Treaddur Bay 30th Dec07 - last one of the year
Jan 1, 2008 11:48:46 GMT -1
Post by moniar on Jan 1, 2008 11:48:46 GMT -1
Last kayak session of the year for me - after several weeks of not being able to get out due to weather/work and other committments - and a week of eating myself stupid
It was a toss up between Bull Bay or Treaddur Bay. The forecast was for the wind to drop to a westerly 7mph but the swell report was still showing it not calming down until midday Sunday. I awoke, and as I had packed the gear and loaded the kayak the night before I got an early start and as the web cam at Rhosneigr at first light was looking fairly calm I opted to try Treaddur first in the hope of coalies or codling or a bonus bass, texting the others when I got there to confirm it looked ok.
Arrived at the rnli hut around 8.20 and had just started unloading the gear when Hughesey arrived. The rnli crew started arriving and Terry was amoungst them so took the opportunity of a quick chat about likely spots for coalies
Hughesey got in the water first (always keen ) whilst I waited until Dave (Bassnasty) arrived and got down to the waters edge. It was fairly calm in the bay but the swell was still pretty decent at the edges of the bay, so we opted to fish inshore around the flagpole and in front of cod rocks .
Heres the view, with Hughesey paddling towards the flagpole:
The rnli lads were soon on their way to the water with the tractor, whereas we had to use our foldaway trolleys!
Here's one of Dave with the kayaks rigged ready to launch
A quick call on the vhf radio to Holyhead coastguard made them aware of our intentions, and to avoid any well meaning onlooker thinking that we were needing rescuing whilst drifting out in the bay.
Hughesey headed off to find the deep hole by the flagpole, whilst I went right to cod rock and then left round the outside of the two islands to join him - Dave thought I was mad but the swell was no worse in the second channel that out past the flagpole. I joined Hughesey by the flagpole and started my first drift, with a ledgered lug squid cocktail on one rod and three red shrimp rig baited with mackeral strips squid and black lug on my new fladden maximus rod and charter special level drag reel (tethered to the kayak as I didnt want to lose them on the first outing!)
Hughesey was first off the mark with a small whiting near the flagpole, whilst Dave had a fish by the islands whilst I was blanking on both rods on several drifts inshore from beyond the flagpole, to close to the rocks by ravenspoint road where I caught a number of good coalies this time last year.
I joined Dave on the shore for a cup of tea after I lost a rig in the main channel, then rejoined Hughesey back near the flag pole after Dave headed off home. Hughesey had managed another fish whilst I had been ashore, so I paddled out into the bigger swell again and started another long drift inshore past the flagpole and right up to the surfline.
We had the odd shower of rain so I was glad of the generous hood built into my dry suit which kept it off my neck, but it wasnt that cold and I found fishing with the Lidls cheap neoprene deck gloves to be both possible and very comfortable.
Looking toward cod rock and the ugly house:
Some shaky video footage - mixture of my poor camera work and the swell! Hughesey at the entrance to the bay on yet another drift past the flagpole inshore:
Nothing doing, so I paddled up to near cod rock and tried jigging with a set of muppets baited with lug and squid and mackeral in the bigger swell. Not a touch there so I joined Hughesey for some more drifts down the main channel and close in to the rocks as it got to about an hour before high. Hughesey decided to take an early bath as the fishing was turning out to be pants, so I paddled back in with him and had a cuppa and a mars bar on the beach. I decided to go out again for a final half an hour (which turned into an hour and a half, so desperate was I not to blank!)
Paddled back out to the flagpole and started another drift, but then had a problem with a snag on one rod - ending up with me having to handline the line in after a bit dropped off my abu 7500 multiplyer and spool wouldnt wind. Back into shore I went and luckily found the knob and spring washer thingy was still in the kayak - quick re asembly and decided to go out again - theres something very peaceful about drifting slowly inshore with two rods bobbing up and down
It got to 3pm, after high water and still no fish, so I slowly paddled back in to shore, putting in a call to the coastguard on the way.
Its a pity to blank on the last trip of the year, but from what I could see the many shore anglers on flagpole, the rocks , and cod rocks didnt seem to be pulling anything in either. At least I managed to get out and finish the year with good company in the morning and then a nice solo paddle in the afternoon.
I think I'd better make up some scratching rigs for the next couple of months kayak fishing and downsize my hooks if I am going to kickstart the fishing4u forum kayak species hunt next weekend
It was a toss up between Bull Bay or Treaddur Bay. The forecast was for the wind to drop to a westerly 7mph but the swell report was still showing it not calming down until midday Sunday. I awoke, and as I had packed the gear and loaded the kayak the night before I got an early start and as the web cam at Rhosneigr at first light was looking fairly calm I opted to try Treaddur first in the hope of coalies or codling or a bonus bass, texting the others when I got there to confirm it looked ok.
Arrived at the rnli hut around 8.20 and had just started unloading the gear when Hughesey arrived. The rnli crew started arriving and Terry was amoungst them so took the opportunity of a quick chat about likely spots for coalies
Hughesey got in the water first (always keen ) whilst I waited until Dave (Bassnasty) arrived and got down to the waters edge. It was fairly calm in the bay but the swell was still pretty decent at the edges of the bay, so we opted to fish inshore around the flagpole and in front of cod rocks .
Heres the view, with Hughesey paddling towards the flagpole:
The rnli lads were soon on their way to the water with the tractor, whereas we had to use our foldaway trolleys!
Here's one of Dave with the kayaks rigged ready to launch
A quick call on the vhf radio to Holyhead coastguard made them aware of our intentions, and to avoid any well meaning onlooker thinking that we were needing rescuing whilst drifting out in the bay.
Hughesey headed off to find the deep hole by the flagpole, whilst I went right to cod rock and then left round the outside of the two islands to join him - Dave thought I was mad but the swell was no worse in the second channel that out past the flagpole. I joined Hughesey by the flagpole and started my first drift, with a ledgered lug squid cocktail on one rod and three red shrimp rig baited with mackeral strips squid and black lug on my new fladden maximus rod and charter special level drag reel (tethered to the kayak as I didnt want to lose them on the first outing!)
Hughesey was first off the mark with a small whiting near the flagpole, whilst Dave had a fish by the islands whilst I was blanking on both rods on several drifts inshore from beyond the flagpole, to close to the rocks by ravenspoint road where I caught a number of good coalies this time last year.
I joined Dave on the shore for a cup of tea after I lost a rig in the main channel, then rejoined Hughesey back near the flag pole after Dave headed off home. Hughesey had managed another fish whilst I had been ashore, so I paddled out into the bigger swell again and started another long drift inshore past the flagpole and right up to the surfline.
We had the odd shower of rain so I was glad of the generous hood built into my dry suit which kept it off my neck, but it wasnt that cold and I found fishing with the Lidls cheap neoprene deck gloves to be both possible and very comfortable.
Looking toward cod rock and the ugly house:
Some shaky video footage - mixture of my poor camera work and the swell! Hughesey at the entrance to the bay on yet another drift past the flagpole inshore:
Nothing doing, so I paddled up to near cod rock and tried jigging with a set of muppets baited with lug and squid and mackeral in the bigger swell. Not a touch there so I joined Hughesey for some more drifts down the main channel and close in to the rocks as it got to about an hour before high. Hughesey decided to take an early bath as the fishing was turning out to be pants, so I paddled back in with him and had a cuppa and a mars bar on the beach. I decided to go out again for a final half an hour (which turned into an hour and a half, so desperate was I not to blank!)
Paddled back out to the flagpole and started another drift, but then had a problem with a snag on one rod - ending up with me having to handline the line in after a bit dropped off my abu 7500 multiplyer and spool wouldnt wind. Back into shore I went and luckily found the knob and spring washer thingy was still in the kayak - quick re asembly and decided to go out again - theres something very peaceful about drifting slowly inshore with two rods bobbing up and down
It got to 3pm, after high water and still no fish, so I slowly paddled back in to shore, putting in a call to the coastguard on the way.
Its a pity to blank on the last trip of the year, but from what I could see the many shore anglers on flagpole, the rocks , and cod rocks didnt seem to be pulling anything in either. At least I managed to get out and finish the year with good company in the morning and then a nice solo paddle in the afternoon.
I think I'd better make up some scratching rigs for the next couple of months kayak fishing and downsize my hooks if I am going to kickstart the fishing4u forum kayak species hunt next weekend
