Tough conditions still making it hard

There's no point in going on about it - this summer was the worst ever and it's now over.  Very difficult to get my work to coincide with the rare days of calm weather we did have, so I've had just 5 trips this year.  Truly awful.

And not only that, but as chance would have it, the last time I could get out before my holiday the tide was against me at Runswick.  I arrived bang on high water, and sure enough, everything was dead.  I waited and waited.  And waited some more.  Two hours later, the tide very slowly started to pick up.  I started to get some better drifts, although my tackle losses were heavy due to sheer clutter of pot ropes out there.  Very hard to avoid them when your drifting at pace.  Sure enough, as the tide picked up speed, and with just half an hour left of my time to fish, I started hitting them.

First up was a hefty pollack.  This fish nipped the tail of the jelly eel several times, and I kept striking into nothing.  So I stopped the eel and let it hang in the current, sure enough I felt the tail nipping, and then bang!   Rod right over, and the typical pollack dives towards the kelp beds.

Cracking fish, probably about the six pound mark.  Gave me two big fillets for the freezer.

But then the trouble started.  First up, a ballan wrasse about 3 or 4 pound.  Decent fight, but not the codling I was hoping for.  And after this I couldn't land a fish for love nor money.  Everything I hooked came back off the hook mid-water!  Three more drifts, and it was time for home.

Poor show, but given the timing of my arrival (had to fit the fishing in between the nursery run on that day - funny how things conspire against you when you want to go fishing eh?) probably as good as I could have hoped for.

Still, in the dying days of the bass season, I'm praying we get a week of calm weather.  If we don't, this will go down as my worst ever season.  The freezer is empty bar a few mackerel, my shiny new lures from Duo lie unused and untested in their packets, and I'm pacing round the house like a caged animal!

Just give me two more good sessions in the kayak, and winter can coming roaring in as bad as it likes...   ;-)

Tight lines everybody.