Post by richi on Feb 22, 2009 0:18:37 GMT
At the start of the week the wind was forecast for 15mph and the fishing reports were dire 
By midweek the weather forecast had changed and I'd heard a great catch report from a local boat forum
;D of Rays being caught a few miles west of one of my marks.
On Friday at work I was hoping that we'd get the same sunny windless weather for today.................And we did
You know those days when you get a feeling that you are going to have a good trip...................by the time I'd paddled out of the Keyhaven part of the trip and took this photo I had that feeling
I had been looking on the charts at home and had a few marks in mind and today seemed to be the day to do it.
Paddled on towards Hurst to pick up the ebb to help me on my way
I left Hurst narrow and was making good speed offshore taking a course close to the Shingles and over Dolphin Bank.......there were some fun looking swells and I promised myself to revisit in the warmer weather for some more fun
I could see a yaucht over my right shoulder and they were there for some time making hardly more than my 6-7kts,they eventually got in front just as the coastguard was giving the weather and safety information broadcast.........we waved and they took a course close to the Needles
whilst I continued offshore bouyed with confidence from unknown voices on the VHF with their tales of Spurdogs
I eventually arrived at one of the marks I'd been studying and was glad to see that there was a charter nearby
number 224
The Needles in the distance
Was rigged up to fish two rods both on ledgers with a sandeel bait on one with the hope of a ray and the other with a triple squid on a Pennel.
Hadn't been there long and I was getting nuisance bites from Whiting on the Squid obviously too small to swallow the big Cod intended hook
After a while had I had a significant bite on the Sandeel and thought Great!...I've got my Ray that I intended to get!................tide was running a fair bit and the ray was putting up a bloody good fight..........................when I got it to the yak I saw why 
Cod on sandeel bait
................I was beginning to feel like I could catch a Great White Shark on a set of mackerel feathers 
Duly held it up and shouted COD!!!!!!!!!!!at the charter like one does
Weighed in at 5 1/2lbs and Mum knows I'm delivering a surprise tomorrow but doesn't know what
About ten minutes after the Cod I had a bite on the triple Squid and was thinking .............here we go another Cod................this one feels a bit heavier..............I don't bloomin believe it,first Cod on Sandeel now Thornback on Triple squid
Nicely lip hooked,de-hooked and returned safe and sound
Lost a good fish halfway up about half an hour later then things went quiet,there were some happy people out there with one charter skipper reporting 6 species including a Smoothound but I didn't hear of any more Cod being caught.
I began the long paddle back which was hard going until I got past the Needles with the tide trying to drag me off towards St.Catherines.
Soon got past the Needles and was joined by a flock of Seagulls like any good fishing boat returning to port
I'm sat here now feeling the 22 miles but it was SO worth it
By midweek the weather forecast had changed and I'd heard a great catch report from a local boat forum
;D of Rays being caught a few miles west of one of my marks.On Friday at work I was hoping that we'd get the same sunny windless weather for today.................And we did
You know those days when you get a feeling that you are going to have a good trip...................by the time I'd paddled out of the Keyhaven part of the trip and took this photo I had that feeling
I had been looking on the charts at home and had a few marks in mind and today seemed to be the day to do it.
Paddled on towards Hurst to pick up the ebb to help me on my way
I left Hurst narrow and was making good speed offshore taking a course close to the Shingles and over Dolphin Bank.......there were some fun looking swells and I promised myself to revisit in the warmer weather for some more fun
I could see a yaucht over my right shoulder and they were there for some time making hardly more than my 6-7kts,they eventually got in front just as the coastguard was giving the weather and safety information broadcast.........we waved and they took a course close to the Needles
whilst I continued offshore bouyed with confidence from unknown voices on the VHF with their tales of Spurdogs
I eventually arrived at one of the marks I'd been studying and was glad to see that there was a charter nearby
number 224
The Needles in the distance
Was rigged up to fish two rods both on ledgers with a sandeel bait on one with the hope of a ray and the other with a triple squid on a Pennel.
Hadn't been there long and I was getting nuisance bites from Whiting on the Squid obviously too small to swallow the big Cod intended hook
After a while had I had a significant bite on the Sandeel and thought Great!...I've got my Ray that I intended to get!................tide was running a fair bit and the ray was putting up a bloody good fight..........................when I got it to the yak I saw why Cod on sandeel bait
................I was beginning to feel like I could catch a Great White Shark on a set of mackerel feathers Duly held it up and shouted COD!!!!!!!!!!!at the charter like one does Weighed in at 5 1/2lbs and Mum knows I'm delivering a surprise tomorrow but doesn't know what
About ten minutes after the Cod I had a bite on the triple Squid and was thinking .............here we go another Cod................this one feels a bit heavier..............I don't bloomin believe it,first Cod on Sandeel now Thornback on Triple squid
Nicely lip hooked,de-hooked and returned safe and sound
Lost a good fish halfway up about half an hour later then things went quiet,there were some happy people out there with one charter skipper reporting 6 species including a Smoothound but I didn't hear of any more Cod being caught.
I began the long paddle back which was hard going until I got past the Needles with the tide trying to drag me off towards St.Catherines.
Soon got past the Needles and was joined by a flock of Seagulls like any good fishing boat returning to port
I'm sat here now feeling the 22 miles but it was SO worth it
live life to the max
