Double mission accomplished!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

pingu · #1 06-20-2010, 06:58 AM

Last night at last Team speckled hen were reunited, and were heading east in search of a ray ( yep the ongoing mission

)

we had thought of Seatown but decided to go to usual haunt of Charmouth

Got there 8pm , tried to talk to some others who were jheading out, but they were in a terrible hurry to yomp miles along the beach( think were fishing the torbay open, as met another more sociable chap later), well we walked past our usual spot to an area near where some birds were congregateing, and set up

it was fairly close to the cliff and there was a big rock or 2 fell whilst there that was a tad unnerving

I had 1 rod scratching for anything and other with a 2/0 pompey rig and sandeel after the ray

( please..dont they know how much i like them

)

we were both having reel problems, baggies just not working, mine finding sand in it somehow,, then 9pm a small show on the ray rod, and then again a few mins after, both rich and myself knew i had to sit on my hands( as been too impatient lately)
then at last the solid pull down and i struck

declairing first that i thought was a doggie, it then went heavy and fought, please could it be??? can it possibly be ?? after so many trips this year

and yes bingo it was, my first ray of the yaer and a good one at 7lb 4, i was happier than a pig in the perverbial

a few strange things happened after this, the mackeral shoaled in like crazy really close to the shore, pushing the whitebait onto the sand, i put my scratching rig closer and had a schoolie bass

i then tried to feather some for bait , but they werent haveing it at all( to much fresh food i guess) but i did manage a small scad ( baggie has pic) so maybe they werent mackeral at all??fantastic sight though

then i blew up the feather reel, so whilst unpicking, didnt notice ray rod was buckled over, so i grabbed it and boy was this heavy
and a good struggle sees both rich and myself looking at a beast of a fish, we both knew i had managed a massive personal target

10lb14oz of smalleyed ray, my first official double figure sea fish and my fave species( ray) to boot

was i happy oh yes

, did we then open the beer, oh yes

so the baits went back out and the pout and dogs came on the feed

, but i didnt care

the tide though by now had pushed us well back and not being to sure wether was safe behind we moved back towards carpark and safety, where it was far colder as not shelterered by the cliffs, we fished on till 12.30 but was nothing doing here, so headed home happy with another 3 points , my fave species found at last and MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!! big time

massive thanks to rich for being the Ghillie as well, couldnt have done without you mate

dave

Fishing Forum Admin · #2 06-20-2010, 07:26 AM

Well done mate cracking ray and great read

Simon N · #3 06-20-2010, 07:29 AM

Well Done Dave. Noticed You Have Been After A Ray For A While Now. And To Get A Double Aswell. Well Done. Sure There Was Plenty Of Beer Drunk Once That Was Landed

BaggieRich · #4 06-20-2010, 08:05 AM

Well done mate, it was a cracking night. After the first one came out I fished HARD. Double patting and regular bait changes, but nothing doing for me on the night. A doggie and a couple of pout!

Couldn't be more chuffed for ya rays mate. The first one was a nice fish and you had a massive grin after that, but the second one saw a daft grin the like of which is normally reserved for BaggieRich type photos!

Lovely fish mate, and utterly deserved. Just happy I was there to see it, although I must admit to a few nerves about grabbing the snood after I got the first sight in the surf. Imagine if that'd have come off in the undertow!

So then, what's the next target?

5lb thick lipped tonight???

pic of scad added