Post by mark8 on May 19, 2014 15:29:28 GMT
But not all on the competition day unfortunately..
I really enjoy this event and this year the weather forecast for the whole weekend looked like it was going to be a scorcher. PM’s were sent and plans were made and I ended up making a very long weekend of it arriving in Swanage at 7.30 Thursday morning.
Tony and Ian had arrive the day before and were already on the water, I had arranged to meet Martin but couldn’t wait any longer so set up camp and then headed straight out into the bay. The weather was glorious and the fish were certainly feeding.
I managed ten species on Thursday, all bigger fish as I was targeting Ray and Bream. The bream were straight onto the bait with the doggies, followed by my first ever small eyed ray.
Interestingly like many others reported this one was in the process of laying its eggs.
At one point I had so many garfish around the yak I could hand feed them.
When martin arrived we paddled over to Ian who hadn’t had a bite in three hours so just to be cocky I dropped my bait down next to his yak and pulled up ballans, corkwings and Pollack. Back onto the sand and I had a good tub gurnard
My first ever brill
And an Undulate Ray giving me ten species.
Back at the camp site there was much mickey taking that I had peaked too early whilst we tucked into beer and barbecued meat.
Friday dawned and there was a constant stream of people arriving at the camp site. I would guess fifty kayak anglers camping in a field which was great to see.
Back on the water and there were kayaks everywhere, but mainly it seemed anchored within fifty meters of my boat. I started on the sand again and once more we were straight into bream, doggies, garfish, mackerel and Pollack. Today I also went on the reef and had ballans, corkwings, Goldsinney Wrasse and the most beautiful Cuckoo Wrasse
And a scorpion fish
To give me another ten species for the day. Things were looking good for the competition.
On Saturday I was up early, too excited to sleep. I arrived at the car park at 5.30 to find many people already there, John having left the camp site at 4am to guarantee a parking space. Setting up on the green it soon became apparent there was going to be a great turn out.
Safety briefing done and at 10am exactly 100 kayak anglers launched into the bay in search of fish. My plan was simple, two hours on the sand for the bigger species followed by two hours on the reef after the smaller stuff.
Well…what a difference. I had a bream in ten minutes.
The plan seemed to be working but then nothing for one and a half hours. Not a bite… Whereas the last two days I had been plagued by dogfish, garfish and others today I just could not find a fish. The doubt was starting to set in, a quick move to deeper water but it didn’t make a difference still not a bite. After two hours I wasn’t sure what to do, stick it out for an hour looking for the big fish or stick to the plan and go over the reef. I decided to stick to the plan.
Once anchored over the reef what a difference. As soon as one rod hit the water it was bouncing away with small fish.
Corkwing wrasse by the dozen.
Pollack
Ballan Wrasse
My first ever Tompot Blenny
A Goldsinney Wrasse
And a Black Goby
I also had two more bream here so seven species in less than an hour. Last year seven species won me the comp so I wasn’t sure what to do, head back to the sand and keep looking for a big fish or head in and try my luck. I decided to head in hoping seven would put me in the top three.
Back ashore and seven was the best so far but soon the rumours of eights and nines and even a ten started to circulate. I really thought I had made the wrong choice and resigned myself to fourth or fifth place. After what seemed like an age the results started and I ended up coming second which was a great surprise, going home with a Garin Virb Elite Camera (exactly the prize I would have chosen as it happens)
Very well done to Will Chellingworth who won with eight species, and Ray Cole for coming third with seven species also but in a slower time.
A massive thanks to Dave from Anglers Afloat for once more organising this staple of the kayak fishing calendar, and SMG for their generous sponsorship of the event.
It was a truly fantastic weekend, great weather, great fishing and great company. I’ll see you all again in Runswick or Oxwich.
I really enjoy this event and this year the weather forecast for the whole weekend looked like it was going to be a scorcher. PM’s were sent and plans were made and I ended up making a very long weekend of it arriving in Swanage at 7.30 Thursday morning.
Tony and Ian had arrive the day before and were already on the water, I had arranged to meet Martin but couldn’t wait any longer so set up camp and then headed straight out into the bay. The weather was glorious and the fish were certainly feeding.
I managed ten species on Thursday, all bigger fish as I was targeting Ray and Bream. The bream were straight onto the bait with the doggies, followed by my first ever small eyed ray.
Interestingly like many others reported this one was in the process of laying its eggs.
At one point I had so many garfish around the yak I could hand feed them.
When martin arrived we paddled over to Ian who hadn’t had a bite in three hours so just to be cocky I dropped my bait down next to his yak and pulled up ballans, corkwings and Pollack. Back onto the sand and I had a good tub gurnard
My first ever brill
And an Undulate Ray giving me ten species.
Back at the camp site there was much mickey taking that I had peaked too early whilst we tucked into beer and barbecued meat.
Friday dawned and there was a constant stream of people arriving at the camp site. I would guess fifty kayak anglers camping in a field which was great to see.
Back on the water and there were kayaks everywhere, but mainly it seemed anchored within fifty meters of my boat. I started on the sand again and once more we were straight into bream, doggies, garfish, mackerel and Pollack. Today I also went on the reef and had ballans, corkwings, Goldsinney Wrasse and the most beautiful Cuckoo Wrasse
And a scorpion fish
To give me another ten species for the day. Things were looking good for the competition.
On Saturday I was up early, too excited to sleep. I arrived at the car park at 5.30 to find many people already there, John having left the camp site at 4am to guarantee a parking space. Setting up on the green it soon became apparent there was going to be a great turn out.
Safety briefing done and at 10am exactly 100 kayak anglers launched into the bay in search of fish. My plan was simple, two hours on the sand for the bigger species followed by two hours on the reef after the smaller stuff.
Well…what a difference. I had a bream in ten minutes.
The plan seemed to be working but then nothing for one and a half hours. Not a bite… Whereas the last two days I had been plagued by dogfish, garfish and others today I just could not find a fish. The doubt was starting to set in, a quick move to deeper water but it didn’t make a difference still not a bite. After two hours I wasn’t sure what to do, stick it out for an hour looking for the big fish or stick to the plan and go over the reef. I decided to stick to the plan.
Once anchored over the reef what a difference. As soon as one rod hit the water it was bouncing away with small fish.
Corkwing wrasse by the dozen.
Pollack
Ballan Wrasse
My first ever Tompot Blenny
A Goldsinney Wrasse
And a Black Goby
I also had two more bream here so seven species in less than an hour. Last year seven species won me the comp so I wasn’t sure what to do, head back to the sand and keep looking for a big fish or head in and try my luck. I decided to head in hoping seven would put me in the top three.
Back ashore and seven was the best so far but soon the rumours of eights and nines and even a ten started to circulate. I really thought I had made the wrong choice and resigned myself to fourth or fifth place. After what seemed like an age the results started and I ended up coming second which was a great surprise, going home with a Garin Virb Elite Camera (exactly the prize I would have chosen as it happens)
Very well done to Will Chellingworth who won with eight species, and Ray Cole for coming third with seven species also but in a slower time.
A massive thanks to Dave from Anglers Afloat for once more organising this staple of the kayak fishing calendar, and SMG for their generous sponsorship of the event.
It was a truly fantastic weekend, great weather, great fishing and great company. I’ll see you all again in Runswick or Oxwich.