9th December

Back on the moonshine, and another trip I forgot about completely. Luckily my skipper has got used tol my ways, and texts me a reminder two days before!! A crackingg day for it, but the fishing had been slow, with the cod moving out of the usual deep holes with the last big blow. I wonder if these fish head furrther inshore to take full advantage? But with a few bass still around, there was still some anticipation of a good days fishing. I had my girlfriend Radka with me, and old friends Lee and Gary were happy to take the trip at short notice. We chugged out an hour or so east of the marina, and settled into the last of the ebb tide, as we waited the flood and hopefully a few fish. A couple of dogs and conger came aboard, and then I felt the vicious head shake of either a conger or a cod. To my relief it was a cod of about 7lb which came to the surface. Radka was next with a strap conger, and then skipper Pete went quiet, a sure sign that he is attached to something a little more solid. And up to the surface after some experienced grunting and heaving, I chin gaffed a cod which scraped over 20lb, and fat with the pouting feast it had just enjoyed. A little later Gary managed a fine bull huss, and Lee managed a strapconger. Along with plenty more dogs and pouting, Gary took a beautiful male spotted ray, and then after a struggle which I suspected to be bass, I managed a 5lb Smoothound and a 1.5lb dogfish on the same trace!! That was the end result of a thoroughly enjoyable day.

 

No more trips on Moonshine until 2006, so thanks for another cracking year Pete, and a very happy christmas and New year to you and yours!