Well, Mark managed too get a look at the WEST WALL this morning and it is not good news I am afraid too say.
The extension steps down are in need of repair and the extension itself is heavy with algae, probably more than expected considering the work that has been going on up there and likely too be out of use for some time.
The toilet block is in a sorry state due too probable combination of the elements, junkies and vandals with all of the special covering peeling away from the walls and internal damage. protective fencing that had been put up too stop people getting onto the wall while work was ongoing had been constantly cut by arseholes getting up too the toilet including some twats that have been getting up there fishing while it has been closed.
As too the main part of the wall.
While some repairs have been done and expected broken wires will be repaired there are chunks that are in need of sorting including a large cracked section at bay 16 and lots of “pot holes” along the wall on upper and lower levels. Both level will need jet washing too bring them up to safety standards with the lower level worse than the upper walkways.
And just too cap it all off (for fun) there will be the inevitable question of who foots the bill for what repairs so the WEST WON’T be opening anytime soon and unlikely this year.

On the fishy front. Yesterday when I got down onto the wall I was pleasantly surprised by the water state considering there was still a westerly breeze it was definitely UNDER the forecasted wind speed and the water colour was clearing very quickly and no doubt I will find it much clearer today when I get down there.

As mark posted yesterday on the FB group, there were mackerel being caught from mid morning and the numbers did increase over the high tide, something quite rare tbh this year! Now while I say the catches increased you couldnt see any shoals breaking the surface as in past years and although caught numbers were decent most that caught did do quite well.
The best bit o news though I guess is that for the few fishing yesterday the mackerel stayed and were still being caught at half 6 in the evening when I left.
In amongst the mackerel are loads of baby Gar with the occasional larger one. So please folks dont keep these little gars, unhook em and put them back (unless you intend too use one as bait /live bait straight away you are not allowed too keep a couple claiming they are for live baits, rules say you can retain one at a time for live baiting on any species not protected.

As well as mackerel & gar there were some congers and again Gurnards being caught, I didnt see or hear of any bass but then the few there fishing were mostly chucking the feathers out and being as mackerel have been like rocking horse poo this year I decided I would stop up by Chris who was fishing @ bay 27 and chuck out some feathers also and have a chat at the same time.

It became clear quite quickly that the mackerel were by 5pm mostly clustered below or on the bend and so I took the quad and rod down a dozen bays and set up on 17 for a fling. It soon became clear that I was still too high and the dude too my right has only caught a half dozen in the hour or so I had been actually on the wall but I figured I may as well stay put and not be “THAT DUDE” that keeps swapping bays while chasing shoals up & down the wall.
One thing I rapidly learnt was that my body is no longer suited too fishing for mackerel and my rib cage rapidly was telling me how much it hates sideways movement such as needed with mackereling but I persevered a while longer. Needless too say of me sticking with bay 17 I realised quickly that 1/ I should have moved down the wall and 2/ my body doesnt like the movement that I was doing with the rod! I did catch a couple o fish that were added too the one that Chris gave me but I quickly reached the point that I had too stop what I was doing as I doubt any level of pain meds would solve the level of rib pain I was getting so the rod was stowed on the scooter and I trundled of the wall about 6.30pm with mackerel still being caught on the lower 15 bays as the tide hit a very low point!

And with that I will close todays blog off and for those chasing the fish…. now is the time too do it while the fine weather holds for a week or so at least. so with a final comment of yes there are squid about and mark is opening until 10pm tonight I will sign off and until the next one I will bid you all ADIEU
F