Hordle Cliffs 09/06/08.

[andy colmer]

I should start with an apology really, because this report shouldn't exist......because I shouldn't have been there! I had arranged to get the train to Weymouth and meet up with Ian Houlton and any of the other WSF 'boat meet' bods that might have been there and have a beer. I suspected that Robbie might have been travelling down to his New Forest chalet, a quick phone call confirmed it and by 3.00pm we were on our way. Robbie was at pains to point out that Weymouth was a VERY long way to go for 'a couple of beers' and surely I would be better served by having said couple of beers, whilst watching the football at his chalet, followed by a leisurely evening session fishing at the cliffs.

Given the balmy weather and the tide times, it was fair to say that Robbie was having the best of the argument, even before the train guard announced 'long delays due to signal problems between Poole and Wareham'!! That made my mind up sharpish, so my apologies to Ian and anyone else that I might have had the pleasure of meeting.

Having collected bait, watched the football, had a nice dinner and enjoyed a pint of West Country scrumpy (more news of that later!), Robbie decided he would have a short kip (yeah right!) and join me at the cliffs a little later.

I have a bit of an issue with this venue; it has an unnatural hold over me........and not just because it is a short walk from the chalet and there is a barbecue in the beach hut......which you can literally fish out of!!

To the East there is 'The White House' and 'Milford Shingle bank' (two excellent big fish venues) and to the West there is Barton on Sea, amongst others and I happen to know that Barton has been producing decent bass, smoothies and even a few turbot up to about 3lb.

For those of you that don't know Hordle Cliffs, it has a semi steep shingle bank, which gives way to sand at the water's edge; thereafter, the sea bed in front of you is exclusively sand. The water line stays in pretty much the same spot during all states of the tide and just beyond the surf, is a deep gulley; it is about 30 yards wide, about 6ft deep at low water and about 10ft deep at high. Beyond the gulley is a sand bar which is knee deep at low and waist deep at high, the bottom then shelves gently away to form another gulley in the sand at about 60 yards.

It is these features that have me transfixed by the place, (the beach hut and the barby are simply a welcome bonus!!) I am convinced there are monsters to be had from those gulleys. We have managed rays, sole (not Henry though!! lol), bass, pout, doggies, whiting and even a few codling, but nothing over about 3 1/2lb. There must be a huge bass or two that patrol along there........surely?!

Enough waffle, Monday night, 10.00pm, 20 minutes after low water and I found myself there and set up alone (I swear I could hear Robbie snoring in the chalet!) in idyllic conditions.



Looking towards the needles, you can just see the warning beacon between my rod tips.

I lobbed a whole squid 40 yards uptide, about 10 yards from the surf and a 3 hook scratching rig on to the sandbar, in the hope of pretty much anything, but particularly a small pout......which I would then have other plans for.

First chuck with the scratching rod saw the rod tip bouncing impressively and I was surprised to find a basslet attached......they really shouldn't be able to pull so hard at that size, should they?!



This was followed by another and another and another, all much the same size, there must have been thousands of them and they stayed to keep me company for most of the night. The bait didn't matter and neither did the range I fished at......everything got nailed within 10 minutes of going out. (Apart from the whole squid......which I couldn't even sell to the crabs!!).

Now for the x-rated bit......those with a delicate disposition should skip this paragraph!! Remember the pint of West Country scrumpy? 1.00am ish and it certainly remembered itself to me!! Sudden stomach cramps and 'the need to go imminently' saw me head towards the beach hut to get the loo roll..........No chance!! I managed three steps before collapsing onto the shingle, I just managed to get my jogging bottoms down in time and position myself in such a way that I wasn't soiled by the resulting 2 pints of rusty water!! Luckily I had a packet of baby wipes in my pocket and after about 15 minutes of groaning, moaning, burning and burying......the emergency had passed!! I'm glad there was nobody else on the beach, that is something no man or woman should have to witness!! Personally, I reckon Ian cast a spell on me for failing to turn up in Weymouth......but it could have been the cider, I suppose!!

Back to the fishing. At about 2.00am, the basslets were still hammering everything (I never even saw a pout) and out of the blue, my squid bait was well and truly nailed, the baitrunner fizzed and I was delighted to connect with this little beauty.



Not enormous, about 6lb at a guess, but my first of the year, a nice fight and I was pretty chuffed. I had a few more basslets, enjoyed the sunrise and wandered back to the chalet at about 5.00am......where Robbie was still snoring!! Lovely night (errrr 'incident' apart!), hope you enjoy the report.

A.C.

Species so far 2008:- Plaice, Flounder, Pout, Rockling, Bass, Brill, Turbot, Tope, Pollack, Thick Lipped Mullet, Black Bream, Ballan Wrasse, Cod, Poor Cod, Common Smoothhound.

[silverfish]

sounds like you had a few brown trout floating around on the beach.Well done on the fish aswell.

[pingu]

cracking report , nice one

dave

[John Marshall]

great read, nice smoothound as well.

[audiracer]

Great read, That's right on my doorstep - Milford Cliffs about a 10 min walk from where I am.

[Fishing Forum Admin]

Crracking read - thanks

[Spahill]

Well done on the fish & a thanks for a great read.
Was it homemade scrupy?
I couldn't find any mention of a greasy kebab in the post, they tend to work better than natural senna..

[Fisherdan]

Nice report, except from the crapping part... lol. Well done..

[gullyworm]

Great report as usual Andy,that looks a lovely place to have a chalet

[andy colmer]

Thanks for the kind words about the report guys......it is always nice to be appreciated when you make the effort.

With regards the more humerous and disgusting part of the report......I could have left it out, I know it was not necessary; but it has happened to all of us at some point and whichever way you look at it, it was part of my session that night. I figured that people would enjoy having a laugh at my expense, whilst looking back on their own previous misfortune!! Thanks for seeing the funny side and justifying my decision!!

Next installment soon!

A.C.