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Allhallows
Allhallows Holiday Camp. Isle of Grain 22nd Nov.1997
Tony (Meridith), came over around 1pm, and we drove down to Kent to meet up with Steve Burling. Steve then directed us to Allhallows, around 3.30pm or so. The venue is right in the middle of the Allhallows Caravan Holiday Park, and will close to car traffic at the start of Dec, and will not re-open until the start of the new holiday session. Steve informs me, that access will still be permitted by foot, but it's a walk of about 3/4 of a mile or so. Having said that it, is on pavement, so a trolley job would be on the cards, to lessen the load....
Anyway, Steve very kindly gave us a visual description of the areas of interest, such as the boundaries delimiting the mussel beds, flow channels etc. The substrate of the beach consists of sand and mud, with mussel shells, and the occasional larger stone in evidence...... high tide was due around 6.30pm, so we set-up as the light began to fail.......
Tony and Steve set up around one of the groins that Steve had identified for Tony as a good mark for his desired quarry..... Mr. Flounder. Tony set-up with two rods... not sure what the end tackle was... 2 hook pat with longish snoods I think!
Steve's desire being codling, meant that this particular groin area suited him as well, as it was situated right in front of the mussel beds. Steve had two rods loaded with braid, each with 3/0 pennells..... baited with lug...... not sure if he tipped with squid, I'm sure he'll tell me soon enough.
I on the other hand, having brought everything, including the kitchen sink,
felt unable or unwilling to travel any further than a straight line from
the car. This just happened to coincide with a rounded beach area to the
right that looked like a possible channeling area for Mr. Bass (not like
me to have a bass fixation!!!!!). As a consequence I set up the following
beachcaster with a 7000, a long traced 4/0 pennell, baited with whole squid,
and allowed to freeline out to about a distance of 30 yards. A second beachcaster
with a 6500, and a clip down 2/0:4/0 pennell at the top with lug tipped with
squid (For codling and whiting), and a clip up with a single 1/0 hook and
beads, baited with lug only to tempt flounder as well as the main quarry
of cod and whiting. I brought a pike rod with me that I decided might have
some merit as a "flattie" rod, this I used in conjunction with a small fixed
spool reel. (Regrettably loaded with insufficient line, which I found out
about on my first cast!!!!!!!!). Size 2 hook with beads and baited with lug
on a long flowing trace, weighted with a 3oz bomb lead, which I hoped would
give it some movement in the tide to attract the flounders.....Unfortunately,
as I have already indicated, the reel I picked up had insufficient line and
the business end fell somewhat short of my desired target!!!!. Never the
less, I hoped that the advancing tide might bring the fish closer and therefore
persevered with the tactic rather than string up a third beach caster which
I had also brought with
me.
Started fishing around 4.30pm...... Steve took first honors with a whiting around 5.15 or so..... me I manage a lovely crack-off, by changing the rocket settings whilst day dreaming of .. what else but Bass!!!!!........ Tony then pulls out a flounder around 5.40 ish, and I'm left thinking that maybe stamp collecting really what I should have taken up..... the humiliation (well no not really, it's all part of the game.... good days / bad days and all that...) continued for the next hour, with Steve pulling out 2 or 3 codling, along with 3 or 4 whiting, and Tony getting in on the act with a codling, and some whiting...... This WHITING on the other hand, managed nothing, apart from a few missed bites, until around 6-45...... then miracle of miracles, my first fish.... 5" of prime fighting whiting...!!!!!!!!!!!!!.... well at least it was a fish!!!!!!!!
By the time we packed up (and these are a rough guess being some distance
away from the other two)... Tony managed another flounder, a few more whiting,
and maybe a codling....... Steve ( who gleefully told me he'd just bought
a better model of Sierra than mine, and at a 10th of the price..... there
are some people you can really get to like, but almost start to
hate
at the same time ;-) )....... managed to pull out a further...: 5 or 6 codling
along with 7 or 8 whiting. And me I hear you ask, what did I manage.....
4 more whiting, and on my last cast... 1lb of codling..... Honor saved, well
almost.... really could have forgotten about the bass set up and the pike
rod, but then if I hadn't set them up, I'd only have been left wondering
if I should ..... but when all is said and done, it was a good night, and
I hope to go again with the pair of them soon......
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