04/08/2020 - Double header down the docks

Tales of bags of corkwing wrasse from Milford Haven sparked some enthusiasm in the boy, so plans were hatched for another early morning session. Unfortunately the weather forecast was for a strong south westerly, which would be blowing straight into Milford, so we decided to head for Hobbs Point on the Pembroke Dock side instead where the wind would be on our backs.  

Arrived just before high tide to find it overcast and with a manageable breeze blowing. Fishing identical tactics – mini two hook flappers baited with scraps of ragworm – we expectantly dropped our rigs straight down the side of the old car ferry ramp. I quickly had two small corkwings and a ballan wrasse, whilst James had a trio of small Pollack. However, it wasn’t long before the rock gobies moved in to the virtual exclusion of everything else. After catching 20 of the little beggars between us we decided that the weather actually seemed benign enough to make the dash over to Milford after all, so we jumped in the car and headed over the bridge sharpish.

 

 

 

However, on the opposite side of the Haven we were greeted by a stiff breeze and white horses! Out on the stone pier I figured that the fish would be tucked around the corner in the lee of the wall and not sat off the end being buffeted by the swell. The leeward side of the pier also had a set of metal steps providing some additional structure for us to fish around.

Again we dropped straight onto the fish with a corkwing each first cast, although it was a case of little and large! Some ballans, shannies and pollack provided a bit of variety and there was also a bit of excitement when I was winding in a small corkwing to have a sizeable bass suddenly appear from under the steps, mouth agape like a pike after a roach! A few minutes later the same thing happened to James as he also brought another corkwing to the surface. Fortunately for the two little wrasse the bass missed both times and it seemed to give up after those failed attempts at a free lunch as we didn’t see it again. It wasn’t long before we also called it a day. After adding even more corkwings to the tally, along with some ballans, shannies and pollack, the rain came sheeting in across the water, making it distinctly uncomfortable out on the pier.

Still, we’d had a decent session and it had been worth the dash across the bridge despite the weather, not in the least because James had done me on the numbers, edging me out 29 to 26

A couple of days later we were back again as I still had an unopened packet of rag in the fridge. The advancing tide times also allowed to fish a couple of hours up to high water to see if this made any difference to what was about. In contrast to the previous session it was still and sunny when we got to the venue. Set up on the same side of the pier as it was my intention to cast a rod parallel to the steps after the bass we’d seen the day before, which would still allow us to fish down the side for the mini-species as before. However, opened up the new pack of ragworm to find that it was mostly dead – so much for paying premium prices! Luckily there were two left in the packet I bought at Pembroke Dock, which was just enough for one cast. The rest we chopped up to bait our other rods as we knew from that experience mini-species love stale rag as much as fresh, the issue being how long it stays on the hook!

Again we started catching lots of corkwings straight away, but for some reason mine from around the steps were just tiddlers compared to those James was catching from more open water. In the end I started poaching his spot and found that  probably by accident more than design, he’d been casting slightly further out to where the seabed started to rise up. The fish obviously seemed to like this slight change in depth as I caught a couple of quality corkies of both sexes myself before the rod top tapped a couple of times then hooped over. Had some nervous moments as a decent fish charged around testing the limit of the light gear I was using. Shouted for James who managed to bundle a beautifully coloured, male ballan wrasse into the net. Added a monster shanny with a head like a bulldog shortly afterwards that I was convinced was a rare (for Pembrokeshire) tompot blenny until I swung it to hand.

James in the meantime had quietly carried on catching and it seemed very time I glanced over his rod was bent over into another corkwing, shanny or Pollack. By the time we’d exhausted our stinky ragworm we’d had 33 fish each, with for some reason James catching the lion’s share of the corkwings and me the ballans. The bass rod in the meantime had remained motionless throughout, although when I wound it in I found that the crabs had given the bait a good going over. Consigned the remains to the depths and called it a day.

Don't know when we'll be back in Pembrokeshire again, but we had our money's worth this time after a long time away - even out of a half-rotten pack of rag that we could smell on our hands all the way home!