Woof Woof

By , On 9 July, 2015 11:10

Picture of smoothoundRecently, having given myself a good kick up the arse, I’ve started to get the motivation back to get out on that beach and get some fishing time in. Up until now, I’ve done a couple of makkie sessions with Alex and the latest one got that old ‘shingle itch’ going again.

Picture of smoothoundNow yesterday was not the best of days to kick off the re-kindled career but needs must. Although the tides were crap, we’d had a bit of a good blow overnight and the earlier part of the day, so I reckoned on a decent amount of movement in the water. The plan was to get out onto the beach for about 11pm and fish the first few hours of the flood to see what, if anything was about.

Conditions were ok, the wind had dropped and had shifted Northerly which was flattening the surface out, although there was still a residual swell which was making a few breakers.

Armed with a box of squid, I settled in familiar spot on Seaford beach and rigged up with a long link running ledger ending in a 6/0 loaded with whole squid. This was gently swung out into the white water (what little there was) and the wait began. From the off, weed was a problem close in, loads of fine stuff that began building up on the line, along with larger clumps of wrack.

Picture of dogfishNothing happened over low water apart from the weed and I had to wait until an hour into the flood when there was an almighty pull down that took me by surprise and almost had the rod out of my hand. Proper fish on!! It went well and I though “First fish of the year and it’s gonna be a decent bass”. Well, this thing went all over the bloody place and as it neared the breaking water, I was thinking, “Please don’t come off in the surf, just don’t”. Anyway, I got things all timed nicely and as a largish wave receded, I could see the glint of something on the shingle, not the expected bass but a bloody smut!

I know I shouldn’t have been disappointed to have this as my first fish of the year, as it would usually be a bloody whiting, rockling or similar unworthiness but I was a tad peeved that it wasn’t Mr. Bass. Anyhow, it was a lovely looking fish which I guesstimate to have been around 5lbs or thereabout. Unhooked, quick couple of pics and back it went.

Nothing else came in the next two hours apart from the odd bits of weed and paper, so I was happy to see the rod tip bounce a few times – another fish on and beached, this time time another dog variety in the shape of a skinny LSD. Again, unhooked, photo’d and back in.

By 3.30, the last of my squid had gone and it was time to make the long journey home (hehe!!). Summing up, I was pretty pleased with the first ‘proper’ fishing trip of the year. Two species, no crap and an enjoyable evening back where I belong.

First Time In A While

By , On 20 June, 2015 06:07

Picture of bringing some inHaving not ventured out onto the shingle in quite some time, I thought it time to get back out there and start hitting the fish again. I knew Alex was itching to get out there too, so last Friday, we did a very short evening stint around high water to see what we could muster.

Picture of Alex and gurnardI set Alex up with a set of small feathers and got him working them right and it wasn’t long before he was into his first mackerel of the year, which for some strange reason known only to himself, he called ‘Kevin’. This was followed up with a small, pretty little tub gurnard which had found the lures to be all too enticing.

Picture of Alex and KevinsWe didn’t have to wait too long before the kid was in again, this time with a trio of mackerel, which he also called ‘Kevin’. Just when we thought we might get a decent number for BBQ’s and for freezing, the fish decided otherwise and the session went absolutely dead, with no more getting beached.

Anyway, we left the beach content with four Kevins in the bucket, a smile on our faces and much talk of returning in the near future to have a few more in. With the summer holidays coming up very soon, we’re both keen to do some late evening/night sessions, Alex wants to get his first bass and I’m still chasing the elusive double figure Billy.

I realise now, just how much I’ve missed being out there and I am determined to make it a great second half to the year and start chasing some quality fish.

A warning and Advice

By , On 18 July, 2014 10:21

This is somewhat of a serious post but please bear with me.

On Sunday just gone, I was bimbling around at home when I got a sudden pain in the chest. I thought it was down to me having shifted some stuff around in the house and maybe pulled a muscle. Was it that or something more sinister? I was in two minds what to do.

I thought about having a brandy and laying down for a while and rest it. I then considered the more sinister options and so to cover bases, I had two puffs of my GTN spray (out of date) and chewed an aspirin… no result. Another two puffs.. no result. Something in the intelligent part of my brain said “Wanker, dial the 9’s”, So I did.

Ambulance arrived, hooked up to ECG, which showed nothing. Second paramedic turned up and was put on ECG again. This the time the words from them were “Not good, we need to get going”. Oh fuck!

Blues and twos straight away. By now the pains were like nothing I’ve EVER experienced, Pretty much how I would expect to feel if I was being crushed under a car.

After about 10 miles and with 2.5 to go until we got to the hospital, the crew are told to turn around and go to Hastings, which is over 30 miles in opposite direction. Control were told by the crew “He won’t make it that far, were coming to Brighton – now”.

Anyway, was cleared for Brighton, arrived, straight to A&E and straight to theatre, where blockage was cleared (large blood clot) and stent implanted.

NHS have been beyond excellent, from call taker, medics, doctors, nurses, HCAs, to the domestic staff. Every single one did their bit. Hats off to you for making sure I’m still here.

The moral of the story?… any bad, unexplained chest pains, please ring 9’s you guys and gals – no fucking around. As I was told, they’d rather check you out and find it’s indigestion, than turn up to a stiff. I was lucky that I listened to the intelligent portion of my brain that told me to pick up the phone. I wasn’t that far off being brown bread. If you have a GTN spray, check the expiry date, if out of date, get a new one!

Heart Attack Revisited

By , On 15 July, 2014 13:04

Yup, another heart attack, four years after the last one. This one was scarier and more a lot more painful.

As with the last one, NHS staff, from the operator, to the paramedics, nurses and doctors were outstanding and certainly helped save my life.

Should be back home on Wednesday and will then obviously have loads of spare time to get the bloody webcam up and running properly.

Very Short Seaford Session

By , On 18 May, 2014 17:08

Picture of Alex castingDespite what the conditions and tide times told me, had a very short session on Seaford Beach yesterday. Alex desperately wanted to go, so out we went. Walked across to the beach at Edinburgh Road just before low water to a very bright and warm evening, with a flat calm sea.

Even though I doubted we would have a result, I set up his spinning road with a small 10g Dexter and off he went. He’s catching on well and now rarely needs my help to clear the usual problems, of tip ring jams, spool over spills etc. His casting is improving with each time we go and with his sometimes unorthodox style, he can now sling something as small as the dexter and respectable distance.

Picture of sunsetSaw a group fishing to our right, who I think had been there all day, as I had seen them there earlier in the day. When Alex was having a dip. Don’t know what sort of result they’d had, as it had been a bit busy during the day with normal beach users.

We didn’t stay long but long enough to witness another lovely Seaford sunset. I love this part of the day and am rarely disappointed with the view.

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