Scratching session..

It comes to something when your mother phones you up because "Me and your dad were worried, we hadn't heard from you this last week and you haven't updated your blog since the 8th". Sweet baby Jesus and all the little orphans, mum just ring anytime! Unfortunately I have to fit work in around my family and fishing life, if I didn't make my state contribution PENSIONERS would be potless. Dad's been in for a minor operation and is recovering well. Mum was right though, I haven't been out and about enough and she should take up her concerns with her daughter in-law. Me and Pete did manage to sneak a little session in last night though..

Andy Funnell sent me an email, he planned to fish Cromer pier hoping for a late season monster. If I hadn't made arrangements with Pete I may have joined him, the pier does hold some super fish during the summer, I just can't get my head round fishing it unless the seas coming up through the slats of the pier deck and I can't get on a beach! Not my favourite venue despite the big fish that reside there.

I picked the bait up on my way to Pete's. Lee at Northrepps provides me and most of my mates (as well as half of Norfolk) with top quality bait. The price is very reasonable too and has been £13/100 for ages, the price goes up from Monday the 15th October to £15/100, still a bargain given the back breaking work that goes into getting them. Our original plan had been to fish Trimingham, getting their at last light, fishing the last of the flood and as much of the ebb as we could take. Trouble was I'd heard there'd been a lot of weed at Mundesley the night before, not a good sign. If it was at Mundesley it'd be at Trimingham with these big tides.

I mentioned it to Pete, I think he was secretly pleased he didn't fancy the walk at Trimingham, so the venue was changed to his backyard. I always enjoy fishing with Pete, despite getting duffed up most times and losing kit where ever he takes me, at least there shouldn't be any weed. Pete's been about the local and national match scene for years and tells some cracking stories about the "old days", I reckon I have enough on some of the "old hands" to write a book or extort some money at the very least.

In my experience the shingle bank always fishes best on the ebb, and sure enough we hadn't had a bite on the last of the flood. Pete planned to fish a big lump of squid or a side of mackerel in the edge on one rod, hoping for a big bass, and worm or crab on the other. I opted for worm on both with occasional mackerel sausages one in one out.

Crabs. No its not a story about local angling legends during the Isle of Man festival, the little blighters were everywhere. The sea had some swell but not a lot of colour and it wasn't rough enough to put the crabs down. It was sad, I reeled in a little pout that can't have been on for more than a few minutes and the vermin had all but eaten it, happened twice through the night and we both reeled in small edibles and some huge velvets.

Bites picked up through the ebb with a smattering of undersize pouts and flatties and a few sizeable, but skinny, whiting. The most enjoyable thing for me was the number of schoolies around. We caught around ten I reckon, I know I had seven and Pete a few too. Fish from 6oz to 1.5lb but every single one was a solid and fit, scale perfect silver bar. Pete had the best around 1.5lb though most were around 1lb, and even though we never had anything huge it was good fun and all the fish, except the crab eaten pouts, went back alive. Pete did miss a rod wrenching bite on his whole squid, it could've been a schoolie or it could've been a double, that's the beauty of this time of the year, you just never know.

There really isn't a prettier fish in our seas.

A good session for me, I did the duffing up basically because I fished worm nearly all night. I did have my best whiting on mackerel sausage and I only lost one set of kit, a result. I dropped Pete off then made my way home. I stopped at Cromer for a kebab and thought I'd look in and see if Andy was still on the pier. I got my small doner and drove down the pier slip just as the lights went off on the pier. I sat on the prom eating reconstituted lamb for ten minutes but couldn't see anybody fishing, so made my way home.

I'm looking forward to a few beers and a sporting overload today. England v Estonia at 3pm and England v France in the rugby world cup this evening, can't wait. I can't see what all the fuss is about that Chabal dude, most of my mates are 6' plus hairy brutes. The French are playing some fantastic rugby but with them you always think they have a bad game in them too. If England's forwards play anything like they have a great chance of snuffing the french threat out, caveman or no caveman, REMEMBER AGINCOURT!

Caveman? He looks like a bit that's dropped off Nobby!

I might have a go one night this week, as the tides start dropping off any weed should too, I might just earn a few brownie points unless conditions change and liven things up a bit, we'll see.