Fishing Report: 23rd December 08 - Clacton on sea, Essex

I'd had a previous trip to the Gunfleet on the 12th December but to be quite honest it was such a waste of time due to rough weather caused by an onshore gale, that I hadn't bothered to post a report. However, after this last disaster of a session the fishing could hardly be any worse and I decided to have a last go after the Codling at my favourite spot tucked right in by the slipway before I turn my attentions towards the Flounders that will hopefully be gathering to feed in the local estuaries over the next couple of weeks.

It wasn't a particularly good tide with the high at about 9pm and so I decided to fish over the top, hoping to make the most of whatever run there would be to hopefully pick up a hungry Codling or two. I arrived at about 7pm to find my favourite spot vacant and a flat sea and had a large Black Lug and Squid bait out and fishing within 15 minutes of my arrival. Although there was some light drizzle as forecast by the weathermen it was hardly enough to wet the ground (certainly not enough to dampen my enthusiasm) and the mild night made it feel more like a mid-September session rather than one in December; not surprisingly having kitted myself out with full winter gear I had to lose the jacket fairly soon after I arrived.

I had hoped to pick up one or two fish on the flood but by high tide the fishing had been a complete let down with baits coming back untouched and not a single bite to my credit. The turn of the tide signalled a change however and as the run of tide strengthened about an hour after the top the Codling came on the feed, albeit that the bites were a lot more timid than usual and not the standard steamroller affairs that we associate with the species. Having had a steady rattle of a bite indicating a small Whiting on the end of the line I tightened into the first Codling of the night which measured in at about 48cm and this first fish was followed by a further two Codling over the course of the next hour, both of them also sizable although the last (which was just on the limit) was returned. Over the next couple of hours I was kept entertained by tiddler bites, hoping each one would develop into something more exciting but it was not to be and the only other fish of the night were the 3 or 4 Whiting that managed to take the 4/0 hook intended for much bigger gobs.

By 12:30am the water was disappearing fast as is normal on the mid-evening neap tides and with no run in the water and things to do the next day I decided it was time to call it quits and head for home, finishing the night very contented with two sizable Codling and a reasonable Whiting for my efforts.