Last codling of the decade

[henry d]

Managed to get out on the kayak during a brief weather window on the 31st. Beautiful blue sky with the gentlest of a breath of wind and very little swell.

started out with a couple of small reefs but no fish so I headed out about 1 km or so to a reef that has been productive all year, but still nothing even though there were shoals of baitfish showing on the fishfinder. I tried soft plastics and baited muppets/hokkais, but not even a nibble. After a couple of hours I decided to try another area that has a bit more tidal movement about a mile away. There were plenty of fish eating birds about as well as rafts of eider so there is plenty of feeding about.

No dice here either apart from a hit on the SP lure that lasted a couple of headshakes.

I paddled back toward the launch area to a reef that I had on my plotter that is the first (or last depending on the run of the tide) one after a long expanse of sand/mud and soon had a good take on the SP`s and after a very spirited fight I was surprised that it was a smaller than I hoped for codling of about 2 1/2lb.

Enjoyed a chat with a few random people on the beach who had a load of questions about the kayak and the fishing. The oddest thing was just after I had stowed everything away in the car and was enjoying a cuppa and the sun was about to drop over the horizon; two women decided to have a swim! I know lots of people go for a swim on New Years day for charity, these two just went for it for the "joy" of swimming in the frigid north sea. Each to their own!

Looking forward to the first of this decade now.

[islandgun]

nice one.. and perfect weather !