Anglers' Net - The UK Online Fishing Magazine: A Very Slow Morning At Beccles

A Very Slow Morning At Beccles
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MarkCrame on 07 March, 2008 04:00:00
 
5th March 2008
I had to take some photographs for college today and  surprise surprise  they
involved being on the yak. So, I cancelled the morning session to do my snapping
and made plans to be present for the afternoon session at 2m (knowing full well
that I would only be required to be present for 20 minutes in the afternoon
anyway, such is the nature of self-directed learning on an art course). Of
course being on the kayak without tackle is okay but I find it is so much
better balanced with rods as Im sure youll agree. Especially at anchor. So I
took a little something along to amuse myself and launched from the slipway at
Beccles Quay with the remains of snow and hail on the grass.
The cruiser is still moored where I usually tie up so I anchored off on the
opposite side of my hot-spot. The current was not running very fast at all
and the wind was a bit all-over so it wasnt ideal conditions for fishing in
this manner. It was cold too, and there were hardly any anglers around (and
those that I spoke to hadnt had a thing).
Five minutes or less and I got a thumping great bite!
Its funny that  Gudgeon are tiny wee beasties but they dont half take a bait
forcefully. If only they got bigger theyd be a handful. Too small for
livebaiting with I popped him back thinking things were going to be hectic. I
couldnt have been more wrong. Ten or so minutes later I managed to land
another and a while later I got a dace  again quite small.
I put him on anyway and crossed my fingers even though Id heard that the pike
were not coming out right now.
This done, and with little happening, I headed down to the iron bridge to try
for some decent Chub. I cast the lines in and waited.
And waited
And finally got a knock that developed into a half-pounder:
A beautiful fish Chub, and a good fighter - Im really starting to get fond of
these. I felt guilty rigging it for pike bait (swapping the other mini one) but
hoped that it would at least not be in vain.
I had nothing more in the next hour there so moved around a bit. The anchor
business was annoying me as I just couldnt keep the lines tight and the
necessary bend in the rod tips to detect bites properly.
I fished for a while longer and caught another baby Chub and some more Gudgeon
before it was time to head home. Of course you always have to have that last
cast and I was on 8 fish but wanted to go home on ten. One rod was out of
action with a tangled up trace (been experimenting with a new type I came up
with, needs work) so it was unlikely. But I had a couple of hard bites and some
wriggles and finished a slow day on a high with a lovely little brace of
Gudgeon! Lovely.
I loaded up and set off to college (pics were fine, got what I wanted. In five
minutes) via my parents where I did as any dutiful son would do under similar
circumstances  drank coffee and had a bite to eat. Cheers mum! 1 Dace, 2 Chub
and 7 Gudgeon, and 9 days left of the season. Lets see what tomorrow brings&..