New Brighton 9th May

[sarge]

A bit of a spur of the moment decision to get out at last.

Went to New Brighton for 2½hrs up to high tide.

Launched near the Clown Roundabout (1) (see venues)

zebrakayak.proboards81.com/index.cgi?board=venuepage&action=display&thread=413

and paddled toward Perch Rock. My plan was to find the Rock Channel, anchor there and see what came up. I stopped where I thought was right and found I was spot on - my anchor got nowhere near bottom ! (2)


By the time I'd pulled anchor and got sorted I realised how far I'd drifted - bloody miles ! The tide there certainly shifts. So paddled back to the "T" groyne and anchored there - very hard work against the tide (3). Fresh peeler, fresh black lug and not a bite for an hour.
So paddled to opposite the middle of the "T groyne" (4). Quickly into plenty of dabs


A good few were keepers, but most looked a bit grim close up :



Also plenty of whiting - all on black lug.


I was hoping for smoothies or thornback, but my lovely fresh peeler (Moreton Angling) remained untouched.

All the same, great to be back on the water !

[kickingk]

Sarge,

Nice report I've always been tempted to try there but the tidal flow has always put me off (Fished the rock channel from the shore and I've seen what it can be like) after reading this I think I'll give it a go over low water some time in the next two weeks, the smuts should arrive any day now ;D ;D ;D.
Would it be easier to launch from the left of the fort and go down the channel with the flow so to speak? I'm sure I read on another site that people thought the huge sandbank had perhaps shifted maybe due to the windfarm?