Win Some, Lose Some

" Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement "

Helen Keller

You've got to be optimistic if you're a fisherman. 

Two enjoyable days fishing this week, albeit for different reasons.

Me, Conc and Phil set off early for Brighton, in search of plaice. When we arrived we were greeted with a surprisingly strong westerly wind and coloured water. Just what you don't want for plaice.

After a short while I went for a wander to find a cafe for breakfast, confidence was low and it was bloody cold. Coffee, brekkie and read of the paper and I was more enthusiastic, especially when the phone beeped and a photo of Conc catching a plaice materialised.

Conc and Phil

It was slow for the next couple of hours, but around midday I saw a small patch of clearer water appear and within an hour conditions had changed for the better. Conc had caught several before I had my first plaice for about forty years, a cracker of 1lb 12oz that turned out to be best of the day.

The fish were a long, long way out and only The Concmeister could consistantly reach them. You really needed to be in excess of 150 yards out. Too far for everyone else on the beach.

Seven or eight other blokes on the beach had four fish between them, Phil had three, me six and Conc twenty smegging four. Sometimes it's essential to get that extra distance and without it you're helpless. Bastard.

Having said that, if you'd have said I'd catch half dozen sizeable plaice at the beginning of the day I'd have bitten your hand off.

Really good day and plenty of food for thought.

The previous day I had a trip to the Fens to see TT and Wak Baines and a chance to fish TT's private pike spot. He's had fish to mid twenty this year, so hopes were high.

Unfortunately, it was a very slow day on the pike front. Tea was drunk, bacon sandwiches eaten, skate swapped for various preserves and we had a good chat ( maybe a snooze in the sun too ), so despite the lack of fish it was a enjoyable day. There's always next season.

TT and Wak hard at it

 You can never get it right all the time in fishing. It's about right time, right plaice ( sorry ).