Well, it's been some considerable time since i last put pen to paper in any format.....This being the first blog input since November last year! Wow, where's that time gone? Needless to say there have been many things happening all around my life that have kept me away from writing on here and for the few applications i often write for. So where to start? Well, the beginning of 2017 started pretty much as 2016 ended!
Not much time for angling and to be honest the feeling of not really being that interested in it anyway. I'd packed the carp rods away in October after my trip to Royales and the new PB I took and the barbel gear had pretty much stayed in its bag all season! A first in 4 to 5 years that i'd stayed away from the rivers. Not really so much because i wanted to but more due to the lack of spare time after work. Juggling free time is one of the hardest jobs for a working man. Especially one who's self employed!
Anyway, a major event happened to our family just a fortnight before Christmas that has really changed our lives. The wife and my daughter had gone out for the afternoon in the family car whilst i was working. I received a phone call about 2.30pm from a guy who told me my family had been involved in a major car accident. I couldn't believe what i was hearing and just writing about it now brings back some horrid memories.
It turned out that a young, new driver had taken it upon himself to jump 2 red lights at over the speed limit and had slammed into the side of our car. Needless to say the car was totaled and both my girls suffered sever whiplash, bruising and of course severe trauma mentally.
We're still taking Natasha to physiotherapy and Marianne has had to change her job and is having endless treatment for numerous injuries incurred.
We had to fork out an arm and a leg for a replacement vehicle and the little knob head got away scott free as he's in the military!
Anyway, after the accident which to be honest wrecked our Christmas and New Year festivities, fishing was the last thing on my mind. It too me up until March before I had the urge to get back out again. It was after a trip to India with one of my best mates that I suddenly realized that life is very short and that we have to just get on with it and live it as it's a one hit show!
The trip to India really opened my eyes to many things I had never considered in my life. I've really fallen in love with the Indian or should I say Sikh way of life.
The people are just wonderfully kind and loving and to say I have made friends for life is an understatement! I cannot wait to one day go back and see my Indian brothers and once again see the beautiful country!
After returning home I cracked out the match gear and took Thomas up to Cefn Mabley for the day. The weather was nothing short of shite and the wind and rain battered us all day.
Nevertheless we sat it out and in the end we caught a good 150lbs of carp between the two of us. After that session the gears not left the house!
In early May our Shuk group met up in Cornwall for a well deserved weekend break in search of Wrasse off the stunning coastline. I won't go into detail as our illustrious leader Phil has done a magnificent write up on his blog......
Needless to say it was a great weekend and really got my juices flowing for the sea fishing again. The next weekend saw me grabbing myself a bit of new kit in the form of some new LRF rods and reels and off I traipsed to West Whales with Marianne and Natasha in tow for some camping and fishing.
Both went really well and we caught numerous blennies and rockling from rock pools and some nice wrasse and bass from the coast. I did about 4 more trips over to Cardigan with Mathew and we had numerous cracking Wrasse, Pout and a few Pollack and Bass as well. All great sport on light kit.
Recent weeks has seen my angling centered around the local rock ledges closer to home and the search for an elusive double figure smoothhound. First session out saw me bag 5 to 7lb 10oz. A new PB! I was instantly hooked and on my second trip I took Thomas.
We caught about 7 or 8 fish between us to just over 9lbs. Neither of us could believe the incredible strength of these gummy sharks! Amazing fights from even the smallest specimens!
After about 5 trips and seeing friends catch low doubles, I really wanted one more than anything! It wasn't until the weekend just passed that I finally got my chance when I went out with an old friend. Chris and I ventured down to the rocks for just before low tide and we got into the fish from the first cast! We both managed a few small ones to about 9lbs before the tide went slack and it died.
We were just about to call it a day as the tide changed and off the rods went once more! This time I had a much better specimen on and it took copius quantities of line from my reel. The fight was a lot stronger and longer than usual and I finally netted an absolute beast of exactly 15lbs! I was like a pig in shit! So happy.....W
ithin minutes I was yet again into another fine specimen of 11lb 12oz and Chris had a 10lb 1oz fish too! Couldn't believe how all of a sudden our luck had changed.
Well, that's about it in brief for now. I have a carp trip planned for just over 2 weeks time and another hound session booked in for this Sunday all being well! I hope you're all in the finest of health.
Keith x
