We started off around Bardsey. We're still learning the island and we found it hard on this weak flood to find a decent tide and drift. I was first in with a Wrasse of around 1.5lb, but after a couple of moves we found a better stamp of fish.
Mark shouted up "fish on" to his baited feathers and as he bought it to the boat, I was in too on my Fiiish Black Minnow. Mark had our first Coalfish of the year. It was about 1.5lb. I had a Pollack of around 3lb. So far, so good. Mark had a few more Pollack and then found a few launce. We moved again into the rough stuff. I was into some thing meaty straight away ......... in the form of a snag Mark had a few more Launce.
As the tide turned, we decided to make a move to nearer our base in Pwllheli. We anchored up and put out a big bait and a small bait rod each. After a short wait, Mark was in on the small baits. "Dunno what this is", he said "doesn't feel like a doggie". He was right and wrong. It turned out he had our first Bream of the year AND a doggie.
Next drop he had a better Bream of 1lb 10 oz, (which it turned out tasted wonderful on the BBQ a short while ago ).
We carried on, and I caught doggie after doggie and eventually a small Gurnard.
Mark caught more Bream, a couple of Huss and just as it was time to leave he hit the jackpot. He called it straight away as a Tope, but it didn't really peel any line off the drag. "Small Tope perhaps" he said. "Maybe a Spurrie"? I speculated. And then we got colour. It looked like a Tope, and by the way it reacted, it looked like it didn't like boats! It tore off, stripping line off a well set drag, just like a Tope should.
He got it back to the boat and I managed to tail it into the boat.
Another beautifully conditioned fish of around 20-25lb; we didn't weigh it
I must teach him to how to pose with a fish mind!
All too soon, it was time to head back to shore. Beaten by the apprentice, but secretly, quite proud
Til next time
