Rhyl to Whitby (Part 2)

[John E Ashford]

Rhyl to Whitby

 

Arriving at Whitby 5.50am, we were just in time to get to Arbutts Café for that well presented anglers breakfast. Next into the tackle shop, I don’t know about you, but I’ve always got to buy something out of those Aladdin caves, needed or not!!!

 

Back to the car park, which was buzzing with eager anglers, all anticipating big catches on the day.

 

Loading the boat with our kit, we did notice some anglers must need Pickfords to transport their Tackle Boxes.

 

7am arrived and the bridge swung open, Whitby Charter boats steered between the piers, then fanned out as the raced towards each skippers chosen GPS plotted venue.

 

Rods n Rigs were geared up ready to haul those dreamed of Cod in the deep blue North Sea. Our first target was Mackerel; some for bait and the rest to be fried or grilled back home. We were not to be disappointed the Mackerel were there in abundance, just under the boat. No sooner had we started enough was enough, the fish were coming aboard 4 n 5 at a time. We were not here for the slaughter, of the shoals, but had plenty of what we required.

 

Soon we head off to the horizon, but with a 20mph westerly, the sea was choppy, not rolling and full of White horses. Today we weren’t to head for the far off wrecks but to fish the inshore wrecks and rough grounds. Soon as we stopped and the skipper shouted right lads, various end rigs were heading for the seabed. With wind and big tide we weren’t, even with1lb weights, able to hold bottom long.

 

With the first drop and knock on the floor, if you didn’t catch, you hauled up and tried again. Those with hookiest above the Pirks stood no chance of getting through the mass of Mackerel that was down there. So time to change tac-tics, treble off the Pirk, hokkies removed. A 12” to 18” snood tide to the main line, on top of the pirk or 12” above. Large hooks baited with Mackerel strips; fillets and squid were to prove the winners.

 

 

Soon the fish were coming onboard, Cod, Ling, Pouting and Whiting, we were not to be disappointed. Cod up to 4lb+ were the average and Ling up to 9lb. A day of constant fishing, with loads of undersized, going back for another day.

 

 

The time came when we started to slow down and fillet our catches; all of us had a good bag of filleted fish to take home.

 

Sea Fishing Great, is in’t it.

[mr motorola]

Rhyl to Whitby

 

Arriving at Whitby 5.50am, we were just in time to get to Arbutts Café for that well presented anglers breakfast. Next into the tackle shop, I don’t know about you, but I’ve always got to buy something out of those Aladdin caves, needed or not!!!

 

Back to the car park, which was buzzing with eager anglers, all anticipating big catches on the day.

 

Loading the boat with our kit, we did notice some anglers must need Pickfords to transport their Tackle Boxes.

 

7am arrived and the bridge swung open, Whitby Charter boats steered between the piers, then fanned out as the raced towards each skippers chosen GPS plotted venue.

 

Rods n Rigs were geared up ready to haul those dreamed of Cod in the deep blue North Sea. Our first target was Mackerel; some for bait and the rest to be fried or grilled back home. We were not to be disappointed the Mackerel were there in abundance, just under the boat. No sooner had we started enough was enough, the fish were coming aboard 4 n 5 at a time. We were not here for the slaughter, of the shoals, but had plenty of what we required.

 

Soon we head off to the horizon, but with a 20mph westerly, the sea was choppy, not rolling and full of White horses. Today we weren’t to head for the far off wrecks but to fish the inshore wrecks and rough grounds. Soon as we stopped and the skipper shouted right lads, various end rigs were heading for the seabed. With wind and big tide we weren’t, even with1lb weights, able to hold bottom long.

 

With the first drop and knock on the floor, if you didn’t catch, you hauled up and tried again. Those with hookiest above the Pirks stood no chance of getting through the mass of Mackerel that was down there. So time to change tac-tics, treble off the Pirk, hokkies removed. A 12” to 18” snood tide to the main line, on top of the pirk or 12” above. Large hooks baited with Mackerel strips; fillets and squid were to prove the winners.

 

 

Soon the fish were coming onboard, Cod, Ling, Pouting and Whiting, we were not to be disappointed. Cod up to 4lb+ were the average and Ling up to 9lb. A day of constant fishing, with loads of undersized, going back for another day.

 

 

The time came when we started to slow down and fillet our catches; all of us had a good bag of filleted fish to take home.

 

Sea Fishing Great, is in’t it.

Great Report John :thumbs:

Tight lines a plenty i see.

Nice to hear that undersized fish were going back too (you gotta keep the conservationists happy!)