Well thats my 2013 season almost over

With the end of the season looming I had thought that it might be good to go out on a high this year so I organised a small extravaganza with Fenton and Jez. Unfortunately Tom couldn’t make it. We normally only get together once a year, see previous blog but what the hell.

Fen trained it up from Stevenage on the Friday night 27th September I picked him up from the station, a couple of pints in the first and Last pub, discussed in length Fentons great knowledge of micro breweries etc.  Coq au Vin in front of a roaring fire and talk of tomorrows fishing, great stuff.

Jez arrived for breakfast at 7.00am on the Saturday morning and we set of on a beautiful sunny morning to the Whinney Loch http://www.assf.net/whinney–loch-fishery.

Tackling up at the Whinney

The Whinney

Jez happy as larry

Fenton

Me into a fish

Very acrobatic art of landing

In the net

I had fished the Whinney the previous Saturday for the first time this year just to get a feel for it before the boys arrived, more on that next post. For the last week in September it was a glorious morning 22 degrees and a slight southerly wind. The fishing however proved to be a bit difficult lots of offers, fish on and lost. Ended up the session 9.00 till 1.00pm I had 3 all on dries, Shipmans and Daddies, Fen and Jez didn’t manage to land but a cracking morning all the same. Then to the New Inn in Coldingham for a pub lunch Belhaven Ale  Steak pie with country chips really nice www.belhaven.co.uk

We had Coldingham Loch www.coldinghamloch.co.uk booked for 3pm till 7.00pm as thats when it gets dark, what happened to the balmy summer evenings fishing till 11.30 pm.

Coldingham before it got cold

Fen landing in the dark

Log book in cabin

Fen and Jez managed to get a boat from 4.00pm and I stuck to the bank. Thats when a right cold wind got up and like a trip I had with Alan Ramsay last year, Jez and Fen couldnt get the anchor to stick. In Coldingham they have plunge anchors ( basiclly the weight from a sash and case window) which should bury deep in to the soft mud that is the bottom but on this occassion it wouldnt. So they spent most of the time trying to anchor up not a good situation when there is fishing to be done. So lots of shouts and curses from both. I had managed to find the fish in swing gate bay and had landed 3 when I offered Fen the chance to get out of the boat and fish where I was fishing. Great result, Fen had 2 fish in quick succession. All fish taken on dry daddies, left for 10 secs then a quick jerk of the line induced a take, great sport. Jez didnt have his waders on and couldnt manage in the wind to cast to the same area from the boat.

All too soon it was 7.00pm and getting quite dark, end of trip. A good night if somewhat frustrating. We went to Giacopazzis in Eyemouth giacopazzis.co.uk for 3 of their award winning fish suppers. Back to the cottage to eat, then up the Hill to the pub for some pool and a few pints finishing off the evening in front of the fire

Me dozing after a great day out with my friends

with wine and whisky, nothing can beat being with like minded friends. These short days don’t allow a lot of fishing time so fish talk and an odd nip or two has to do.

The big breakfast

Me and Fen

Jez and me

Sunday morning, a full Scottish breakfast, more chat, a surprise for Jez when he opened the shower room door which I hadnt locked, he may never recover completely and back to their respective homes. It was a wonderful way to finish off the season.

THIS IS AN EXTRACT FROM JEZ’S RECOLLECTIONS OF THE WEEKEND

Champion weekend chaps despite my lack of fish! (DON’T SAY IT WALTON-ITE!) (in response to me always quoting Izaak Walton) But I did manage to reach the most stressed I’ve felt whilst relaxing and still feel relaxed and thus a sense of a self-fulfilled angling prophecy – whatever that is! If nothing else I enjoyed the sunshine, the outdoors, the anticipation, my waders not leaking, the pub lunch, the award winning fish and chips, the evening at the pub, the roaring fire, the dram, John’s article, the cosy bed, all of John’s artworks adorning the cottage walls, the cottage, the view, the breakfast(s), the banter, but best all potting that yellow! ( relating to the most jammy pool shot I have ever seen) …. Most of all the company! The moments of hilarity; the 2 wet hats, the thought that we might have just thrown the anchor overboard without tying it to anything, the electric motor,(not strong enough in the wind)  discussing the merits of ice-cream in a bun (WTF?) (yes Giacopazzis offer ice cream in a bun!!), but best all potting that yellow! I didn’t enjoy the blanking, losing coolant (literally and metaphorically). On balance would I do it all again with hindsight? Yes, absolutely of course… With the exception of John flashing me! Maybe replace that one with potting another ‘blinding’ yellow!.

I’ll close as I opened…Champion weekend chaps!

Thanks Jez sums it up perfectly.

Well thats it, one more trip this season to go sad days, I will also try to fill in any blanks from the year  in my next blog. Sorry about the quality of my pics on my new camera (Im supposed to be the photographer) Jezs were much better on his phone, dont know whats going on there with mine.

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