Phew, What a Scorcher !

Manningtree hotter than Madrid ! Blighty fries in the heatwave from hell !

The shape of things to come undoubtedly but what can you do ? The answer is go fishing in the estuary, where trees come down to the water's edge giving some shade, should you need it.

The first hot day I had twenty plus schoolie bass and a thin lipped mullet on the spinner, it was glorious, up to my waist in warm, crystal clear water getting almost a bite a chuck. I had to come back the following day, but for something different.

Thick lipped mullet. Big thick lips.

I had a good idea where to find them, a shallow weedy bay, along walk from anywhere. Had to be didn't it ?

I arrived just as the tide was creeping in to the bay and immediately spotted a stationary mullet sitting in the weed. At this stage of the tide there were only a few fish showing, but as I stood on the marsh, drip feeding bread in to the advancing tide, more and more fish appeared.

I can only describe some of them as fecking massive, perfect torpedo shaped grey ghosts, many being between 5-7lb I'd guess. And lots of them.

After maybe an hour I saw a fish take a bit of crust off the top. I spent the next two or three hours standing pretty much motionless, continuing to feed bread and shaking like a leaf.

Yes, literally shaking. Over a few fish. How it can get you eh? More and more fish started taking the bread, but cautiously, sipping, nudging and pushing at it.

I reckon I had a dozen or more fish mouth my bait before immediately rejecting it. Bastards. I was willing them to take it.

As the tide started to ebb from left to right, a seemingly non stop line of browsing, splashing fish started to leave the mud flats very slowly. Hundreds of them, a few still taking the occasional bit of bread. 

But not mine.

It was probably the best blank ever.

I'm going back this evening, I badly want to catch one of those feckers.