Time flies. Didn't seem like five minutes ago when were picking the boy up from Uni for the summer when, all of a sudden, it was time to take him back again. Friday afternoon saw us travelling fully laden down to M5 to stop off at our friends in Exmouth but, as usual, a spot was found in the car for the LRF gear. Unfortunately, an hour's crawl past Bristol put paid to a potential evening session, instead plans were made to hit high tide early next morning.
There was a bit of a nip in the air as Simon and I walked down to the docks, but it was bright and sunny and we were soon greeted by a fantastic panoramic view across the estuary. The water was clear and we could see a big shoal of small fish in our first spot at the "compass". We both expectantly set up scaled down paternoster rigs with size 10 Sabpolo wormer hooks baited with artificials, Simon going for "Gulp" angleworm and me for small sections of sandworm. I won the race to get the first fish, a pollack, on the scoreboard. However, it soon became evident that there were a lot of these about - the baits were getting hit before they'd even hit bottom and fish were coming up two at a time! At one stage it was difficult to see anything else getting a look in, but I eventually managed to break the monotony with a small ballan and a couple of sand smelts, my first of this species this year.
After about half an hour of non-stop action we were ready for a change. The incoming tide had now slackened off, so we headed for the dock wall. Found Greg of East Devon Fishing just setting up, so had a quick chat. I was interested to learn that he was actually targeting bream with frozen black lug tipped off with squid. Filed that away for future reference before dropping down the side a little further down the dock. Again, the pollack were there in numbers, but amongst the ravenous hordes we managed to find a few different species, including a couple of corkwing wrasse, and a fat tompot.
Simon also managed a small pouting, a rare catch from the venue according to Greg. As the ebb tide started ripping through along the dock wall we left Greg and headed to the boat ramp. First drop down next to the sheet piling I had a thumping take from another small ballan. Second drop, same again, but instead of the expected wrasse I found a brace of tompots on the end! At this point Simon asked me if I was there any point in carrying on as I was unlikely to top that. Not one to ignore a challenge I re-baited and dropped down the side of the ramp one more time. A few seconds later the rod tip rattled and I was pleased to find a long-spined sea scorpion on the end.
After dancing around like a pair of big kids in celebration, which must have bemised Greg still on the dock, we agreed that was the perfect moment on which to finish and headed back home for breakfast. Finished with 34 pollack, 3 tompots, 2 corkwings, 2 ballans, 2 sand smelt and 1 scorpion.
Went back the following morning for a session before rugby training, this time dragging Simon's lad Daniel out with us. Some resistance on Dan's part to leave his bed on a Sunday morning meant we headed straight for the dock wall to catch the short window of slack water. Needless to say, the pollack were there in numbers and were all over the baits right from the start. In the clear water, small groups of fish could be seen following their hooked brethren right up to the surface before diving back into the depths. However, I again managed to whittle out a couple of ballans and tompots.
As the tide turned floating weed became a nuisance, so we watched some huge, barrel jellyfish and the odd mullet drifting back out to sea on the ebb, before seeking out some more sheltered water. There was a chap thrashing the water to foam with a lure with little apparent success on the ramp, so we had a look around the rocks at the end of the dock wall instead. Along with a couple of inevitable pollack, it seemed we dropped into right tompot "hole", as we managed 8 between us in quick succession from the same small area. Inevitably it was time for Simon and Dan to head off to rugby, so we said our reluctant goodbyes. Ended up with 32 pollack, 2 ballans and 9 tompots.
Once again, Exmouth delivered goods. Roll on October when we'll be back again!
Soon got into a rhythm catching bleak, chub, roach and dace on the stick and, like on Friday, the perch paternoster was soon deployed at the bottom end of the swim. It had been grey and dull when I arrived, so I wasn't surprised when it started spitting with rain after about an hour. Rather stupidly I had left my coat in the car, so had to rely on my fleece and the tree canopy above me as a natural umbrella. 
