Not quiet morning as I type in the “just afternoon ” but close enough. Trundled down the east on the quad yesterday late afternoon to do my (atm,) usual afternoon thing and also gave Mark a lift with the evening tide as Fri eve had panned out as a busy one and things were a bit problematic clearing the wall at close time with anglers reluctant to start packing rods so the wall could be shut on time.
generally asking people how they were or had got on etc and it was quite clear that the day shift with the exception of the early morning mackerel run that did do well things were somewhat bleak once they had petered out.
I was genuinely at a push to find anyone claiming to have caught much of anything yet alone what most would call decent. Yes there were many that had basic mackerel set ups only so were still valiantly throwing leads to the skies in worship but I would also say there were plenty there also mostly bait fishing and ready to swap a rig out for feathers if the need arose.
Catch wise during the day it was what Id have called bits n bobs, a few scattered bream in their usual spots but little sign of flatfish over the sand. The bass bays also declined to play and one well know bass local you could say ” CAME, SAW, and erm nope he didnt say with his younger family members opting for Macky D’s instead.
Conditions yesterday were quite different to what was forecast the day earlier . Xcweather and a couple of others all indicated Friday would be the best of the week! , eeerrrmmmm nope they wasn’t. The wind dad been fairly constant and over the 3-5mph days estimate, oh not by much but ya would have thought they would have got 18mph+ a bit closer or nearer accurate. It sorta reminded me of a much milder version of Mr Michael Fish saying “no mrs**** from Birmingham there wont be a hurricane coming” granted its a bit of a liberty by comparison but ya cant stop random thoughts happening in my head!
Afternoon drifted into early evening and unexpectedly the wind did ease back as the tide peaked enough in that the very visible white horses faded to an obvious swell, there had been a few mackerel (mostly Joeys) on the bays from 5 through to about 18, lower and more inshore than the previous 6 tides but there was a distinct lack of build up in fish numbers. The quality of mackerel sizes were quite extreme ends with plenty of Joeys and some much larger adult fish that could nearly have fed 2 blokes.
Between 7 & 8pm the sporadic mackerel had spread further along the wall and Id say fairly much everyone had some fish, one or 2 probably filled their cool boxes but most probably managed 10 to 15 assorted in size mackies. nothing great but I guess most would say sensible fishing.
With one minor exception I am very please to say most were onboard with the wall close time and many had started to pack away b4 I started to roll the quad from bay 50ish slowly along the upper level. Indeed a fair few had already started walking off the wall pre-empting my reminders at 8.45.
Sadly one small group just couldnt help getting into taking those just one more and another and another even after having to quite loudly saying to them “come on guys them rods should be out by now” yes one had to just keep going ! boy did he jump when I bellowed at him, for some weird reason he wanted to know why I shouted ! I guess he will remember me next time he is there come closing. The upshot, everyone was of the wall by 9pm with the exception of that particular group of four who finally wandered off the wall at 9.20pm.
As I explained to all of them, there is a reason we ask people to start packing and we have a working relationship with residents and marina staff alike to have the walls closed and secured by a fixed time at night.
Its a royal pain having to leave the wall when there are fish running for everyone, no one likes it but then we as anglers have a way of forgetting while in the moment fishing that residents live in the marina and regularly hear anglers walking through the marina, often past their windows at all hours of the day. At night you can clearly hear sounds and voices carry from the wall across to the residences add radio over loud discussions, trollies clanking over the flat cobbles and then think about the 30+ years some have had to listen to this it tbh is hardly a shock that eventually residents complaints became very vocal. At one point the resident association even called for the marina to stop all night fishing on both walls and would have been happy for the east to have been fully closed and fishing stopped on the east.
Thankfully a compromise was reached and a fixed close time before the light started to go was agreed so that as we have now, we open at 6.30am and close at 9pm with a little flexibility if any event such as squidding last year was arranged and various ppl notified it would happen.
If anglers regularly flout the close time the logical solution would have to be to close earlier due to the regularity of time over runs getting the wall shut down.
It is in the anglers interest to comply with this even though it sometimes raises a grumble because the tides fall just right causing anglers to try and hang on, unfortunately buy doing this those anglers are doing no one any favours and simply causing niggles amongst residents, some of whom would be quite happy for fishing on the east to cease entirely.
So folks, to those of you who clear the walls promptly I thank you on behalf of all concerned for doing so, if you are ok with a quick word as you pass anyone not packing up in sensible manner please(only if you are comfy doing so) just a quick word to the dude(s) as you pass simply say, c’mon guys you need to pack up. Many already do and believe me when I say we are grateful & no, you are not doing our job for us:)
Clearing the walls on time keeps us on side with the marina and its users which benefits anglers ore than some realise.
Conditions today if anyone is unaware are quite blowy with a fairly strong westerly. I havn’t been down today but can see the tree movement from the house 1/2 way up manor hill heading to the racecourse so and accurately say its going to be very lumpy on the front part of the wall above the bend. I would expect most who are fishing will be clustered below bay 12.
Sunday looks similar to today but less fierce on the wind that ATM is showing on my aps today at 25s to 30mph with tomorrow expected to be in the region of 12-18mph. beyond that the following week looks decent with a northerly swing Monday that may even push some of that annoying moss lie weed away from the walls.
Ok so that is almost it from me, if you are on the wall reading this I have an MRI appointment just after 4pm so may skip the wall run this afternoon (especially as it looks cack out there ! and thus, I will until next time bid you all ADIEU
F
