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Where's the weekend report


GB

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Hi All,

First of all I would like to say a Big Thanks to everyone for coming over to Wales and making the weekend a memorable one for me anyway.

The wind out at sea and by the camp fire ( Zzippy) was a little on the fresh side and didn't help the cause as far as catching Tope are concerned but everyone seemed to get their string pulled by a variety of species, with a few PB's and new species for some.

Friday for me was spent trying for Tope and after what seemed like a kennel full of Dogs and Huss had come aboard I think it was apparent that the Tope had deserted us and the freshening breeze sent us scurrying for the nearest beach to stretch our legs with plans needing to be made for something else. Back on the water an hour with the shrimp rig got me a few Mackerel for the BBQ and after the strenuous paddle back to the launch spot I was looking forward to a few ciders and meeting up with all the others who had arrived during the afternoon.

A very enjoyable evening around the fire made up for the poor fishing and by midnight I was well ready for bed. A couple of hours later though I think most of us were wide awake as the wind was doing it's best to turn the tents into kites and the next morning there were some tired looking campers cooking breakfast.

The wind was still blowing so as the others have said, it was two groups that headed to the sea at different places and after a quick drive down to the beach with Spanner and Phooey we decided to try the usual place and I took the fly rod after seeing a nice looking rip the previous day just a hundred yards or so offshore that just screamed Bass.

For the first couple of hours it was quiet but as the tide picked up the fish started to come on and I started to get a steady run of hard fighting fish around the 2lb mark with the odd one slightly bigger hitting my hometied blue/green and white deceiver with some hitting the lure as it just dead drifted and taking line for a yard or two. I was having a cracking days sport until a speedboat came over and went straight through where I was catching and that was it but I'd had 13 by then with a couple more coming adrift so I wasn't too dissapointed.

Everyone else had got into a few again so as we headed in I think we were all happy but knackered.

More sausage and cider supper was gleefully walloped down and plans made for an attempt at the Tope on Sunday as the forecast was looking calmer.

Sunday did dawn bright and CALM even though it dawned a bit earlier than planned for me with some loony kicking the side of my tent :D at 4-45am and with the crows squawking their heads off in the trees close by the idea of getting some more ZZZZ's was optimistic.

The early crew were just coming ashore at about 9-30 when the rest of us headed out to be met by a nice calm sea although a slight groundswell had sprung up from somewhere offshore and put a slight surf on the beach. After paddling out to drop some hooks off for Phooey and to see Ian who had joined us on Simons spare SPTW for his first go at yak fishing, Richi and I headed over the reef to where SpeciMan and Zzippy were anchored up. It was quite pleasant after the previous two days and hopes were high with plenty of old bait being chopped up and dropped into the tide to try and attract the Tope. As the day wore on we were joined by Spanner and Aidy but even with all that bait in the water the only things to be attracted to our baits were the dreaded dogs. The swell was also beginning to build into something a little more uncomfortable with one minute everyone in sight and the next all hidden by 5 or 6 ft of water so with thoughts of conditions inshore for landing and plenty of surf visible on the beaches in the distance we called it a day at about 2pm and headed in. With everything lashed down it was with bated breath that we approached some reasonable looking breakers and after watching Zzippy and Speciman have a quick ride in Richi and I followed and halfway through I thought it was going to be a non event until one caught me and launched the yak at what felt like 50mph at the sand. With Zzippy standing on dry sand in front of me with his camera pointing in my direction it was with more determination than ever to keep her upright and with plenty of digging in with the paddle I managed to avoid the embarassment again of swimming ashore :clap2:. Richi showed us how to time it and was dissapointed I think that he didn't catch a wave and I thought he was going to go back and wait for a bigger one just for a laugh :blink:

So thanks again for a brilliant weekend and I can't wait for the next one.

Here's Richi with his new hat about to go from view,

trip011.jpg

And a sample of the Bass taken on the flyrod.

 

trip004.jpg

 

nifty :)

Edited by nifty
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Nice write up Stuart and a nice plump bass on your fly too - gorging on sprats all weeknd!

Simon Everett

Staffordshire.

Fishing kayaks:

White& Orange Dorado

Olive Scupper Pro

Yellow Prowler Elite

 

Touring kayaks

Red White Skua

White & Orange Duo

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This trip was my first on the briny and first fishing from the yak.

 

As others have mentioned paddling conditions were difficult at times, particularly on the Friday due to the wind (esp getting home...at times I was making only 0.5 kts). The launch and retrieve on the Saturday was pretty strenous, with the long haul over the boulders.

 

Fish-wise I had a fairly quiet time, but did bag a Greater Weever...a first for me.

 

Didn't get much sleep in the tent, what with the wind, crows, etc, etc.

 

By the end of the weekend I was completely bloomin' knackered. But, I have to say, I had a great time. The kayak fishing is all I hoped and expected it would be, but on top of that it was great to spend the weekend in the company of some great (if slightly bonkers) kayak-fishos. Thanks to everyone for making me feel welcome and giving advice freely when it was needed.

 

Can't wait to get afloat again...I'm well and truly hooked.

 

Mike

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Thanks for the report there Nifty, lovely to hear all the different perspectives on the trip and fit them together to build a picture of what you guys enjoyed!...the only shame is your pictures seem to have vanished from photobucket before I got a look....your words more than make up for that though! :D

 

Glad you enjoyed your first kayak fishing session Hake, welcome to the 'community' as I think Simon put it, hope you manage to get out again soon,

 

Tightlines, Rich

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Well, thats the last straggler back, and I survived...... just.

 

The start didn't go too well, found out the Devcon epoxy I'd used for my transducer had come unstuck on the drive down :( Thanks to starvin though a quick fix with silicon adhesive got it up and running :thumbs:

 

Launching was entertaining... I'd heard all about the surf break at the mouth of the river but nobody mentioned that when the tide is out you are rattling down rapids and bouncing off rocks... or getting stuck right on top of one... I thought I was going flip but with some frantic pogoing I just managed to stay right side up.

 

Once we got out, the first mark I fished was fishless, but a move to deeper water over 20ft soon found plenty. I can't believe I'm saying 'deeper water' and 'over 20ft' in the same sentence. A steady stream of dogs was punctuated with hit and run attacks from bream with a few mackerel thrown in. Bream was a new species for me so they were most welcome :)

 

Sunday was basically more of the same, only this time I had huss up to 6lb in amongst the doggies, another new species for me :) Trolling plugs across the reef just got weeded up in no time and the cloudy water stirred up by the swell wasn't helping, so still no bass. Simon took some time out to try and teach me the basics of fly casting... all I can say is I got to the point of being able to know what I was doing wrong... just not good enough at doing it right yet. More practice required.

 

By Monday I was the only one left and decided to go all out for bass as the tope were nowhere to be seen. It was quite a bit calmer but the wind was now westerly so the swell was much bigger, going out was fun in a 'getting a good wash' sort of way, a face full of salt water certainly wakes you up :) I spent the morning trolling fo bass again, as although I took the fly rod I forgot the flies .. doh! Still no bass but I did get a couple of mackerel, so I decided to stick a nice fresh tope bait down... just in case. Apart from more dogs and bream I managed to up by PB for huss to 7lb. I also managed a single small whiting on the bream rig so that gave me 5 species for the day. The wind picked up mid-day so I decided to head into the closest beach for my lunch and stretch my legs. I'd had no problems coming in through the surf on Sunday as I timed it right, in between the breakers, and becasue the surf wasn't that big. This time I strapped my rods down in preperation but forgot to engage my brain. I got caught by a breaker and did exactly the wrong thing, trying to paddle straight and correct the tendancy to turn broadside... so of course I got dumped. No damage done though so I stripped all the gear off the yak and went back out to practice it properly... burying the paddle into the base of the wave really does work as I managed 3 or 4 runs in with breakers swamping the yak with it side on to the wave but staying right side up every time :)

More trolling and plugging for bass and I still didn't get one... this was getting personal. Coming back round to the river mouth at the start of the flood the swell was quite impressive, so I snuck in through the rocks right in close as they were breaking way out. l actually came inside of a lure angler who was wading the surf and once I was on the beach he came over for a chat commenting that it was the first time he had been undertaken by a boat when shore fishing. He fishes a small boat with a mate and was very impressed with the concept of yak fishing and took some photos to show his mate. l gave hime the details of Anglers Afloat and AN, so if you recognise this, welcome :)

 

Sunday was clear and calm, with better water clarity further out but I still couldn't see the bottom in 5ft closer in. Spent a while with the fly rod figuring out how to do it from a yak, not as easy as standing on the shore. I did manage a few decent casts though but still drew a bank, although I was getting closer as I rasied a couple of swirls. I went back out for one last chance at the tope and to use up the last of my bait. Still just dogs and huss, even on the fresh flappers I tried. I also found out that bream just love 4 day old rank black lug, taking them 3 at a time:) I have 4 of them for tea tonight, I just hope they survived the journey. In the afternoon the wind got up from the NW, and with wind against tide it was decidedly choppy. I trolled the plugs one last time and I kept seeing swirls as I disturbed fish once I got right in close, in 3 or 4 ft of water. So trolled up and down and drifted while chucking it about, with surface poppers, sliders, shallow divers and finally managed a 4lb bass :) However, while I was getting the camera out of my pocket after I unhooked it, it flicked its tail and was over the side and away in a flash. Still, at least I have the memory :)

 

So over the 4 days I caught 3 new species for teh yak, and 3 out of 4 aint bad as it was just the tope missing from what I was hoping for, upped my PB for bass to 4lb, paddled 45miles, put lots of faces to names, and had great time with a bunch of great lads. Cheers guys.

Edited by spanner
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Exellent write up's and photo's guy's.

 

Gives me a real motivation boost. I am back on my feet again now (just need to walk without a hunch) cant wait to get back on the water now.

 

GB

1 on the lure is worth 2 from the bait.

.....................................

 

Location Pembrokeshire

Kayak's

OK Prowler Trident Yellow

Kaskazi Pelican Orange on White ( CEZI B ) from www.kayakuk.com

Wilderness Tarpon 120 Yellow

Dughters Kayak OK Venus Blue & White (Kristi Boo)

Cobra Fish & Dive Blue

 

Tamar For Angle R.N.L.I

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Glad you made it home safely Spanner, good to meet you at last.

 

Have to say that I was made to feel very lazy over the weekend, me with my 4 ring gas, grill, oven and fridge/freezer, you guys with your little camping stoves.

 

I did managed to boilt the kettle twice, and make a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast, you guys put me to shame with your bacon, eggs, beans, mackeral, chicken, sausages, tea, coffee, bottles of wine.

 

Next year I'm going to do the tent thing and get back to nature, use to do it years ago, just got comfortable I guess.

 

SM :)

http://www.anglersafloat.co.uk

 

Location: Hampshire

Kayaks: Ocean Kayak Caper (Sunrise)

Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro

Ocean Kayak Malibu 2 XL (Sunrise)

Ocean Kayak Trident 15

Wilderness Systems Tarpon 140 Angler (Yellow)

Malibu Mini-X

 

 

A member of B.A.S.S www.ukbass.com

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Glad you made it home safely Spanner, good to meet you at last.

 

Have to say that I was made to feel very lazy over the weekend, me with my 4 ring gas, grill, oven and fridge/freezer, you guys with your little camping stoves.

 

I did managed to boilt the kettle twice, and make a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast, you guys put me to shame with your bacon, eggs, beans, mackeral, chicken, sausages, tea, coffee, bottles of wine.

 

Next year I'm going to do the tent thing and get back to nature, use to do it years ago, just got comfortable I guess.

 

SM :)

 

Thats just OLD age setting in SM :lol::rolleyes:

 

zzippy2.gif

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Nice one Spanner, Glad you managed to get your Bass and survive the surf .

I'm sorry you didn't get your Tope as I would have put money on us getting at least one at this time of year and to travel all that way for nought is a real bummer :( and that goes for all the others who came a long way. You watch, there;ll be loads there this weekend :wallbash:

Maybe when they are in we can organise an impromptu meet for those that really want to get one :)

Stuart.

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