Perfect Day

Wak wanted a mullet on the fly, so plans were made. Monday, the weather looked reasonable, so we pencilled ìt in the diary

Things were looking good. Over the weekend I'd had three fish and had seen big shoals at certain states of the tide. 

We met, had lunch and then a pint at a pub overlooking the river, sitting outside in the sunshine. A mighty fine way to start the session.

We were a bit early to start fishing, the tide still ebbing, so gave it a half hearted chuck for the bass. Then it was time to look for the mullet.

A few fish showed, but as the tide started to flood, there were no significant signs of feeding activity. Wak predictably went arse over head on the slippery rocks bordering the mud.

Disappointingly, he remained fairly mud free. He's, as the carpers say, is a big old "unit" and that is most certainly not conducive to moving quickly and freely on the estuary mud. The Chubmeister General will confirm this.

After an hour of looking, we were yet to cast and a move to another mark was on the cards. However, just as we about to leave, we spotted a group of fish working the shoreline about three feet from the bank.

The fly was presented in the right spot without spooking them and Wak waited. Five minutes later a bite. Missed !

Next cast, another bite and he was in. A smallish mullet was hustled towards the net. Job done. Photos taken, we headed upriver, to a normally reliable spot.

Rain threatened,  but the wind had dropped and we could see fish feeding in a just a few inches of water. 

Again, the fly was put on the spot without issue. I got the video out to get to footage of them feeding and amazingly,  seconds after I pressed record, the indicator slipped away, Wak struck and a mullet bolted off , the fly line pointing in one direction and the bow wave in another, such was the mullet's speed.

A bigger one this time, at around 3lb. We'd been along the river for maybe three or four hours and Wak had fished for maybe twenty minutes maximum, having three bites and two fish. It doesn't always work out like that !

The fish unsurprisingly disappeared and we noticed a big commotion under the bridge. Well, two eruptions simultaneously. Fecking cormorants I thought, so I wandered off to have a proper look.

And to scare the horrible feckers off.

It was immediately apparent that it was not cormorants or any land animal responsible.

Too big for a fish. Not a seal, as they would eventually come up for air and if you've ever seen a seal attack fish in shallow water, you'll know it looks like a Great White is on the rampage. 

No, these were two porpoises, trying and probably succeeding to stuff themselves full of mullet. Not a sight you see every day, way upriver in three or four feet of water.

We packed up as the tide flooded, Wak once again entertaining me, as instead of walking up the flood back, after slipping he slowly crawled up on his hands and knees, effing and blinding as he did so. I don't think he likes the estuary mud much.

I reckon that was just about a perfect day.