Folkestone

Folkestone Warren 17th April 1999

Drove down to the Warren for around 7am. The forecast was for light (force 2/3)  E to N/E winds and scattered showers.
High water was not due until12.30pm at 7.0m, and allowed me to walk the length of the 1st apron around to the second high apron, taking pictures of the terrain, and surveying the changes that had occurred over the winter months.... this was what I had really gone to see, and any fishing would be a bonus, although to be honest I couldn't see it being very productive .. the boats are just starting to take bass (av 4 to 6lb), but the crab peel has yet to get into swing, and it will be a few weeks before the bass arrive on the shore marks in any number... an ideal time to plan ones campaign for the coming summer.....

Indeed having photographed the 2nd apron, I decided to walk on around to Abbot's Cliff and see if I could find any other potential marks that took my fancy .... on the way I noticed a few more cars that had been pushed over the cliff!!!!

Arriving at Abbot's Cliff, I noticed some movement in a near by rock pool, and advanced to investigate .. only trouble was, as I did so, I managed to step onto a wet slab of Gault Clay .. whoosh up went my feet, and landed on my back .. crunch .. couple of plastic boxes went under my weight .. but worse was to dawn on me .. my big bum, had landed on the butt section of my Pike rod .... graphite rods are wonderful, but don't like to be crushed .... and I now had a butt section looking like a chinese lantern!!!!!!

Undaunted, although a little pissed-off, I decided to walk back to the second high apron and the slipway and passed a chap collecting buckets of winkles........

Set up a bubble-float and redgill to flick-out as the tide was still low (although on the turn by this time) .. and managed to cast one handed, without the use of the lower (smashed) butt section .. with a reasonable degree of success .. indeed so much so, that I failed to judge correctly my ability .. sent the bubble float sailing beyond my anticipated range ... smack .. straight into a half submerged rock .. the bubble float exploded into pieces, just as if it was a christmas ball-ball ..... I was beginning to think that maybe God was trying to tell me something.......

With a deep sigh, I retreated back to dryer ground, and re-stung another bubble float ..... by this time the sea had advanced sufficiently to be able to fish off the small groins (around 10am).. which I started to do ...... after a while, I noticed the temperature dropped, and looked behind me .... one MOTHER of a big black cloud was looming over the cliffs .. to the East (Dover) Sun .. to the West (Folkestone) Sun .. but in the Warren, with Phil  .. oh No ..... and not the little shower as forecast ... NO.. this decided to be a "lets drench the silly sod a mile away from any shelter", sort of shower ..... and started with Hail .. that turned to sleet ... that went to drizzle .. and back to Hail .....

With so much surface noise on the water, I decided that the bubble float was out .. and that as the water had risen sufficiently to fish the NagsHead with a Rapala, that's what I decided to do..... a far few one handed casts later , around 10.45am.. wham ... I have a take... not a big fish .. but it was a fish, and it felt so good to be able to feel the movement of the rapala through the water, followed by the hit .... great stuff ... anyway .. pulled up a small bass of 13" .. took a photo and put it back.... I'd opened my account for 1999.

The rain continued on.. and on .. and on .. so much for showers .. saw a few whitebait, jump out of the way of my lure on a number of occasions, plus a bass out of the corner of my eye, that leapt clear out of the water, and I turned to see it plunge back into the depths..... again not a big fish, but a fish none the less.....

By 12 noon I was cold and wet , and the water was just starting to overtop the apron ... so I decided that enough was enough ..... I picked up the mobile and rang Dave Hughes at Marsh Tackle in Dymchurch .. the instant I told him I was down at the Warren, he said he'd have the kettle on .. he'd seen the clouds heading my way earlier in the day.....

Anyway, to cut a long story short, Dave managed to sort me out with a replacement rod at a very reasonable price, and whilst I had the chance I took some pics of his shop to be put up on his website. It also gave me a chance to listen to what the stream of locals had to say, as they popped in to chat with Dave, plus I could also have a good nose around ... rather glad I'd left most of my cash at home, or I'd be a much poorer man with all the goodies and bargains that I wanted to buy..... oh well there's always Christmas  .... or maybe I'll just tell Karen that I REALLY, REALLY must have that new reel to go with the new rod  ;-)

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