Some place down that crazy river
Fri Oct 18, 2019 11:18 am
Took out some old rigs to use up as I am sick of the sight of them! I didn't like these ones in particular- a few years old now with swivels a bit bigger than I would like and all proven not to catch flounders in various estuarine regions 
With the weather acting up I decided to try a sheltered spot near to where I had tried this time last year. I don't fish for flounders much but recently I have rekindled my old fascination with the flat muck brown crab munchers. They are a strange looking fish and I think when you have caught a few too many of them you start to take them for granted.
On arrival the wind was wild and with bit more southerly in it than I would have liked.
I tried one cast with a two hook. There was a bit of weed in the water so I kept the tip up and anchored the rig with a lightly set wired lead.
10 minutes later and with the wind getting more and more annoying I decided on a move. On retrieve my hooks were almost bare so I least knew the crabs where not shy! I tried to tell myself that the fish would be in eating the crab and convince myself that it is a good thing as I moved up along the bank out of the breeze. I got myself and the gear in under the shelter of a tree and cast in.
While baiting another rig I could have sworn I had a bite? With expectations low I didn't even react to it. Surely it was just a mistake?
On lifting the rod the lead and wires left the mud quick and clean and a noticeable weight flagged behind the grip? I wasn't out too far and so it wasn't too long before the top hook left the water, completely stripped bare, then the lead, followed by a tight bottom snood… YES! I got one
Delighted! I got the target species and a new place to fish in shelter as a bonus. I quickly got another rig out and a small coalie obliged within seconds of the rig settling. Not a flounder but welcome all the same.
It all quickly went wrong after this though
My next cast went a bit further than the last and snagged up on retrieve. I pulled steady, the stop knot slipping on the rig body and still no give. Not sure what is was but my hooks didn't bend out. The knot parted and my line blew in the wind from the tip. Sick.
Got out another tapered shock, retied a knot, put on a link, forgot my links, find something that will do, good to cast, shock springs from the spool tangling the mainline, chop up reel line re-tie the knot, heavens open massive downpour, go to cast, line guard on the reel not working, line caught under the spool, tide rising, flounder flapping still needs to be released from the hook, forgot my disgorger, have a forceps, get a wet foot, almost slip and finally rig in the water
While unhooking the flounder and getting a picture I had another few twitches on the rod tip. I wasn't getting too excited as it had crossed my mind that my flounder was a fluke? What if it was a one off and now a mini coalie invasion has just come in on the tide? I kept an eye on it as I released the flounder the rod tip went round and began slowly nodding!! Thinking it might be a round fish I had to react and wound down slowly into it. It was kicking! The fish stayed down all the way in bumping the bottom and dragging through the weed. Maybe it's a giant flattie? Each time the fish stalled over another obstacle on the bottom I cringed thinking about the new leader knot I had tied in haste. Please hold please! This is surely my biggest flounder?! 50cm or more surely?! The shockleader knot passed through the top ring and down onto the reel. The top hook appeared- no fish. Middle hook- a flounder and on the bottom... up it came... a shiny foul hooked mackeral!!?
Not what I was looking for and definetly not what I had expected! The joke was on me
Not the biggest but a promising start. I will try to get one over 40 cm next time
With the weather acting up I decided to try a sheltered spot near to where I had tried this time last year. I don't fish for flounders much but recently I have rekindled my old fascination with the flat muck brown crab munchers. They are a strange looking fish and I think when you have caught a few too many of them you start to take them for granted.
On arrival the wind was wild and with bit more southerly in it than I would have liked.
I tried one cast with a two hook. There was a bit of weed in the water so I kept the tip up and anchored the rig with a lightly set wired lead.
10 minutes later and with the wind getting more and more annoying I decided on a move. On retrieve my hooks were almost bare so I least knew the crabs where not shy! I tried to tell myself that the fish would be in eating the crab and convince myself that it is a good thing as I moved up along the bank out of the breeze. I got myself and the gear in under the shelter of a tree and cast in.
While baiting another rig I could have sworn I had a bite? With expectations low I didn't even react to it. Surely it was just a mistake?
On lifting the rod the lead and wires left the mud quick and clean and a noticeable weight flagged behind the grip? I wasn't out too far and so it wasn't too long before the top hook left the water, completely stripped bare, then the lead, followed by a tight bottom snood… YES! I got one
Delighted! I got the target species and a new place to fish in shelter as a bonus. I quickly got another rig out and a small coalie obliged within seconds of the rig settling. Not a flounder but welcome all the same.
It all quickly went wrong after this though
My next cast went a bit further than the last and snagged up on retrieve. I pulled steady, the stop knot slipping on the rig body and still no give. Not sure what is was but my hooks didn't bend out. The knot parted and my line blew in the wind from the tip. Sick.
Got out another tapered shock, retied a knot, put on a link, forgot my links, find something that will do, good to cast, shock springs from the spool tangling the mainline, chop up reel line re-tie the knot, heavens open massive downpour, go to cast, line guard on the reel not working, line caught under the spool, tide rising, flounder flapping still needs to be released from the hook, forgot my disgorger, have a forceps, get a wet foot, almost slip and finally rig in the water
While unhooking the flounder and getting a picture I had another few twitches on the rod tip. I wasn't getting too excited as it had crossed my mind that my flounder was a fluke? What if it was a one off and now a mini coalie invasion has just come in on the tide? I kept an eye on it as I released the flounder the rod tip went round and began slowly nodding!! Thinking it might be a round fish I had to react and wound down slowly into it. It was kicking! The fish stayed down all the way in bumping the bottom and dragging through the weed. Maybe it's a giant flattie? Each time the fish stalled over another obstacle on the bottom I cringed thinking about the new leader knot I had tied in haste. Please hold please! This is surely my biggest flounder?! 50cm or more surely?! The shockleader knot passed through the top ring and down onto the reel. The top hook appeared- no fish. Middle hook- a flounder and on the bottom... up it came... a shiny foul hooked mackeral!!?
Not what I was looking for and definetly not what I had expected! The joke was on me Not the biggest but a promising start. I will try to get one over 40 cm next time
Re: Some place down that crazy river
Fri Oct 18, 2019 11:39 am
Lovely flounders 
Re: Some place down that crazy river
Fri Oct 18, 2019 11:56 am
I like them- I feel the pink sequin brings out their more glamorous side
Re: Some place down that crazy river
Fri Oct 18, 2019 1:53 pm
What a read great journal lovely mackerel for this time of year well done
Re: Some place down that crazy river
Mon Oct 21, 2019 10:41 am
excellent report, I enjoyed reading, great photos and nice flounder and mackeral. Well done
Re: Some place down that crazy river
Fri Nov 01, 2019 11:37 am
"flounder was a fluke".... classic
Re: Some place down that crazy river
Fri Nov 01, 2019 11:38 am
"flounder was a fluke".... classic