Cold, wet and windy

This picture, taken at 3pm today does not even begin to depict just how dank, windy and miserable it was on Captains this afternoon. Suffice to say no fish to liven up things either.

Gastro-schmastro

The tribe had a meal at a very well appointed gastro-hotel on the coast road near the Burnhams during our stay-away Christmas. Beautiful decor, the food was really good and so was my Abbott.

Why then, over a not very full lunch service did it take nearly an hour for the mains (that's with  no starter) to arrive, not all together and not with a smile? And though this may show my lack of sophistication, just how much for a loaf of un-asked for bread and butter?

They are in this guide and you may have a better time but I am not going back which is a shame. (and, if you ring on the off-chance, with a large party as we did on a reconnoitre the year before, don't be surprised if they ask you not to order just soup.)

Probably less glamorous food served here at the Edinburgh in Wells but equally good beer (this time a Woodfordes Christmas Nog I think) and bar games as well. Not a bad way to spend an hour before Boxing Day lunch.

Not sure if these two had anything on the marshes.....

Wells doesn't look particularly wintry in these shots, but it wasn't raining for once.

Wells at Christmas

Christmas spent in Wells-next-the-Sea this year. Couldn't resist this.......

Cranes in the rain

No picture I am afraid but driving along the coast road past Horsey Mill today on a very wet and dreary morning saw 4 common crane feeding on a roadside field. I knew a colony lived in the area but had never seen them before. I had not realised just how big they are, or how loud their call is. Did have a camera but for some reason no SD card in it and seemingly no internal memory. Only got an 18-55 mm lens on the Nikon so would not have been very clear anyway. One of those chance, rare and golden moments.

Ancient and modern

Ancient and modern. We are blessed with many windmills and wind pumps in Norfolk. To many, the electricity generating wind vanes are an eyesore, a blot on the landscape, not in my back.......you get the point. These two structures were  perhaps 200 metres apart, just off the coast road near Ridlington.  One of course is without its working parts.

 

Both have grace and command the eye, especially against Norfok's big skies. This is edgelands here. A higher vantage point, perhaps  atop either of these would see a rounded corner of England, the Cromer Ridge and the shingle through to Blakeney Point to the West and the dunelands round to Yarmouth to the East. There are  even taller structures to be seen studding this grand arcing panorama including many church towers but what caught my eye today was Happisburgh Lighthouse, repeated in this field edge puddle.

Stopped at Walcot Wall again.  I don't know how many weekends have seen the Wak mobile pulling in at the "Little Shop". Ever present on the wall are these scurrying, hurrying little fellers.

  

At the end of the rainbow is...Cromer

Driving to the coast to send the littlest one to sleep this morning I followed this rainbow all the way to Cromer and then back along the coast road to Walcot. Perhaps it portends the coming of the Beast from the East?

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Being there

The Bure again has been up, but looking a lot nicer than last week. Fished down from the rail bridge at Buxton . Looks quite serene in this view.....

Mostlly however the volume of water made finding some slacker water quite difficut,.Both the mill and leat sluices were well open and though it was not difficult to hold with about 2oz it was hard to read what what it was like was under the surface turbulence. Fished half lamprey and a smelt on the bottom through about 5 spots but no takes at all. Just after taking shot below a pair of kingfishers sped down stream in that shocking azure and chestnut blur out of nowhere that never fails to excite.

Back to the car and caught a glimpse of a barn owl quaterring the meadow below the mill.  Paused for a while by the syndicate pool in the gathering dusk. Third fishless trip.but a joy to be out today, certainly more so than last week which was somewhat grim.

After the snow....

December has arrived and we've had a half-hearted flurry of snow to top the heavy rain. The Yare was still over it's banks on Friday at Harford Bridge but as usual the Bure around Mayton kept just under the brim and inded was  a little down by Sunday.
Quite why I tried some far bank spots I don't know given the pace on the river but it was the nearest section to the car as I had to be off the water by 4.30 from a 3pm start.

Fishing here means sitting on a pile of dredged crap that has been here for at least a year and is still as manky and sloppy as when it first came out of the river. Bit of a test for the rover chair combo I have acquired but the chair is light to carry. Worm not troubled.

Slight change of scene but by now a lot of weed coming down which made it difficult to keep the bait in for more than a minute or so which was a bit tiresome. Did get across to the slack below the bush and this kept the line out of a lot of the flow but I would think will look a pretty shallow, unfishy spot when the water clears. No takers anyway. Did see a barn owl at close quarters and I think a couple of days will see some of the crap washed through.

50 up

Tomorrow I'm nearer 70 than 30 as Wak Lite said the other day. Half a century old. More of this for a good while yet and I will be happy.....

Into the light

I had never seen Joy Division or New Order live so an opportunity to see Peter Hook and the Light play most of Joy Division's back catalogue last night at Norwich Waterfront with Wak Lite, putative historian/recordist of the Essex coastal fishing  industry was not to be missed following a musing about impending middle age over a chain Italian menu fisso and for me a sparkling water.

Average age of a good sized turn out was I'd say 45 with several dad/lad/daughter pairings and a lot bigger waistlines than the first time round. Starting off with Warsaw the very tight twin bass, guitar, drum and keyboard unit, fronted by the belligerent, engaging Hook gave a full 90 minute, hard-edged take on nearly all you'd have remembered or wanted  to hear. Simple but effective lighting and to my ears a good mix.

 
Highlights? The Norwich baiting intro to a pounding Transmission and the subsequent sledging of the1-0 taunter and the finale Love will Tear Us Apart. Roll on the Stranglers Wak.

Back on the pond

Contrasting weather yesterday and today, Cold, wet and dreary Saturday, Sunday glass is rising and a beautiful crisp morning with slight frost. Made it down to Captains  from 3pm, lots of weed clearing has been done. No interest in my sardines though. Buzzard heard mewing briefly. Found out that £52 to clean sensor on camera has simply resulted in moving the dirt along a bit as I have not undone the lens since bringing it back from being cleaned.

 Looking down the pond from the island.

Wishful thinking

Domestic chores and shortening days are restricting my fishing opportunities if no one elses. Something to keep my enthusiasm sharp.

Are the cod in yet?

Hope Wak likes these, they're as near as I get to sea fishing. No bushes or gravel bars to cast to.....

Last knockings today

Haven't got round to worm gathering yet so played safe and headed for a late go on Captains this afternoon despite the river looking quite good on the recent rain we have had.

Was going to work back to the dam but tooled-up lure angler ahead of me so started here to let the warer calm out a bit ..The pond is shallow, silty and where not silty weedy.  Little to report until a fizzer off the bait runner up by the boathouse in the stygian gloom. Short, stocky dark fish, allthough you would find that hard to tell as the camera steamed up in the dropping  temperature and damp air.  Chinned it out and lightly hooked in the scissors so no manky wet net to deal with. Went like a train in the shallow water.

 
That's 4 trips, 6 fish  and 3 doubles so far. Worm harvest calls as I do want to find some perch on the river  as autumn beds in.

Cromer

Saturday afternon walk at Cromer. 

A Midlands still water

Excellent day today on a Midlands still water with Wak Lite. As well as the fishing there were a wheeling flock of lapwing, a kingfisher, a buzzard and a hornet to liven  things up. Several abortive takes as well.

First of the day on a tiny mackerel

                                                                   Low double, perfection.

                                                      Look at the chin on that..........

 Wak Lite. Master of all he surveys.

Next trip maybe jigged zander on a slightly bigger Midlands still water.

Just old school

              Mak Morris with a Tip Pit summer double                         Me with a pair of Ardliegh browns

Pictures courtesy of brother Paul

Daze of future past (Part 3)

These are all from the Match Pit, Wivenhoe.

Top fish a bream, probably on maples from an area we imaginitively called the Reeds.  12 + feet under the rod tips and a great area for slider float fished brandling/sweetcorn for good nets of skimmers as well as our particle approach. Note the bike, essential for getting there but also whizzing round to check what was going on elsewhere.  This would have been Silver Machine. Rods were some trusty 11 foot glass blanks that got a beating and the poor man's cousin reel, the Cardinal 155's

Bottom fish a winter common just around doubles. Would have been on sidehooked seafoood boiliee off the point of the further island in the centre of the lake. (Opposite the Reeds) No hair rigs then. Dave Gripping Hands Lake the ghillie. Some morning fish but usualy runs between 2 and 3pm what ever the weather.

Speaking of hair one of my better dos I think....

Autumn evening piking

Beautiful autumn day, fished  a couple of hours late afternoon below Buxton on the Bure. Don't normaly pike it till after Cristmas because of the weed but tried  float paternostereed eel section  in clearer spots.

This was the biggest of two small fish. Excellent fight in the deep clear water in the small spot below.

Beautiful colours and its only the first week of October.

Daze of future past (Part 2)

Early stuff. Hairstyles may require further examination at a later date.