Exmouth II - revenge of the weva

Spahill · #1 09-09-2008, 06:05 AM

Saturday 30th August
Headed back to Seaton, where we finished the last holiday, hoping for some bass or an exceedingly late smooth hound. Oooops the Seaton carnival was on & the seafront was closed to traffic, little yellow cones & very polite locals in hi-vis jackets stopping you parking anywhere close. Took the Beer road (non liquid variety) and had another look at that quaint village, also looked at the steep slope to the beach & decided didn’t fancy the walk (subsequently) found out that you can park down there.
So continued along the country roads to Branscombe, for the first time ever & fished there.
Saw Hugh F-W (what a name dropper

) & family in the car park. Left the poor fellow in peace, he looked like he had had a hard day, just like I do after a day at work.
Arrived approx 19:00, 30 mins before high tide.
Bait used, Mackerel, Frozen crab, Fresh Peeler, with hard well connected backs, Frozen sand eel, Ragworm.
Fish caught.
Kirikomi a little green eel & a puppy dogfish.
Spahill a little green eel & a puppy dogfish.

Sunday31st August
Back to Seaton, hopefully for a better night, bait as yesterday.
Fish caught
Kirikomi – Gurnard
Spahill – Blank

Monday 1st September
Weather has changed, it’s blowing a gale!!!

Went to Budleigh Salterton, & decided it was unfishable due to the size of the surf. Drove to Ladram Bay where the guys from the Site were pulling all the boats as far up as they would go to get them away from the massive waves crashing in. Oh Dear. Back to B.S. where I stood for a couple of hours in the pouring rain holding the rod as high as possible whilst watching for rogue waves trying to get me swimming. I guess that is called fishing.
Bait – whole squid/big chunks of mackerel.
Result
Kirikomi - DNF
Spahill - Blank.

Tuesday 2nd
06:30 wind has dropped, shot off to Budleigh Salterton where it was now fishable.
Clouds cleared in 10 mins to provide bright sunshine & wind picked up gradually again.
Not a touch in a couple of hours.
Set off for Brixham breakwater, for no better reason than never having been there, met a guy coming the other way who said nothing was being caught.
Had a good pull down on both rods, snapped up on 1 & managed to play the other for a few minutes before the hook straightened.
Wouldn’t have been able to land it anyway – a blooming great big red boat.
Just about summed up the day, still windy.
Stopped off at Dawlish Warren for a few hours spinning in the rip facing Exmouth.
Plugs & spinners of lots of varieties flew miles with wind at our backs, not much weed but no fish
Results
Kirikomi DNF, Blank, Blank
Spahill Blank, Blank, Blank

Wednesday 3rd
Wind definitely a westerly so went to hide at Ladram Bay.
Sea state chocolaty but not too rough.
Bait Whole squid / Mack chunks
Results
Kirikomi Blank
Spahill Blank

Thursday 4th
Branscombe – the return.
Sea was still a bit lumpy but just about fishable
Weather – wet & windy
Bait Whole squid / Mack chunks
Kirikomi Dogfish & 3 bearded rockling
Spahill Dogfish

Friday 5th
Jacobs ladder – well we caught lots here a month ago…
Weather – Showers with quite a strong breeze
Sea state – Breakers would start at about 70 yds
Cliff state – looked like a bush had come down that week & small stones falling regularly.
Gave it a couple of hours with sand eel, squid, mack & rag before giving up.
When the sea stopped breaking in front for a few seconds it would go eerily quiet and you could hear the stones rattling of the cliff behind. Plenty of Andrex back at the flat…

All in all a disappointing week on the fishing front.
Low spots – not enough fish & too much wind.
High spots – Have found a cheap curry house & can now whip rings onto rods, so have resurrected a 40 year old beachcaster.

Roll on flatty season.