Do you remember Actionboy from earlier posts? The poor sod flies off to Afghanistan on Friday this week, nobody should underestimate how difficult it is to leave a young family for so long. I was conscious of the fact it would be 6 months before he'd wet a line so I arranged a trip for the 4th of April, a sort of goodbye and thanks for all your help. Trouble would be deciding where to fish...

Some contributors on the Leader Lines web site had arranged a small match at Pakefield on all fools day, the irony wasn't lost on me, the idea was the "Old Gits" would take on the might of the "Lads" and "Kids". Unfortunately the Kids had better things to do, probably on their play stations or had spots to squeeze, I dunno, but the match ended up a two way battle between the Lads and the Gits. I couldn't help but notice some of my "old" mates had made it into the Lads team, maybe they just had rough digs but some of them look too old to fish for the Gits. Experience won out in the end and the Gits paralysed the Lads, I've copied the results as provided by the second oldest Git I know John Abbott, Mick Phillips is the oldest I know, he can remember when Noah was a shipwright. Here's the results provided by the excellent old git Abbott:

The 'OLD GITS' carded 5 metres 46 cms
The 'LADS' carded 4 metres 27.5 cms

Individually,
1st Steve Smith 5 sizeable fish for 1 metre 81 cms (Best 58 cms Codling)
2nd John Abbott 5 sizeable fish for 1 metre 75 cms (Best 55 cms Codling)
3rd Scott 4 sizeable for 1 metre 26 cms (Best 47 cms Codling)
4th Andy Lawes 3 sizeable for 1 metre 6.5 cms (Best 47 cms Codling)
5th Paul Blyth 2 sizeable for 94 cms (2 Codling 50 cms and 44 cms)
6th Trevor Elliott 2 sizeable for 70 cms (Best 41 cms Codling)
7th Mark Alsop 2 sizeable for 69 cms (Best 36 cms Codling)
8th Brian Heritage 2 sizeable for 61cms (Best 32 cms Whiting)
9th Rod 2 sizeable for 56 cms (Best 32 cms Whiting)
10th Barry Daynes 1 Codling for 49 cms
11th Keith Mountfield 1 Codling for 48 cms
3 anglers were unlucky and didn't card returns.

Just to put a little more info on the day and making the 'length' v 'weight' comparison, the results look like this: With most good conditioned Codling measuring 50 cms going a little over 3 lbs and given that the average length of the Codling caught was 47.5 cms I have calculated these at around 2 lbs 14 ozs each. Add to that the 19 sizeable Whiting returned with an average length of 31.5 cms, which I've given an average weight of 9.5 ounces each and we have an estimated total of 40 lbs 2 ozs between the 11 anglers that put in returns.

Interesting day out in as much as it seems to show a return of a few sizeable feeding fish, possibly the start of the fabled spring run but definitely a step in the right direction. Pakefield is one of my favourite spots, so i was sorely tempted to head down there for a session with Actionboy on Wednesday. Trouble was I had a night shift the night before and I'd need to have made the 11/4 hour drive to the beach by around 1130 to fish the ebb, I was actually quite glad when Mrs Aitch reminded me she had an appointment and I had to look after Aidan. So the plan was changed for an afternoon/evening session up here.

There hadn't been anything in recent reports around here to inspire much confidence, even Karl wasn't sure he'd fish he's halfway through building a powertex bass and wanted to get it finished ready for spring and summer. Smudge was working and Pete was baby sitting so me and Actionboy would be joined by Nobby, Steve and Bri. PK said he might join us in the evening, depending how he got on chasing fish round Lowestoft way. I really wanted to try something different, maybe fish off the prom at Overstrand or fish Trimingham on the ebb. I thought our best bet would be the flood at Heart Attack, we'd had some good fishing there last year around this time in similar conditions, god I wish I had some peelers.

The wind has been east noreast for a week or more leaving us with a scruffy rather than a mega rough sea, plenty of colour and with a bit of luck no weed. I checked it in the morning after I finished nights and it looked perfect. Rough without being unfishable, coloured and I couldn't see any loose weed in the surf. There was bound to be some weed in it but I was confident it would be fishable, in fact it looked bloody good. The wind was 10mph NE when I left work and the forecast had it easing to nothing by evening, I really fancied it. The plan was for some of the lads to meet at mine for 1430 so we could be set up and fishing for low water at 1500ish.

Steve pitched up first shortly followed by Bri and Actionboy, no messing about straight into the motors and off we go. I was excited about this session, more than I had been for ages, the sea and forecast were as good as I'd been able to fish all year. If we didn't catch in that sea, they just weren't there.

A cracking sea, the northerly breeze had all but gone by 3pm when we started, perfect. You can see the surf out on the bank and the gulley between there and the surf at the waters edge.

I should think you'd catch here on the ebb but I've always done better on the flood. There's a huge gulley dead obvious at low water with a bit of surf on. You can catch over the bank too, but the gulley would be the main feature.I put one out not 30 yards at low water into probably 4 or 5' of water and popped one into the surf on the bank hoping for a bass. We didn't have to wait long, Bri had a sparkling little schoolie of around 12oz, so obviously a fresh run fish, they're almost a white silver rather than that greyish back and tail they get a bit later on.

See what I mean, the fresh run fish don't have that charcoal back and tail yet, Bri with the first one.

I followed Bri with a quickfire brace the biggest about 1lb and a missed bite, we were less than an hour into the flood and there were plenty of school bass showing, I felt confident that when the gulley filled as it flooded some codling would show. I'd read on a fishing forum about the number of pipe fish in cods bellys off the yorkshire coast, I'd seen them before but only odd ones, I saw at least a half dozen on the beach today.

Are they related to sea horses or something? Bri with a pipe fish.

Actionboy hadn't had anything yet nor had Steve. Nobby had another bass pretty much the same as all the rest that had been caught so far as we edged back towards the revetment with the flooding tide. It had been quiet for me for a while too, I had the bass and the missed bite in 3 casts. I baited up my spare trace, hung it on the rest just as one of my rods straightened up. A few seconds later and a plump 2lb codling's in the bucket.

Actionboy trying to bend his Greys! Stay safe mate and you'll be back in time for the proper autumn bass.

PK joined us from kessingland at about 630, he'd had one about 1.5lb but had been plagued with weed. There'd only been odd mini codling and another schoolie since the 2lber, I'd hoped there'd be some better bass too. As the tide flooded weed started becoming a problem, mid flood with plenty of tide and the sea being "lively" meant that any loose bits in the surf soon accumulated on your line. It didn't make it too difficult to fish but it was a pain. As darkness fell I had another slackliner, this one was slightly better at a little over 3lb, followed next cast by a mini of around 1lb. It was a bit of a false dawn, I really thought we all might get a few, but apart for a mini for Actionboy, Bri and Nobby it was a struggle. PK was on the end peg (now there's a thing!) and he hadn't had a bite on his frozen bait.

Some Nordic God of a bloke with the best two codling, to be honest it was a decent session but not as good as the sea promised, I thought we'd all get a few like these. Note to self, clean camera lens.

I finished with 5 codling and 3 bass. I can't remember all the final scores and to be honest its not that important, we wanted to get together with Actionboy and hopefully take his mind off the task ahead. I was at Bircham last Saturday and he popped down with his little boy, could only be around 2 and reminded me of Aidan at the same age, fecking heart breaking. We'd had the best of the fishing by high water, Steve drifted off followed by Bri and Nobby. PK left and was quickly followed by me and Actionboy.

I love the spot we fished but hate the climb back up the hill afterwards, finally at the top and with the car loaded I wished the man all the best and set off for home. 5 minutes into my homeward journey and Actionboy's on the phone, can I give him a jump start! We got his car started again and off I went. I've now just had a text and he's roughing it at Walcott! Apparently as soon as he puts his lights on he loses power, I swear it could only happen to him. I suggested he drives home on side lights with his hazards on, either way good luck mate and get home safe and sound.