Its here? say wot now! wots here? Summer ? the final Rapture ? end of days ? well maybe the last one a bit extreme but I know a few that think it nearly every “summer” and others even go into a state of “rapture” but most bait and lure anglers will be looking on thinking to themselves “oh gawd its the end of days” again !
By now ya should have figured out what I’m saying even if its not actually any of the above but to some is the above. Yup its that well known illness of mackerel fever a.k.a. mackrelitis ! beware it can now strike almost anywhere. Hordes of once sane anglers are licking their collective cops with glee while being vocal about how they only take a few for the … ahem … “bait freeze” Meanwhile you can hear almost literally the slow rumble as it gets louder of the stampede of the “Homo Erectus scombrus” heading towards the nearest bit of open water with their 12 rod and 2 sets of feathers, one set having been in place since late October the year before… (just incase they re-emerge early)
YES “Scomber scombrus” the humble Mackerel has infected the nation once more for another year ! you have been warned the yearly surge is upon us. Currently they are hitting the marina and other beaches locally around just before or after the days 2 high tides. No doubt as the high drifts later in the day the bright sun & clearer waters may slow the surge but as we have suitable tides am and pm the diseased will sweep over and past us all I fear !! ;):)
Ok back to the sensible mode. To be honest I don’t have much to post due to a lack of earlier in the day other than mackerel on or around the morning high. Late afternoon as I spoke to those there I learnt that a couple of conger got winkled out on the low bay but beyond that I had no other info regarding size weight etc. progressing along the lower bays there were a fair few bream, many of which were small but one dude was doing quite well for himself with some decent sizes on his tally stick.
Onto the bend of the wall there were a few lines baited in the water but it was clear what most were after with feathers already swinging the lead. As I reached the bend I could see a few mackies coming out but the bulk on the bend were yet to have much more than a few. As things seemed slow I continued on trying to chat to all even if some only replied with a quick hi.
By time I reached 29 a few grumbles were had as we were after the high tide and a few were sceptical that most of the week had seen THEM FISH on, over just before or after the high when as if like some weird miracle a mini shoal broke the surface directly in front of me. YES someone had opened the fish gate(bloody fools ;))
From bay 29 I could see fairly much all the way up the straight section and it was clear that the vast bulk bar maybe 6-7 bait rods were there for the one thing. The fish didn’t disappoint those on the straight as there was perhaps 90 mins solid of mackerel (mixed sizes) catching.
Unfortunately the timing of the high tide is one of those things that either makes the wardens job easy or a total pain in the butt for wardens who are expected to clear the wall on time so that the gate and wall can be shut and secured for 9pm.
This issue is purely down to to anglers constantly taking that “Just one more cast” while looking at other anglers doing the same. The result no one or very few are not packing up so that the wall can be checked and closed for the night.
Anglers need to be more aware of the need to shift themselves of the wall or put bluntly the warden needs to bollock everyone into moving or we all risk either having the close time moved earlier or in the long run if a constant issue we could see the loss of the east arm completely.
Please help the wardens observe the close time and be off the wall by 9pm.
And with that note I will add that I will be on the wall this evening and will be staying until close as a lift to the duty warden.
Until tomorrows guffin report I will , until next time ,as per bid you all ADIEU
F
