Christmas Crackers

Having had amazing luck with the weather this Autumn I knew pay back could not be far away, and with three blown out trips in December already it has arrived with a vengeance.

Fed up with no fishing from the boat, and with two days holiday to use up, I decided to break out my shore fishing gear to see what I could find from dry land.  A few enquiries on various forums suggested I could still be in with a shout of catching Wrasse from Portland Bill and with a stiff westerly still blowing the east side of the Bill sounded like a good idea.

Day 1 - 21st December

I had a leisurely start compared to boat fishing, not leaving the house until 8am and arriving in Weymouth at around 9.45.  I went straight to the tackle shop where I bought some rag worm as my main bait as well as a handful of frozen hermit crabs as back up.  I bumped in to Lyle Stantiford, skipper of Supanova, so asked for some advice as where to go on 'the Bill' to avoid the weather and have a chance of catching a fish.  Lyle explained that the further North you go on the east side the steeper the cliffs get and without a long drop net you would have little chance of landing a decent fish.  He also said that Wrasse should be present all along the coast.

I headed off for Bill Point where I parked up and walked a few hundred yards up the coast to a nice looking platform in front of the beach huts.

I was planning on catching a monster so I rigged up my beach caster with a large float, 2 oz cocking weight, and a size 1 Catfish hook baited with two rag worms.  I was using Power Gum as a stop knot for the first time and despite the man who sold it to me claiming it was impossible to tie; I found no such problem using a knot from the Planet Sea Fishing rig book.  I set the hook depth to around 10 feet and cast out.  It was now that I found, with the tide very low, that the water here was much shallower than I had anticipated - I started to doubt whether I had made a good choice.

Having adjusted the depth to around 6 feet I had a number of casts, re-baiting each time and covering a new piece of water with each chuck.  I fancied I may have had a couple of very small bites but no hook ups.

I searched my tackle box and found one small hook which I attached to my line and cast again.  This time I went short and had an instant indication on the float.  I reeled in a Wrasse that was probably no more than 2oz, but it was a start none the less.

I tried a longer cast next and had a good bite but the fish took me straight in to the rocks and I lost my hook - the only small one in my box.

I spent the next 2 hours receiving plenty of bites, particularly on the hermit crab, but didn't manage any more fish.  At least the weather was nice though and I snapped this shot of Bill Point as the sun started to sink.

Portland Bill

As I drove home I decided that I would not come back the next day as there seemed little point if there were no decent fish.  When I got home however the weather forecast looked better again and I considered that if if I could fish the west side of the Bill maybe I would find the fish.  I convinced myself and got the car ready for another trip the next day.

Day 2 - 22nd December

I was earlier on the road today and had bought my bait and was out of the car by 9.45 am.  On getting out of the car it was very obvious that the westerly breeze had freshened significantly and I was not going to risk becoming a statistic on the exposed side of the island.  Instead I headed off past the mark I had fished the day before to an old quarry about 1/4 mile further up the coast.  This is well recommended but you fish from cliffs some 40ft above the water.  I tried a couple of casts in to a tide that must have been running at 7 knots and promptly lost my float and end gear to the cliffs.  The conditions, coupled with my vertigo, made me decide to see if I could find another mark back towards the car park where the cliffs are less precipitous.

Everywhere I looked the water was shallow and, without any better ideas, I ended up back at the mark I had fished the day before.  I was better prepared this time as I had brought by 'whip thin' Leeda Northstar bass rod and a 5000 size bait feeder reel - just right for targeting some tiddlers.  I had also bought some size 6 carp hooks which should be just right for the job.

I set up my float rig and had a couple of test casts to establish that I needed to fish at a depth of around just 5 feet.  I baited with a small chunk of worm and flicked the float out to the edge of a rocky outcrop.  I didn't have to wait long and the float was jabbing down under the surface.  The result was a very small Wrasse, even smaller than the float!

Smallest Wrasse In The World?

Encouraged by this result I set about trying to find more off this little chap's brothers and sisters.  I didn't have to wait long and another couple of fish were mine.  It was definitely going better than the day before!

Another Littl'un

Now I was getting in to my stride and I figured that even though the fish were small there maybe some nice photo opportunities here.  Just as I was thinking this the bites seemed to dry up.  I set my float about 10 inches deeper and switched to crab bait.......and the bites started again.

Whether it was the flooding tide or some other factor I'm not sure but the fish started to run a little larger and the colour variety was fantastic.  By switching between baits I seemed to be able to keep the fish interested, but worm accounted for the better fish.

Can Fish Smile?

Tropical Beauty

It was after about 8 fish and I was getting casual with the way I was treating bites, assuming they would all be a similar size.  I flicked out my float a little further and watched the float bob before submerging.  I reeled in slowly and suddenly felt a much better fish on the end of my line.  I was so shocked though I let the line go slack and he threw the hook.  Now I was alert and ready for another one!

My next fish was better, but not as good as the one I lost (wouldn't be would it!).  It was probably about a pound and my best of the day to this point.

About a pound

Again, the bites seemed to dry up.  I set the float deeper again, switched back to crab and sent the float further out.  As the float drifted towards the shore I had a small bite.  I reeled and struck but nothing was there.  I reeled in to find the crab bait had been stolen.

I re-baited and cast back to the same spot.  Again, the float went under but when I tried to retrieve there was no fish and no bait.  This went on for around six casts before I lost patience.  If it was a bait robbing tiddler I was going to catch it.  I switched to a small section of rag worm and cast back to the same spot.

The float jagged around looking nervous!  Then the float went under and I reeled as quickly as I could whilst raising the rod tip......the rod bent double.....this was no tiddler.  I held my breath as I thought the fish had gone to ground but little by little it came towards the shore.  There were a couple of points when it felt like the fish would hole up in the kelp but it kept coming, feeling dogged rather than athletic.  It was only when the fish was under my feet that it woke up.  I knew it wasn't stuck as it was swimming in fratic circles.  I had to play it for a good couple of minutes right at the edge of the rocks.  Finally I managed to coax it to the surface and instantly wished I had a landing net.  Gingerley I leaned down and hoped the 20lb test and size 6 hook would not give way as I hauled the fish ashore.

The result was a fabulous 3lb 8oz Ballan Wrasse with stunning markings.  It is my biggest shore caught fish ever and a real bonus catch for December.  I don't know whether it classes as bad luck or good luck but on my next cast my reel fell apart!  I was so relieved it hadn't done so two 5 minutes earlier and I'm kind of pleased to think I caught a fish so tough it bust my reel!

Red, White & Blue

It amazes me that the same mark can perform so differently on two consecutive days but I'm not complaining!  I think a return visit will be due in the Summer next year to see if I can find another one....

I hope if you are reading this you have a great Christmas.  With a bit of luck the weather next week will be better and I will get out to have a crack at some Whiting.

Contact - steve@madpolka.co.uk