Windy session..

The wind doesn’t seem to know what to do, the forecast strength is up and down like a whores drawers. I wanted to fish the flood somewhere round here then go on and fish the ebb into darkness on another local beach, one minute it’s giving 10mph nor’ west the next 30mph nor’ east, how can you plan without decent info? We had breakfast at Overstrand this morning (26/9 happy birthday to me) after taking Aidan to school, cracking sea on and if it stays as forecast Monday or Tuesday next week could be cracking up here.

A little over an hour before low water, proper sea.

The biggest tides of the year towards this weekend too, they’re bound to bring a bit of weed with them, couple that with the fact that it’s been southwest for quite a few days before this blow and it’s likely to be very weedy up here. With the possibility of weed and the likelihood of it being unfishable in Norfolk, we decided to head off southwards to Suffolk. Promised to be a laugh if nothing else. I did half think to myself that if I had bait left I’d look in and see if I could fish in the evening back homewards, too optimistic given the sea and just plain daft, I don’t think I had that much energy when I had some. Anyway it turned out to be a non starter as it was Nobby’s turn to drive and there’s no way he’d be up for an evening session after a full day job. Smudge pitched up at mine just before 0730 and Nobby shortly after, away by 0730 to meet the lads for a breakie.

We planned to meet for breakfast at White's in Lowestoft, we got there only to find it was a Domino Pizza or something! No fecking good if they were open, no good unless they do a sausage, bacon, egg n fried slice pizza that is. We settled for Asda's which for the money was ok. High water at around 10am and it’s all very civilised, no stupid o’clock session today. We’d have all the ebb at Pakefield during daylight, which would at least please the Leg End, he doesn’t like fishing at night. I reckon the lovely Mrs Kerry spoils him, I can picture it, cocoa and slippers then tucked up by 10pm. If I’m lucky Mrs Aitch puts me to bed with a gurn and a grunt.

Take no notice of me, she’s a goddess and I don’t deserve her.

Johnny was working despite being sorely tempted and Paul wouldn't be down early enough for breakie, he had company. We parked up at CEFAS and paid the £2 parking bill, fackin liberty, used to be free, though I did notice there are no yellow lines on the road. We didn't go very far, basically just the bottom of the steps. Genocide on peg 1 in front of the ministry, Nobby on 2 a little further towards the Jolly Sailors, Smudge on 3 and me in front of the pub nearly.

I set one rod up, whack it out as far as I could with a stiff northerly cross wind, no tide as its about high water and I turn to set the second rod up. I bait up the spare trace, whack the second rod out and settle in for a coffee, except I didn't get settled in, the first rod sprang back straight and a few seconds later I had a codling a little over 1lb. Fish returned and the second rod is as straight as a die, another pea from the same pod quickly rejoins his brother. I sent a text to Geno on peg 1 and PK still at home (in bed probably) saying it was heaving and that we'd sack up. Geno replied saying he'd had 1 too. Bloody marvellous. I re baited both rods and sent them out and never took my eyes off them, motionless.

Smudge shouted up he'd had one of a similar stamp and Bri came down for a babble, he often works in Lowestoft and had spotted us from up the cliff top. As Bri was there I managed a couple of pouts and a nice chunky whiting that I honestly thought was as big as the 1lb codling we'd caught. I did think about letting Bri fish with one of my rods for a bit but thought better of it remembering the mess he made of his reel in the photo he sent me. Bri left saying he'd be back to see how we were doing around 1300.

It was 1230 and still no sign of PK when my phone rang, he said he wouldn't be able to make it as he still had company. Not too much of a problem, I'd only ordered me and him 50 apiece and I was quickly getting through mine plus I'd left my frozen bait in the bloody freezer, so in truth I was pleased I'd have plenty of bait. I don't know if his company was a cover for the fear of having to pay a car parking fee. Literally as soon as I hung up I had another codling, a little bigger between 1.5 and 1.75lb, quickly followed by another. Its often the case in my experience at Pakefield. The fish come in spurts often as the tide eases or picks up a bit, the tide was doing its best to ebb but there wasn't too much of it with such a strong wind against it.

This spurt lasted a bit longer though. Bri came down as I slipped the second fish of the second "spurt" back and then followed a hectic hour or so. I'd cast out, re bait, cast out and the first rod would drop back, wind in fish, return fish, re bait, cast out, second rod straightens up. So on and so forth, I managed a couple of keepers that were a smidgen over 2lb weighed and by the time my tally had got to 11 or 12 I'd had enough. Sounds daft but its tiring and can get monotonous, especially as now I was getting a few pouts between the codling, I wasn't getting chance to sit down and have a brew. I decided to pack up and watch the boys for a bit, I'd had a good day and couldn't see the point in kicking the arse out of it.

Smudge hadn't had such a good day, that's what he said anyway. He'd still managed 7 by the time we packed up despite fishing just one rod and having an hours kip on the beach! Nobby had lost a couple of rigs to a snag and managed a half dozen. Me and Geno were fish for fish until I packed up, and he added another 2 or 3 in the meantime. I walked up to him and said "What a cracking start to the new season mate, here we are late September and we've sacked", he grunted a yeah. "There's been no weed and I haven't lost any kit either" I added just as he was winding in another codling and his kit got stuck, he hadn't lost any until then either, the look he gave me was a picture. I didn't see any point with filling the page with picture after picture of similar fish, but it wouldn't be right without at least one of a fish and a scowl.

Miserable sod! Though in fairness he wasn't happy about me snapping him with a little 'un.

Smudge and Nobby packed up shortly after me and we watched Geno have one last chuck which sure enough resulted in his last fish of the day, we all watched as he played it masterfully before returning it to the drink.

I'm trying to get all Tarantino, Me, Smudge and Nobby watch Genocide's angling masterclass.

It really was a cracking session and bearing in mind how early in the season it is, the signs look good. A top, top day had by all, finished off nicely with a couple of pints of Stella, bloody marvellous. I hope to be out locally Monday or Tuesday next week, depending what the wind and sea do, unfishable at the minute and overtopping at Walcott. Some hardy souls tried to fish the pier at Cromer last night but were washed and weeded off, good effort though chaps. When it is fishable up here there should be a few feeding after this lot, lets hope so.