I ended up at the lighthouse at Penmon, Anglesey, which is quickly becoming my second home! Beautiful blue skies above but a freezing Easterly wind reminded you that we are only one week into the new year.
After looking at the views, something I never seem to do when angling, a walk up the coast was ordered. Have fished here plenty of times, I knew that this area is rough ground, not ideal for a small travel rod, but always the optimist, I ran to the car, retrieved the rod and a mixed pack of budget spinning lures, 4 for £4.
OK, I know, January, not many Bass or game fish, not much natural bait, cold weather, cold winds, can add up to very unproductive and uncomfortable sessions, so why take a pack of lures?
Well firstly, apparently, there are still the odd Bass to be taken around various locations on Anglesey, especially where the shoreline drops away rapidly into deep water, hollows and underwater trenches, the Bass will still be here in the warmer water, as long as bait fish are still present. And secondly, I wasn't going to stand around waiting for a bite without thermals and a floatation suit!
Walking along the rocky shoreline, I was casting diagonally in front of me, jerking the lures back in a fashion so I didn't have to stop walking, unless I snagged on weed, which is why I was using budget lures ;) as I know how end-tackle-heavy this pace can be.
I must have walked, well staggered, 10 meters along the rocky out-crop, and probably only cast a hand full of times, (when I say I was walking, I mean I was concentrating more on my lure) when the rod tip almost doubled over and the reels ratchet screamed. Tightening the clutch on the cheap fixed spool reel, I realised I had hooked into something quite decent. On the travel rod I have, a Minnow would feel like a Tiger Shark!.
Battling the beast, I had an idea of the conditions under the surface, so keeping the fish to the right was a must. I walked another few meters up the shoreline to where I could safely step down to sea level, and managed to steer the fish into a small gap in the rocks where I could safely land it.
Hauling it from the water, I had hooked into a 4lb(ish) Coddling. A 4lb(ish) Codding on a Green/Gold/Red Toby Lure? I was stunned! A Cod, from the shore, on a spinning lure! I've seen them plucked from the sea in Norway on shads and lures, but here? in the UK? in January!
I certainly couldn't believe it, nor could the small family walking past.
It just goes to show, the weather may be cold and not very nice at times, but if your willing to put in the hours, study species and marine behaviour, temperatures and of the course the weather, fishing in the winter can pay off!
Happy Fishing in 2011!
Brilliant - you jammy bugger
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