I hope the 1st was the worst!

Well what a start to the challenge that was, a day of one disaster after another it all seemed so simple when we came up with a plan B! So Chris picked me up at 10.30 and we headed to Plymouth after some of the smaller Wrasse, arriving at our chosen pier at low water. Eager to get started and with the sun shining I baited my micro rod with fresh rag and flicked it seaward, splosh the handle from the reel flew into the sea and scuppered the use of that rod! So I reached for my trusty Abu spinning rod and quickly set up and cast again, a small bite and I struck to find the rig snagged, I flicked the rod a couple of times to free the rig and then crack! the rod snapped and the broken tip disappeared beneath the waves no doubt close to the reel handle. I was also still snagged and that broke so I lost all of that, as I turned to say to Chris it cant get worse my baitbox lid flew past me like a Frisbee and into the sea. So I was now rod less and struggling to see how we could turn this around.

Chris hadn't been having that great a trip either and was losing tackle as quick as he could tie it, his pair of scissors fell to bits and his bait box lid also blew out to sea! We decided not to be beaten and fish on sharing Chris's rod, we were struggling but the young lad who turned up with his mum and nan to try his first ever effort at angling was heading for disaster. The young boy had been nagging his mum to take him fishing for years and this year she had bought him a rod reel and bit of tackle. The lad had watched an episode of river monsters and arrived with soap as bait, this wasn't the legendary Blue Vundu catfish soap but a bar of Dove, we happily advised him that maybe he should try some ragworm and Chris spent some time rigging him up and generally giving him some pointers not that we were in a position to advise anyone. It is however great to see youngsters keen to get into angling and well done Mum and Nan for sitting there freezing to make your lads Christmas. It must of been good karma as soon Chris had a good bite and the first fish was landed a very welcome rockling.

So I was now back on the rod and hoping to quickly land a rockling myself to get a fish on the board, I soon had a bite and the fish got to the sanctuary of the rocks, bugger! more lost tackle then the heavens opened up. I quickly unpacked the packamac waterproof coat and realised I had picked up my wife's one, as I stood there getting soaked bursting out of the little jacket I really thought I'm going to be beaten. The rain cleared my numb hands thawed and the angling spark re-ignighted I stuck with it and as the light faded and the sea rose I got a fish that we had worked so hard for, a Three Bearded Rockling, not huge but to me splendid in its reddish hue.

Thanks Chris for sticking it out today and for the share of the rod, it didn't go the way we planned but fishing rarely does, I hope that the 1st was the worst and things get a little better. Well 51 more species to go and things can only get better.