An odd title for today, mostly because I have been ear wormed by an old tune that popped into my head mostly because of one or two, well a few comments while on the West wall the last two evening/nights, so advance warning Chris😉I know ya read this and I’m gonna waffle for a bit b4 I get to the fishing report that in a way is also part of the reason for todays odd title. but if ya want too short cut my waffle I will do the day report bit with a “skip too here “ marker for those that want too quick scroll

Lets begin 😂, so, as many must be aware by now I have been giving my time up most evenings the west wall has been open at night. mostly too deal with a few issues that got over highlighted a week or 3 back. Little things such as lighting that had got out of hand on the wall, fish management and car batteries mostly but also in general helping the night warden(s) with the extra surge of anglers wanting on the wall in the evening now that we only have the one wall open at night.
Im pleased too say that nearly all have been happy too make some minor adjustments so that the wall can comply with requests too bring the light levels down on the wall in darkness. When time I have over the last 10 days or so handed out blue transparency paper that then dulls the glare of the many 2000 to 10,000 lumen headlamps in use and in some cases over large lights in use on the wall.
Its not perfect but changes are being made and it is noticeable so to all those anglers ty for making the process almost trouble free. Likewise the message about leaving car batteries at home is also getting there.
Regarding numbers on the wall at night we do need too carefully monitor numbers, lets face it, no one wants too be in a bay with 7 rods and 6 other people at night and for this reason at times we do have too shut the main white gate enabling us then too keep control of the numbers, carry out ticket checks (yea some would say to get more money but…) that allow us too pin in our heads who is due too be leaving/staying and where free bays may be or are free. This also means that we can get leaving anglers moving allowing anyone waiting at the gate too get onto the wall and fishing.

This weekend the numbers were particularly heavy resulting in the gate on Saturday being closed as early as 5pm! I got down there about 6.30pm and the gate was controlled almost one in /one out until 11.30pm! Yes , people queued over a 5 hour period with some waiting almost 3 hours!
WHY so long ?
We run the wall as most know via issued tickets that wardens add (usually) the time on them, it helps us track how long people are in place fishing especially if one warden shift ends and a new dude starts. Once dark it is harder too track people so tickets are fairly often checked when busy but that also takes time. Many already know that a minimum session time would be 8 hours and for those that get tickets at the 6 o’clock session start they will get 12 hrs. so 1 person will have a valid ticket 8 to 12 hours never less.
We usually allow some grace time for ppl too pack up which is why as new people are brought onto the wall wardens will often ask the new ppl to wait on upper level while those packing can do so without being crowded allowing a problem free bay change over.

Now all of the checks in the dark do need doing when we are busy and especially when we have a queue at the gate. (Saturday we had at times upto 30 wanting too be on the wall fishing,)
IM PLEASED TO SAY that sat & Sun night that near everyone waiting were well behaved even when they had been waiting some time too get onto the walls. Some even went as far as saying once settled that they “got it” once they saw how busy the lower levels were 🙂 It does make the wardens job much easier when people are patient, reduces explain time thus allows us too get on with bay checking.

As part of the number controlling it has been decided that at night the general public will be declined admission this making the wall at night “Anglers only” it is tough enough already for the night wardens monitoring numbers and if we have general walkers on the upper level and perhaps deciding too have a wander along the lower levels they put themselves at risk and often cant be seen until too late so just for basic safety reasons it makes sense too limit the night wall to those fishing and those who have paid too be with anglers on the lower levels.

Ok, I have already waffled loads and not really said about the one or two comments that sorta triggered the title.
From behind the keyboard I never really have a true idea who does or doesnt read the blogs. From time too time someone will be chatting too me when suddenly i will hear the comment or something similar too ” ahhhh your Frank! its you that does the blog” That sort of thing and then sometimes a few words are said about a report or just general comments on likes/dislikes even some asks about the occasional reminders I mix in with a days blog such as words about crab sizes or a protected fish etc ya get the idea.

I do actually enjoy the feed back, it tells me there are more than the 10 avid readers I sorta joke about reaching etc but not only telling me about who is reading but it also gives me feedback, good or bad please let me know if you see me on the wall.
On the fishing facebook group I regularly talk about how good it is too talk, I genuinely am a “dont give a sh one tea” regarding colour, creed, language, race or hair colour, even the bald ones. The group is there for those wanting fishing info, as is this website and blog. As far as im concerned everyone has fishing in common no matter where you come from, live or what choice of language. Hence Im a strong believer in

Talk too the ppl in the next bay, say hello, break the ice or ask for help, what ever it is get chatting, anglers usually are a friendly bunch so please dont be put off by someone louder than you perhaps in a different language, fishing is universal.

Now I know one dude is reading this at some point who will recognise the above bit about talking because we had the same talk last night up near the toilet block after he had with 4 mates waited 3+ hours too get on the wall fishing 😊 And yes when the wall is packed finding space for 5 too fish in safety can be problematic at the least & tough a F*** on a busy packed wall. Im pleased too say the dude got it and was well behaved while they waited and had made a point of coming back n chatting with also praise for all the marina wardens.
YES it is GOOD to TALK, so please, try it.😊
So, why the title ? well its good too talk is very true, the last 2 nights I have had people stop and chat now that they realise it is me that does this ramble in text and most actually enjoy how it generally gets aid out from spawning in my head. Multiple people, multiple nationalities and languages all there too fish. Once the negative bits are removed most anglers show how they can get along with each other, no borders and even the obvious language barriers sometimes there people find a way too be understood.
Quite a good world we live in if ya ask me, and when you stop and think on that you start too realise that the world holds so many differences with people and yet, we find something in common and all the barriers fall away, quite a world eh😉 so yea ,
WHAT A WORLD

So I will print here 2 lines of the chorus from the old Benny Hill tune…
What a world, (what a world) what a place, (what a place)
Ain’t you glad you’re a member of the human race?

yup I am 😊
OK, for the short cut ppl

“skip too here “

So, Sunday, It seems that the night before was fairly naff, i only saw 5 or so fish b4 1.30pm though probably I missed a few and the only other news was that some squid were caught about 3-4am but mackerel wise it was very quiet for a nightime over the last 10 or so days.

Over on the EAST WALL Sunday morning the bend saw a reasonable number of mackerel caught no full buckets but fair numbers, Higher up wall regular John was having it away on Sole and Congers while adding in red mullet guilthead Bream(one of his best catches im told) on a mix of frozen mackerel and bait he had dug himself so a fairly productive morning.
I lack info for the EAST mid afternoon but when I got over that side about 6.30-7pm there were a few mackerel coming up and as the light faded there were horse mackerel also starting too be caught.

Water quality on the EAST WALL was far better than the WEST. A decent green shine too the water contrasted heavily with the cloudy and quite dark colour of the WEST WALL. Perhaps that is why the mackerel were playing more that side than the early evening on the west.

Like Saturday the west was very busy, and full when I got there about 4.30pm too see if I could help out with the numbers etc. As mentioned above the gate had been closed quite early both evenings especially Sunday as the wall was full before 5pm! It was clear too me even then that we would have too queue people at the gate especially as there had been many arrivals between 3pm and 4pm, yup add a minimum 8 hours too their start time and you realise 4pm tickets if they say will be there until midnight ! erk!
Lots of juggling and playing a grown ups version of switch-a-roo began earlier than it had the night before.
FISH tell em about the fish mr P !

yes thankfully there were , but it was a slow start and at times an almost stop sorta thing. The west had been tough going all day, lots of string weed in the water and the light breeze was pushing more colour against the wall instead of cleaning the tides water quality meaning very few fish. All weekend the EAST WALL out fished the west by a country mile. If you want mackies your best bet ironically is on the EAST WALL, trust me on this, go too the east it is fishing better atm.
So did the fish show early evening >? hardly at all and yet I knew there were decent numbers showing on the east and loads of free space. 5+ hours of people queueing too get on the WEST and for some a 3 hour window of fish missed ! sods law I guess.

It wasn’t until dark on the west that some fish started too show and the numbers slowly started too pick up about 9pm. I managed too get off the wall about 11pm last night as numbers wanting on the wall slowed too a dribble and there were plenty of horse mackerel coming out and into BOXES yay the message is getting out, catch em look after em and BOX em up as you go, we do need a bit more work on the kill your fish if you are keeping them but hey, change takes time and I realise that. Have not seen any wall reports as I type (other things too do) so perhaps I can get an update later from whoever is working.

WEST WALL closed now for tonight and Tuesday, will be back open Wed morning and then open all night for fishing on Wednesday night.

Thankyou all for those who had the patience too wait at the gate this weekend, it makes the wardens job much easier and it sorta makes you realise this world does indeed hold a few surprises from people, so yea
🎵🎵What a world🎵🎵

Thats it, all done for today, ya can all go rest your eyes for a while 🙂 well until the next one I post eh 😂😂, and soooo, until the next one I will bid you all ADIEU
F