Looking back, like you do at the end of a year, 2023 has been a lot of fun. The fishing lessons saw loads of people catching their first fish and in my own time I’ve enjoyed a variety of fishing with a few really good fish along the way. I’ve learnt a few new things which I’ll carry into 2024 and as usual there’s a few more new things I’ve pencilled in that I’d like to try.
There’s still lots of good fishing to be had but there’s no doubt it gets a little bit harder and being smart with time is more important than ever.
Third cast and here come the “wild swimmers” to whom I remarked, “which one of us looks more daft, you or me!?”. It was 6:30am, dark and fresh. I kind of admired their adventure but I wasn’t about to swap my fishing rod for a pair of speedos!
September, autumn, less day light, crowds gone, big winds, big seas and, if you get it right, big fish. That’s the theory anyway.
That’s one of the things I love about fishing, each season brings new adventures and new weather to enjoy.
At the end of July we spotted the first ones for ourselves as reports from the west started to be published online, the Atlantic Blue Fin Tuna are back!
Whilst we hatched “plan b” we enjoyed watching a minki whale joined by rissos dolphins and more common dolphins and porpoises than you you shake a stick at. Lovely to see the bay coming to life again and a little earlier this year.
The best fishing I have enjoyed this year has nearly all come to those two hours on a friday morning. You don’t need to be there all weekend to catch a good one.
Looking back through my May photos, I think the March weather saying, “in like a lion, out like a lamb” would be spot on. May started with temperatures still low with wet and windy weather. Typing now at the end of the month, it’s hot!
It’s April and the fishing lesson fun has begun! The long daylight hours and the increasing (slightly) temperatures have got the fish on the move and on the feed and everything just feels a bit easier.