Scum at Cromer..

I had every intention of going tonight after work but was just too tired. The conditions were right for a chance of a smoothound or ray, I just wouldn’t have done myself justice if I had have gone, so I decided to leave it until Monday night..

The forecast had a change in store Monday, the light to non existent ESE were going NE up to around 15mph. If the sea kicked up a bit it would knock the smoothound chances on the head but I reckoned there’d be a chance of a decent bass. Reports from earlier in the weekend indicated the May weed was clearing though a look on the Cromer web cam showed a dodgy looking scum in the mist.

Not the first time I’ve seen dodgy looking scum at Cromer pier.

I’d done nothing but work since my ill fated trip to Lowestoft so scum or no scum I was going to have a go, I just couldn’t get a plan in my head that I was entirely happy with. I wanted to have a go at the fish/crab thing but if the sea kicked up on the back of the forecast NE, then fish baits would probably be a waste of time. I didn’t have enough useable crab for an all out assault. PK had dropped around 50 off for me to look after while he went off to the TT races and said I could use the ones popping. To be honest there were a lot of awfully small crabs and not many popping, it’s getting to that time of the year when all we’ll have is little hens. Pete had said I could pick some up if I wanted some and I could always pick some fish bait up from Cromer or Sheringham on Monday when I picked Aidan up from school.

I don’t know where the apathy has come from. My mates and me are struggling to find enthusiasm to fish. Karl and Johnny are off casting and are doing well; PK is messing about with motorbikes while me, Nobby, Smudge and Pete are working. I think we’ve mostly got our kit in order for the Jolly Boys trip in a fortnight’s time; I hate messing my stuff up when I’ve cleaned it out, serviced reels, tied rigs. Sad isn’t it, bordering on the compulsive I reckon, what’s the point in getting your kit right if you don’t use it?

Hinge and Bracket had been on one of my favourite beaches without tearing any trees up, a 3lb codling the best fish caught. Pedro had been next-door to them and struggled for a few bits, which did at least include a starry pup. I’m convinced the smuts will show on these tides or the next big set if the sea stays flat and I really wanted to have a go at them. Last year they turned up around the end of the first week of June. I remember it well as the father in-law died and we’d just gone down to the Isle of Wight for a smut bash. I was still concerned about the wind though, I’d like to fish Cart Gap or the far end of Walcott and have a go for a proper smut, and I just wouldn’t have any confidence if the sea kicked up.

That’s the plan then, try and rope a mate in and: Plan A, if the sea stays flat use fish and crab and fish the ebb into dark, Plan B fish with crab for bass into dark if the sea kicks up, either way I’d be fishing.