19/11/2011 - An afternoon/Evening down by Eastney Blocks.

[Ish The Fish]

Yet again.....
I got up late, which seeing as high tide wasn't until 16:30 doesn't sound all bad.
But the fact I had SOOOO much to do before I could even start to prep made it a nice busy morning.
Was my Daughter's 3rd Birthday on Sunday, so had a load of finishing touches to pick up/wrap/etc.
Managed to get my bait run in during the shopping trip though!

During the day, it was touch and go if my Fishing Buddy/Best Mate was going to be able to make it.....
Wifey was giving him hell, so just meant he wanted to get out even more.
. o O {Sometimes the fact I'm seperated / being divorced (and financially screwed ofc, but it's for my little princess...) doesn't seem so bad. I want to fish, I fish! }

After much I'll just say 'work' on his behalf, he finally got the green light......
....... with 1 condition, Jnr came along for a few hours too.

Finally the time arrived for 'pick up', and off we set....
Some silly bugger (let's just say it wasn't me or Jnr) had a bright idea of fishing South Parade Pier (in a Southerly wind!).
After a bit of en-route debate.... "Are you really sure...... SPP.... NO shelter... Southerly wind?"
The decision was made to head off the beach instead.

Expecting a Royal Marines end pitch, after all I'd just blown his venue clean out, and he likes that end of the beach.
We end up heading along the front, "Isn't there that place down there you wanted to try...?" he pipes up.
Meaning a patch down by 'The Blocks' where the fishing is/can be fantastic, but you end up within right up close to the promenade.
Unlike down by his much prefered RMM where you have to trek down the beach, but it is more peaceful down there so it's a fair trade off in my eyes either way.

Parked up right next to a set of steps to get over the 'Sea Wall', to find someone else had the exact same idea and had pitched in line with the steps
So popped down to check 'conditions', seeing as he had small bass lying there things started to look good.
After a repsectable 'stroll' a bit further down the beach, we picked our 'spot'.
Only to see what I really wish I had now taken a picture, or even a video of.....
One brave, considerate, and most respected fisherman pulling in......
.......
........
It's worth the suspense....
........
A bloody great wooden Pallet!

After some wtf discussion on seeing that, first lines went out.......
Second line set up was interrupted by the sign of weed monsters.

"Oh 'dear', here we go again" thinking back to my '2 cast' trip.....
But it seems they were only small/medium monsters that kept on coming in.
At one point I even got to stage where I packed my second rod up due to being on a perma-weed removal mission.
As spirits were starting to flag, some of the weed had been doing some bloody good 'Fish on' impressions.....
I let out my usual "Hello!" as the sight of silver in the surf caught my eye!
I like to greet my adverseries as they enter my domain.



My latest PB!
Just a touch or so bigger than my last one!

Needless to say my spirits were now sky high.
Was a nice boost for the others as it showed that despite the weed, they were out there....

A while longer passed, more weed was removed, the wind had picked up a little, meaning the incoming tide backed by the wind kicked off quite some spray.
After pitching Bivvy, it was just seen to slowly get wetter and wetter as the spray settled.
Jnr decided he'd had enough, and in all fairness I didn't expect him to last as long as he did, and was collected.

Due to the slump back in to weed monsters, I offered if a change of spot would be in favour....
Mated decided that he would stick it out here...

Am I glad he said that....



The only way I can describe it is using my mates words "F- Monster Pout!"
After the call of "Hello!", he asked if it was another Bass...
As you can see, he was quite suprised when I said "No, just a pout.."
Seems to be the only size Pout I catch... not that I'm complaining.

After another offer of spot change, which was declined due to the tide seeming to be on the turn and the weed becoming less (well at least being pulled out, we had piles on the beach! )
The feel of "How much longer can we stick this" was in the air....
Wind, mist, everything wet with spray........
I set up pulling in what I was expecting to be another weed monster....


BUT! no shout.... mate was crouched down baiting up, so I just calmly walked back up the beach and plonked my latest PB! (they keep getting fractionally bigger ) right down next to him!



I won't post his response, but when your mate plonks that down as #3 and you have yet to catch, I'm sure you can fill in some blanks.
Any fish caught is a 'Trip' fish, but it's still nice to catch your own too.

Then the threats started....
"If you catch again, and I haven't....."
I'm gonna kick ya!
I'm gonna stab ya!
You got a long walk home!
As a small selection.

Can't say I blame him, as I was the one one who put the idea of making me walk home into in head.

After he decided he wanted to stick it out longer...
"There's no way I'm leaving if catches like that are coming in!"
We held out for another half hour or so, then almost telepathically came to the "Last cast for me" decision.
After cramming all the remaining bait we could on to our hooks, out they went.
After packing up the rest of the gear, back in they came.

Time to head home!
And by gawd did I need that.
Despite catching 3 beauts, I can still find a downside.....
He has Gas Ring, Kettle..... I was even carrying a spare butane tin! So I'd had not even thought about making my usual solo flask of coffee.
Silly sod had left it at home along with his Tilly lamp!

Should be out again this week, hopefully more than twice or so.
Week off work, and evening/night tides getting later as the week goes on.

[Bluesbro]

Bloody hell Ish your making a habbit of getting the silver bullets these days!!! Well done that man!!!! How far out are you fishing for them?

Perhaps an advance in your rank is in order to match your achievemants? Bass catching bait blaster?? or something simular lol

Joe

[chazyboi]

nice write up ish some nice fish there well done bud

[chris.oldgit]

bigger ones to come, well done on getting out, pleased for you

[Ish The Fish]

My range estimations don't really work in imperial or metric...
So I just say not that far at all.
I'm by no means a good caster (improving, but with lots to go yet), and I'm not 'banging' it out.
The 'local yokel' knowledge probably helps.....
Most of Eastney beach is a regular spot, fished mostly around high tides, but known to be fished right down afterwards too.
Also with trips made before to check out weed levels @ low tide, the terrain/beach that's covered by the tide is quite well known.
I know not far out is a drop off to the beach, it varies as to distance along the beach.
At some points before I've even been pitched below the line further down the beach, as it only just gets covered on bigger tides.

But in a nutshell... Not far beyond the surf.

Rank increase is on my mind/the cards...
Need some thought (a suprisingly sad amount of time goes in to it!), also need to make improvements elsewhere yet.
Although with recent events, I'm not sure I need to learn how to cast decent distances.
But I'm probably one of the few people who would be overjoyed at pulling in a Doggie, which I know are out there but a way out of my beach range.

South Parade Pier = drop line over end, beats the hell out of my best cast already...

A Doggie is my current #2 target as such, #1 is Anything to save a blank.

Hope to get another report (or 3!) in this week too.

Anyone who is or fancies heading out Pompey way, or somewhere near that I can get to (and back ofc!) easy on public transport, give me a shout.
Very possibly going out tomorrow (Tuesday) evening/night, HT 20:40.
Due to the lack of transport home (last bus 22:55 meaning I walk home fully loaded), also with experience of last trips weed, it'll will probably be a little before and a lot after HT.
*Last* minute thought....
May just make a shortish trip, and consider getting home sorting out gear, repacking, and then going back out again for the Wednesday morning tide....

Weather is looking very good for the whole week at the moment, most days have single figure winds!

[chazyboi]

you would be suprised how close bass come in ive had em when me and lulu had a dab comp before second breaker ,,most the beaches i fish in cardigan you belt it out you get the odd ray close in pretty much everything will take a bait

[gullyworm]

I fished up near the Cafe on the beach ish and never had a bite. That bloody great pallet passed me about 1430

[Ish The Fish]

Cafe = "Coffee Cup" Stand Up/Trailer affair with some seating (that they hopefully looking to build a permabuild on!) ?
If so, thats more around my normal 'area' of the beach.

No need to be able cast a spoolfull of line from there, get some good fun starting just beyond the surf.
The beach down there is patchy on sand/shingle that hides beneath the tide.
If you get the right spot/area, you could probably just hurl your lead rather than cast it out at high tide.

I'm hoping/planning to heading down that way this coming Friday Night, maybe heading back out again on Saturday morning too.