Fishing At Aldeburgh

[Elton]

I heard through the grapevine yesterday [1] that our resident commercial fisherman, Wurzel, was going to be fishing for cod at Aldeburgh beach in Suffolk with a rod and line. Obviously, hatred pumped through my veins and I threw my kit in the car, just so that I had a good 'excuse' to be there when he arrived in order to give him what for.

 

He arrived about an hour after me [2] and had forgotten his headlamp. I had a spare in my bag, so I maliciously lent it to him and, not long after, was into my first fish of the night. It felt enormous, right up until the last second, and we concluded that I must have picked up a load of snagged line with it, as the rod was bent practically double when it was coming in. There was even speculation that I might have picked up a skate at one point, such was the sustained bend and nodding. As it was, it was a cod and probably went about 2.5lb!

 

Anyway, I won't go into a long account, but I think we both ended up with 5 'keepers' each, along with a couple of smaller fish. Although they were way above legal size, those ones went back. Wurzel fished up until the end of the flood, I stayed on a bit but only picked up one sizeable fish.

 

I think the biggest was about 5lb [3], and that fish fell to Wurzel. My biggest was probably 4lb-ish.

 

Bait for the evening was squid. Can't get much simpler, or cheaper, than that.

 

Not a bad trip out, really, and just proves that if a pair of duffers like us can catch cod, just about anyone who can pick up a rod should be able to. [4]

 

Please excuse the poor photo. I was in a hurry and was a bit tired!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] He phoned me.

[2] Which was handy, as my kit was badly disorganised and I'd have looked like a right pillock sorting it in front of him.

[3] Would have gone more, normally, but was a long, lean fish.

[4] I won't mention my mate, Nic (3DoorsDown), who turned up a bit after us and blanked. That would be cruel. The poor sod is waiting to break his sea fishing duck, despite doing absolutely nothing different to what I'm doing.

[Steve Coppolo]

Tut, tut, Elton. Talking to commercial fishermen and catching fish, (which looked dead, by the way). You won't go to RSA heaven if you keep that sort of thing up, I can tell you.

 

Go and ask for forgiveness whilst giving yourself 40 lashes with a two up, one down, clipped rig.

[Elton]

They weren't dead. They were just resting after their epic battles.

[RUDD]

I had four sizable's and one small one from the Spa at Felixstowe Wednesday night all on squid.

[Elton]

Nice one, Rudd

[wurzel]

Hello Elton

 

It was a good evenings fishing, I don't think there was hardly a cast with out a bite of some sort right through the tide.

Thanks for the loan of the head light, although on returning to the car and searching through many pockets for the keys the first thing I found was my own head light, must be an age thing.

See you on the dark side again soon the fishing’s going to get better in the next few weeks.

[Elton]

I'm going to get back there next week, Wurzel. I could get quite addicted to fishing that area! Mind you, I'm working on lightening the kit, as that walk would be a killer even if you took no tackle at all.

[Steve Coppolo]

I'm going to get back there next week, Wurzel. I could get quite addicted to fishing that area! Mind you, I'm working on lightening the kit, as that walk would be a killer even if you took no tackle at all.

 

Lightweight. What happened to your humpa lumpa?

[Elton]

Lightweight. What happened to your humpa lumpa?

 

That was my saviour! I'd never have carried that lot more than about 100 yards, otherwise.

 

The trouble I had was that I had two rucksacks, which didn't work too well. I'm nabbing an old box off my mate and will use that from now on.

 

Should be there tomorrow night.

[Ryford]

Tut, tut, Elton. Talking to commercial fishermen and catching fish, (which looked dead, by the way). You won't go to RSA heaven if you keep that sort of thing up, I can tell you.

 

Go and ask for forgiveness whilst giving yourself 40 lashes with a two up, one down, clipped rig.

 

Oh Dear Steve, you are so far behind the times dear chap.

 

Most responsible sea anglers these days carry a small first aid kit with a tube of Germaline just in case their capture should graze a fin or two on the shingle coming in.

 

I have heard say that some anglers carry a packet of face wipes for when they feel the fish needs a bit of comfort where they prefer to kiss it better as it were. Why they don't use a slice of the Mothers Pride they are carrying at the time mistifies me.

 

One of life's little mysteries I guess.

 

Ryford