Post by maghouse on May 29, 2009 17:59:02 GMT
Decided on this glorious day to brave it and head out to Horse Sands Fort - about 2 miles off Eastney
Set off at 0800 in flat calm mill pond seas which made for easy paddling ...
You can just see the fort in the haze !
Eventually got there about 45 mins later - stopped off to watch some 'topping Bass and have a chuck with the dexter but nothing ...
Had a paddle around the fort to take a looksee - very impressive lump of concrete & steel !
Decided to sit near the edge of the undersea platform with a running ledger & king rag 1/0 hook - just to see what was there.
Used the other rod to fiddle with poppers/dexters & Hokkais .... nothing ...
Main rod went - in it came - lovely Ballan Wrasse - about 1lb I reckon ...
Then a steady stream of Ballan - all about 1-2lb ...
Had another small tug and wound it - bugger - caught on the bottom I thought - real struggle to get it in with all that "weed" - then it kicked - boy did it kick ...
Beautiful 3-4lb Ballan - really put up a fight but the mangled & bent Sakuma 1/0 held fast and in he came ...
My PB by a long way ;D
(Bugger would not keep still for a decent piccy ...)
Then a few more smaller ones ...
Seagulls finally started to work the tops so in with the rag and followed the gulls around and round the fort casting into the boils with dexters but not a thing - really disappointing ... paddled closer into the fort and watched the fish topping and loadsa bass jumping - brilliant to watch ...
Under the landing stage it was alive but despite my best efforts - could not connect
(The dexter you can see high up was the result of an over ambitious cast which clanged on the armour plate and got stuck 
The currents around the fort were incredible - spose like a washing machine - not that I have been in one ... dragging you all over - a really strong current dragged you under the landing stage and took for some swift paddling to avoid headbutting the concrete
The swell would also hit the fort and come straight back out so you have waves from both directions ! great fun I have to admit but deffo needed your wits about you ...
One last chuck in the main channel - watched by the RN's latest ...
That was it - time to go .... 4 hours of sheer bliss or as my daughter would say ...
LUSH :catch:
Set off at 0800 in flat calm mill pond seas which made for easy paddling ...
You can just see the fort in the haze !
Eventually got there about 45 mins later - stopped off to watch some 'topping Bass and have a chuck with the dexter but nothing ...
Had a paddle around the fort to take a looksee - very impressive lump of concrete & steel !
Decided to sit near the edge of the undersea platform with a running ledger & king rag 1/0 hook - just to see what was there.
Used the other rod to fiddle with poppers/dexters & Hokkais .... nothing ...
Main rod went - in it came - lovely Ballan Wrasse - about 1lb I reckon ...
Then a steady stream of Ballan - all about 1-2lb ...
Had another small tug and wound it - bugger - caught on the bottom I thought - real struggle to get it in with all that "weed" - then it kicked - boy did it kick ...
Beautiful 3-4lb Ballan - really put up a fight but the mangled & bent Sakuma 1/0 held fast and in he came ...
My PB by a long way ;D
(Bugger would not keep still for a decent piccy ...)
Then a few more smaller ones ...
Seagulls finally started to work the tops so in with the rag and followed the gulls around and round the fort casting into the boils with dexters but not a thing - really disappointing ... paddled closer into the fort and watched the fish topping and loadsa bass jumping - brilliant to watch ...
Under the landing stage it was alive but despite my best efforts - could not connect
(The dexter you can see high up was the result of an over ambitious cast which clanged on the armour plate and got stuck 
The currents around the fort were incredible - spose like a washing machine - not that I have been in one ... dragging you all over - a really strong current dragged you under the landing stage and took for some swift paddling to avoid headbutting the concrete
The swell would also hit the fort and come straight back out so you have waves from both directions ! great fun I have to admit but deffo needed your wits about you ...One last chuck in the main channel - watched by the RN's latest ...
That was it - time to go .... 4 hours of sheer bliss or as my daughter would say ...
LUSH :catch:
