the hood much too a few groans from those that had gathered too watch. Absolutely gutting for the angler but I guess a lesson could be learnt on not playing the fish or perhaps needing stronger or larger hooks. I am convinced it was a ray simply because about 45mins later warden and regular John pulled in a small eyed ray further along the wall… coincidence ? I think not as a few rays of various type and size have been caught in the last couple of weeks.
look at that, lines n lines of waffle before I got to the first report that was actually a non catch ! didn’t I do well 😂🤣😂
bay 4 a quick chat and was told of 2 bass that the dude had earlier, one v small and the other he thought was about 35-40 cm but wasnt sure as he didnt have his measure with him😃bet ya cant guess what I sold him😃 I have acquired some nice clear roll up tape measures, waterproof and with velcro attached too keep them neat tidy, small and best of all… rolled up. Very handy for sticking in a pocket out of the way.
And so, up to bays 7 or 8ish and came across Chris H fishing much lower than usual due too the wall sectioned at 29.A quick chat revealed a tally of 7 species, though mostly small he did clock up , sole, pout, smoot hound, conger, wrasse bass and a blenny, not too shabby for November eh.
Bay 10 similar too Chris the ppl there had had a couple of small eels a pout and a flattie they thought was plaice but no confirm ID as it went back. A quick chat with a dad on bay 12 by the steps who had (using his words) been brought out fishing by his lad🤣good for him I say 😉
On too bay 14 I sold some bait too a group of late arrivals and their neighbours on the wall told me of a “fishy” sort of morning “but had slowed a bit now” and promptly pulled out a dogfish in front of me🤣 it was then it flashed across my mind something from a few weeks ago where as I moved along the wall fish were being caught for the first time in hours as I passed the anglers and the joke sorta started that the fish sometimes follow me up the wall. bye time I got too bays 19/20 one familiar face was reeling in “another dogfish” when he leaned back turned his head, said hi, and then remarked that he likes it when I come up the wall. like a berk I ask why to get the comment “coz the fish follow u” and indeed many of the times Ive seen him on the wall he had been reeling in something as I passed him & his mate !
My second too last stop going up that wall was around 26ish where I chatted with a couple of guys who had 2 lads with them, one it seemed used too fish the wall as a kid himself and was making a rare visit too the wall with the boys who were first timers and getting too grips with a rod and casting somewhat randomly in various directions. A quick check with the day that was ok I gave the lads a few pointers such as foot positioning and simple stuff like checking its clear behind them etc and the were soon getting the hang of things and casting a bit safer. Dad if you are reading this you have 2 polite and keen learners there and I enjoyed spending a few minutes with them and can see many more fishing tris ahead of you with them 🙂
lastly going up the wall I had a chat with the dude say by the partition fence who was a tad disappointed ant not being able too get too bay 74 but understood why the restriction and we chewed the fat for a while in the late afternoon sun.
Over all yesterday ID say anglers had a “Not a bad sort of day” kind of day on the wall with bass and congers being the mainstay of the morning and then scattered catches of strap congers and small silver eels(please return these as they are protected), schoolie bass(again) wrasse, pout, sole, plaice, blennies, the afternoon produced a stream of dogfish of varying sizes a few rays including the one I mentioned for John and plenty of mixed sized pouting. A steady tick over for the bait users. As I was leaving there was a group of Asian people who were having a go for squid on the bend. I dont know how they got on but I do know that more than a dozen or more squid were caught as the sun vanished over the horizon into the dark. The wall did stay open until 10pm last night being as a few had asked MARK for a sort of last chance fling at the squid.
We have some crappy weather moving in quite fast after todays session so please keep an eye either on the homepage here or on the facebook group if you are a member for days that we do manage too get the east wall open. The west will now stay shut until the spring maintenance schedule.
And with that I will sign off for the day and prepare too scream at the TV as Brighton fc take on Palace. thus until the next one I will bid you all ADIEU
F
Its Friday, yea, wtf? I got up this morning convinced it was Wednesday! brain and body still think the calendar is fibbing too me, weird as fk feeling indeed.
Anyway, less of that wtf is going on down the road from me .. AKA the marina. and so….
East re-opened on Wednesday although I really couldnt be arsed too go down & take a look. . . some days I get up and the process of dressing and shifting my butt downstairs and shoving the kettle on can be frustratingly exhausting and the resulting knock on’s with a few sleep issues means I sometimes feel like I never catch up on rest.. once the body gets overtire then too does the brain!
Thus 2 days sorta vanished this week and i got the fkn misfiring quad out of its box, shoved on some jigs n rigs and trundled down to the east with some frozen bait.
Café was shut so no dogs too feed and defo no plans to feed the sea dogs any bait so rolled straight onto the wall. I should say here that prior too rolling up too the loch bridge I had passed one regular who told me things were somewhat weedy over the high but not over bad after the high but he had packed in early as all he was finding was them “giant sea slugs” 🤢🤮
Once on the wall it was clear that either the anglers had mostly gone home or not arrived anyway as I recon there were 4 in sight and perhaps 3-4 hidden around the bend. First thing too notice was how wet the lower level was with one dude fairly paddling with his shoes n socks off due too the large 7m+ tide still being pushed by a SEasterly breeze that resulted in rollers spilling in and up the “Vs” flooding the lower level often with 4 inches of water right down too bay one!.
Of the few there I did learn that most of them had done ok for a damp and watery Thursday in November. As a quick roll up there were , congers and silver eels coming all over the place as well as a few sizeable bass had over 4lb. On the bend of the wall there was dogs & even a plaice over the rougher ground with whiting, pout and at least one decent sole caught. All I know of caught on Wednesday was a couple of bass but that doesnt mean there were not other fish , the report simply hasnt reached me.
Fairly weedy as the tide comes up atm but soon clears as the tide turns.
Thats it from me today , so until the next one, as ever I will bid you all ADIEU
F
Well some would say the weekend starts here, I guess its a matter of choice !. The walls are now closed today and Saturday & while it is hoped oo have the EAST open on Sunday that really is down too how the weather plays! nice or nasty is the thing, currently things look as if its on :).
Catch report for yesterday ? well tbh there is very little too say. I had a chat with Roy and also Edward, he of the Ray, who Ironicly had the only fish I had heard caught yesterday and guess what…. yup another ray for him, defo must be his week too shine !.
Conditions were crapping up yesterday quite quickly and I was down about 2pm ish and the wind like the tide was firmly on the rise. I don’t know if the wall did stay open until 5 but it very much looked like the waves would eventually roll along the lower bays as the wind and tide surge spilt over the v’s and along the wall.
I have been informed that the EAST wall at Shoreham has been temp closed for reasons I have been asked not too give hear but it is at time of typing this unclear how long it will remain shut for. I understand that SHAKO members will post of any changes in situation there and thus if I do get the info will post up on when it can be expected too re open.
Thats almost it for today so if you are out and about in Brighton on Sunday and not fishing and fancy something too do, the seafront will again be welcoming the old cars taking part in the yearly verteran London to BTN car run. and finally, if you are fishing this weekend and at a loss for worm, I gave got my hands on some frozen black lug.
And with that I will sign off and until the next one I will bid you all, as ever ADIEU
F
No apologies today for a lack of blog pages but I’m sure most of us have days where things don’t mesh or feel right and the body and mind simply fail too not only co-operate but both fail too even get out of the starting blocks.
Well, RE:-those “days”, my body has a way of turning those off days into off weekends and occasionally Fully loaded OFF WEEKS ! thankfully it was more of a case of just a few days around the weekend!
Anyhoo, catch reports, erm (think brain think) when the F! was it, what day, damn gonna need too now scroll facebook backwards for a reminder… tick…tick tick..
And thus brain refreshed and, …. whats been going on since my last post ?.
well, Thurs & Fri last week were a close down, and then a re open on the EAST only for the weekend. poor too average conditions as expected after a blow with a water colour that looked as if someone had tipped milk into the sea by the lorry load. Bad ? not at all and as the day panned out there were plenty of Dover Sole being caught of which some were almost big enough too feed 2 people. Also on the agenda over the weekend and I include Sunday as we all know that Sat Sun s the weekend were the rays being caught.
Quite often on the wall we see mostly 2 types being thornbacks and Undulates but the weekend saw a mix of various rays although I wont stick my necck out too far what I can gather was there were not just the usual thornies and Undies. I suspect one or two I saw were small eyed rays and spotted but I will admit that my ID skills with rays is quite limited.
Saturday also saw the obligatory dogfish showing up in catches as well as small hounds , pouting and yes I swear Bernard the Gurnard even showed up on his now familiar bay !. Id tell ya all which bay but I few for the poor buggers health. Bernard ya see is quite small and sooner or later I suspect someone will catch him and bonk him on the noggin(head) and while Bernard loves the worm he is being fed he does prefer too be put back once people have taken a quick snap o his bright colours 🙂
As it turned out 2 or 3 of Bernard’s mates also got caught on Saturday while on the Sunday it sort of turned into a late burst of Guilt head Bream for some. As well as the Bream there were again some nice sole caught in similar conditions to the day before. Sunday saw NO squid although one had been caught the day prior and I sorta expected at least one on the Sunday also. Congers, rays and dogs fairly made up the rest of Sunday.
The west ended up staying closed due too poor and wet conditions and Mark has now with the clock roll back declared the new hours ready for the winter as
WEST WALL closed until spring
EAST 7am til 5pm when weather conditions allow.
Monday saw the walls closed again as the forecasts get a bit erratic due too various weather systems pushing the winds onto the walls although we did re open on Tuesday for a 3 day burst prior too the next batch of winds hit the coast.
Tuesday saw very coloured waters and I lack full reports from then other than being told it was a Conger day down there for those that enjoy hauling out giant sea slugs 😉🤢although as you may guess that hey are not my thing even if they do avoid a blank day on the wall.
Tues evening I had considered paying a visit on th wall for Wednesday but in all honesty it pished down most of the day and my brain rapidly decided on a FK that so I stayed home in the warm and dry of my home. That said one or two younger and brave sould did gear up for the wet conditions and Edward was rewarded with a couple of Rays one of which went 6.7lb and I suspect is a small eyed ray, what do folks here think it is, guesses on an email(link bottom of home page) no prizes just curious as too what others think.
Anyhoo, WD Edward on putting up with some truely wet conditions ang having a decent ray as pay off. Quality’👏👏👏
And with that I feel up too date although no extended fish reportsa its as good as it gets for now as I hadnt really been down for a few days for more detailed info.
The wall is open today (thurs) and then closed Friday and Saturday and it looks like we have a small window on Sunday in amongst the blows so hope too be open snday with another close expected Monday BUT THINGS CHANGE quickly so will do m best too keep the homepage upto date as much as possible.
And with that I am done typing for the day but hope too post an update tomorrow… and thus… as ever I will say one more, until the next one… I bid you all ADIEU
F
PS… that ray from Edward
And just like that yesterday becomes the day after the blow and erm the day before the blow, and I say the day after very loosely because looking out of my window right now my usual wind indicator tree is barely moving prompting a closer look which reveals my trees lie ! yup they are deceiving buggers sometimes. A closer look at the bushes in the garden tells me that the wind is on the move and has a bit of northerly in it but will soon swing west again.
And why am I waffleing on about the wind ? other than for the sake of it ? because we do get people show up too fish a wall having NOT checked posts re opening. They show up see little too no waves or wind and often think the wall should open as it all looks ok as far as they can see.
Today will be one of those days, people are going too show up and see the apparent calm conditions and NOT factor in that we have too call the wall openings usually the day prior’s forecast and occasionally the weather people get it wrong and then ppl show up & call us mugs for not making the right call based on the info we had the night before. the reality is we have today wind speeds of 30mph up to 45mph today and its swinging NW/West/SW/West again etc its all over the shop and trust me if the wall was open and it shifted too the south it would be as rough as fk very fast and put people at risk. Likewise tomorrow the wind is hard on the west but any southerly shift will put anyone on the east at risk so both walls will stay shut and the above should give people an idea into the decision making that has too be made in advance on if either wall will be open … or not.
And on that note I turn my eye (so too speak) back to yesterday’s jaunt along the wall. I arrived at the east café yesterday too be greeted by the cafe’s black dog “pepsi” going bonkers as soon as I was spotted, or perhaps I can be heard from the carpark due too the bell I have on the quad. The side gate was already open for someones access already on the wall but there was no sign of the cafe owners spaniel which tbh is a bit unusual, It turned out she was half way down halfway down the wall near bay 29 ! OOPS🤣🤣🤣
And so, onto the wall I rolled. Things were fairly quiet, especially as there had been a post on the book of Face abut some early bass. No one one the first 12 bay! unusual with what seemed “Bassy” conditions. Moving onto 20 I had picked up that things were quite and most people were effectively using scratching rods and hoping for any sort of bite.
Water conditions after a couple of days of hard blowing (was gonna type hard blow but I realised some out there have funny minds and would thing “blow” on the wall hmmm)There didnt seem too be much weed in the water and the water colour wasnt too bad either and I would have thought that things should fish quite well. I bumped into Tommy for a chat and he sent me a pick of a bass he had recently caught. Now Tommy, If you read the blogs (i seem too think you do) please sent me some more details of your Bass, weight if u have it and what day caught would be enough, thanks.
All in all things were quiet but Nicks partner had caught a decent shad not too long prior too me getting there I also got a couple of updates on Bass that had been dropped and there were a couple of decent Mullet caught, one I believe pushed 4lb. While chatting with Nick and mocking his catch rate Vs his partner a small but colourful Gurnard was landed. yes Bernard was back and eating baits from what must be his fav spot in the water. Thankfully Bernard was pictured and returned too eat a few more baits.
A short chat with Chris H another wall regular this year put me straight on the 4lb’er which turned out too be a bass not mullet which made more sense and that he had indeed caught a mullet as well that was weighed at 1lb 8oz, not too shabby for a mid October day after a blow up. Other catches for Chris included a Conger and pouting. Amongst the 20 or so fishing yesterday I was also told that there were plenty of bites, many being micro species such as blennies, gobies and such and one angler tool me of a Bream that flashed past his bait as he was reeling in close too the wall which sorta indicates too me that the water temp is still over the normal for this time of year.
Yesterday the EAST was fenced a 30 as higher bays have some algae build up around the wires and after waves and rain had given the wall a good soaking it was decided too restrict the upper bays. Much in the same way as with the west wall atm, If its wet, the west will stay shut and similarly the upper sections of the east may also be closed off to anglers until things dry out.
Both walls are closed today and tomorrow(thurs/fri)
On SATURDAY the EAST will open as normal and Mark will do a wall check on the west with a view too opening the WEST for night fishing Saturday night.
SUNDAY, advanced forecast has now changed too NWest and if it remains so or similar we should be open on both walls.
Thats it for today, I could waffle some more but just this one time (not at band camp)I won’t. And thus, until the next one …… I will bid you all ADIEU
F
P.S. I forgot too mention that the sho[ will be closed Today and Tomorrow.
F
WEST wall will remain closed this week due too poor weather conditions.
EAST WALL is open today WED 22nd but will be closed Thurs Fri,
SATURDAY
EAST expected open usual time
WEST there will be a wall check with the plan too open WEST for night fishing Saturday night and then close in the morning
SUNDAY
EAST open as normal
WEST TBA
Well the squid comp was a total bust. So often the forecast apps show over the top wind speeds so hoped was the case for the comp on Saturday. Got the scooter all geared up Saturday after lunch and things still seemed ok around the house was very little wind but as I got out onto manor hill I could tell that it was mostly correct at 16mph gusting to 21mph.
By time I got onto the east wall it wasn’t looking very good and that was despite of a mackerel run that happened about 11am. Waves were coming up and over and in places over the upper level also. 95% of the wall was already wet and those fishing had wisely found the occasional spot on a bay that stayed dry as waves continued too bang up.
At 3pm I decided too call the comp off knowing that I couldnt get the info up onto the website while out so the late announcement was posted onto facebook. My apologies too all that did indeed make the trip down only too find often 2nd hand news tat it was off. At 3pm I took a trip over too the west just incase any there planned too go east for the comp and returned too the east cafe about 4.30pm too continue too explain why the comp was off.
The winds at 4pm were still over forecast but settled at 5ish making me wonder if Id cocked up by calling it off but I was looking at the forecast with the prospect of a dark wall at night squidding in probable rough conditions for 2+ hours in the dark. I have been on the wall closing gates at night with waves banging up and it is as creepy as fek hearing waves smash into the wall and not clearly see any water spouts, not something anyone really wants too try tbh. by 6.30pm the winds again peaked with fixed speeds pushing over 20 and higher gusts that remained for much of the evening into night. I spent a few hours on the WEST by the tower block and you could hear the waves thumping the west at 7pm and well past 9 when the comp would have finished. Add too the conditions that the squid would likely have headed too deep or calmer waters and it was clear the comp couldnt go ahead
Over on the west from darkness dropping I heard that some bass had been caught as well as some missed with strap congers regularly being caught in the first few hours and as I left near 10.30 one squid I was aware of had been caught in the lower bays. Very few fishing the beaches Saturday evening compared too the night before where people squidding could be seen almost every 5 yards!
I am unsure what time the WEST closed Sunday morning as the weather closed in and the EAST wall stayed closed on Sunday .
Both walls closed today and Tuesday and Mark is hoping too have at least one wall open on Wednesday.
Thursday the EAST may open but again looks like both will be closed Fri, beyond that is a bit early too call but it looks like we may be able too open something Sat & Sun.
Thats it for today, fairly short and sweet other than to say if we can fit in the squid come we will retry but much now depends on the weather and the squid returning too play.
And so, until the next one I will bid you all ADIEU
F
Ok so tomorrow the forecast is showing 15 -21mph on an East to S/east direction. Based on that I have cleared with mark for the comp too be pegged from bay 1 up too 30 if we need it.. If the windspeed goes higher it may be a bit unpleasant but I feel that its a case of go for it or cancel it and that I prefer too avoid.
Providing I have enough left I will provide a squid jig for ALL juniors (U18s) simply for entering the comp.
Unfortunately the report I have for yesterday reads a bit grim but most likely that is due too the simple fact that I lack decent info from the morning other than that there were some mackerel and squid once open on the wall.
Most of the afternoon report center on “some” squid with quite a few being caught while I was there & the bulk were caught below bay 20 or up on 55 to 60. As a result my afternoon report fairly much was all about the squid & not 🎼 All about the Bass🎼🎼.
It was nice too meet dave Grinham as I came o the wall, was amusing that he waned some squid jigs and I even surrendered my orange jig from o my rod set up! , later on FB a pic of him using one of the jigs I have ! I really should get my jigs out once dark but charging the scooter every day I have got into the marina is becoming a PITA so I am usually now in the Mariner pub at the back of the marina for a beer while the scooter gets a top up charge. Perhaps I will have a dabble during the comp.
Sods law that the numbers of squid being caught at night is high and it looks like my planning was near perfect in picking this week and tides. I had considered doing the comp on the friday (yes today) but with the various options Mark felt SAT would be a decent day that many would likely be off work for. Oh well, tomorrow if the weather is over forecast things may play nice and we get not only a decent turn out but plenty of squid.
With regards too the meagre catch report I would bet that I missed someone giving me a catch update but this morning as I type I cant recal any other catches, ho hum onwards we go.
And with that, if you are on the wall later I will see you then or perhaps some of you plan too have a go at the squid tomorrow night. Thats it for today so, until the next one I as ever bid you all ADIEU
F
